what to plant in cinder block holes

9 years ago

last modified: 9 years ago

This past weekend I replaced all of my rotted raised beds with new raised beds out of concrete blocks. I am considering planting small rooted vegetables in the concrete block holes (in addition to marigolds and herbs like parsley and cilantro) so I am looking for suggestions for some items that others find work well in tight spaces. Has anyone tried carrots or shallots?

I didn't buy the "traditional" block size (8x8x16) but rather the slimmer version (6x8x16) due to limited space in my garden so the block holes are smaller than what most people use.

I understand that frequent watering is a must because of the porous nature of the concrete blocks.

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Comments (10)

digdirt2
9 years ago
If you pull up all the photos Jon Hughes has posted here of his many concrete block beds you can see all the things he grows in his block's holes. Green bunching onions is one of them but most any shallow-rooted plant will work. Carrots might if you stick with the small Nantes varieties.

Dave
noinwi
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I used the same sized blocks for one of my beds. I have chives in two of the corner holes. Last season I planted some dwarf romaine lettuce in several holes that did well. I had tomatoes in the bed running east to west and the lettuce was on the north side of the toms. I tried radishes in some others but they bolted on me. This season I was going to try onions, Jon Hughes style, but I doubt I will get as good results as I just never have good luck with onions. Oh, and I recently planted some tall peas in the holes near the ends of the fencing I use across the center of the bed, right at the fence posts.
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I tried that in a vegetable bed that was made of cinder block and ended up taking it apart and going back to wood, because I didn't like the effect the blocks had on my plants. I did try growing thyme in the holes and I think some kinds did okay and some didn't. The problem I had, was that the blocks heat up in the sun and they heat the soil and many plants didn't like it. I was watering a lot more. Also does dry out the ground around them. And the holes are just too small. You can experiment is about all I can suggest. Try different plants in different holes. I would stay away from Creeping Jenny. If you do a search you will find people who wish they had never planted it. Cerastium tomentosum is gorgeous and will cover a lot of ground and might not mind the heat, but, it doesn't look very good after blooming. I always cut mine back after bloom and without doing that, it looks pretty untidy and worn out. Do you want to be cutting the plant back every year? Depends I guess on how many cement blocks you have. Phlox subulata might be worth a try. It blooms in spring but after bloom it looks good the rest of the season. You might have to trim it every three years? If it worked out. I have a golden thyme that seems to grow anywhere very vigorously and seems indestructible. And they are known to tolerate heat, I believe. If you can find a nursery that specializes in herbs, they might be able to direct you to a vigorous variety of thyme to try. Not seeing a photo of your cinderblocks, I wonder if you can plant something on the ground above the blocks that can then grow down and cover them? Or is it actually a wall?
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Some people do this here and frankly, the holes in the cinder blocks are not large enough to sustain plants well. The roots fill up the holes quickly and then there is no room for more growth, water etc. So consider using the blocks but plant behind them to cascade over. For an even cheaper solution, you can get wood from Walmart made to make raised beds with. Each piece costs about the same as two blocks and is 6' long. Just stack two on top of each other and screw them together and it will probably be a lot cheaper and easier for you to deal with in the end. No having to hide anything. My friends here also use pieces of logs for their raised beds and it is a nice, natural look at NO expense, usually. They will ask for wood on Freecycle or pick it up on the side of the road. As for cascading plants, two I can think of now that would work for you are creeping phlox subulata and perennial candytuft.
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beesneeds
9 years ago
Chives, bunching onions, lettuce, some carrots, radishes, and greens like spinach or smaller collards, chards, and kales could work.. maybe cilantro, parsley, or dill if you would like to get some herbs in. Or marigolds or nasturtiums if you would like to add some beneficial and edible flowers to your beds. German chamomile if you are a tea drinker.
njitgrad
Original Author
9 years ago
What about beets? The wife loves them.
Humsi
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
I'm not sure what area of the country you're in, but when I first started gardening, I had raised beds made of cinder block and tried to plant in the holes. I quickly found out the blocks get way too hot in the height of summer here, and the dirt in the holes baked to concrete consistency if I didn't water them 2-3 times a day.

I'm not at all saying it can't work, but if you get hot summers where you live, prepare to water, water, water.
digdirt2
9 years ago
about beets? Maybe 1 plant in each hole but they won't do well in the warm soil there for long so you'd have to harvest small.
glib2
9 years ago
carrots and beets are too deep-rooted. Lettuce, onions, garlic, arugula, mustard greens will all work.
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
9 years ago
Garlic chives are super hardy & drought resistant here. They seem to survive the most adverse conditions & keep going - also don't seem to mind being rootbound @ all. They also bloom several times yearly & are great beneficial attractors...
balloonflower
9 years ago
The garlic chive blooms also make a really great infused vinegar--we use in seasoned rice vin that DH uses for salad dressings and stir fries where it adds a nice garlic hint. Like it better than onion chive vinegar, though it's good too.
Peter (6b SE NY)
9 years ago
Oregano grows just about anywhere, I have it coming out of cracks in my retaining wall. I'd recommend that.

what to plant in cinder block holes

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what to plant in cinder block holes

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