Mel's Mix and Rust

Hi, just thinking in advance.  Since Mel suggests using sand in the bottom of deep containers to not "waste" the MM beyond the 6" depth, I though I might put the sand in empty #10 cans (so sand is not pouring out the drainage holes and most importantly, to anchor the vertical supports I will need for the squash and goya vines).  These cans will rust.  Will that be harmful in the MM?

Let me know!  Thanks!

vjam

 If they are food grade cans they shouldn't hurt the MM, plants or you.  However, allow for the displacement of MM by the cans, spacing plants accordingly.  Hope I am interpreting your questions correctly. Are you still in Japan and do not have access to products we use in the US for trellises, or the products are too expensive?

Others??

Hi Sanderson,

Yes, I'm still in Japan!

Fortunately, the materials are available.  However, I am on the eighth floor, so there is no pounding the supports into the ground!  And because of typhoons, I have to have the vines not grow on the balcony railing, so I can move them inside during a storm (learned that last year)!  I think (hope) that anchoring the vertical supports into the sand-filled cans will provide enough anchorage since MM is too light to hold them in place.

My question was that since Mel (I think it was Mel) advocates for only 6" of MM, he says any deeper is unnecessary (and a waste).  He said to use sand or other filler in a deep container so that it doesn't have to be filled will MM (deeper than 6").

The #10 cans would be from foods, no problem there.

I'm just wondering if, when they rust (and disintegrate), would that be a problem in the MM?

vjam

Hi vjam! Hope you are safe over there in Japan. 

I think that rust it's supposed to be good for gardens. Didn't farmers use to put rusty nails in their fields for some reason? I seem to remember reading that. I also noticed that when I put metal stakes, grids or trellis's in my beds, rusty or not, the plants do better. I look forward to Sanderson's response.

CC