container gardening using smart pots

cmcguire 2/17/2013, 12:28 am

Good evening everyone glad to be aboard and learn from the pro's. I will start with asking does anyone have any experience in container gardening? I am experimenting this year with smart pots using Mels square foot gardening compost. Please let me know if you have any do's and dont's.

JackieB999 2/17/2013, 7:30 pm

Hi CM! I'm doing container gardening and I used 5 gallon nursery containers from HD for $1.60 a piece (online). They are 12" in diameter and pretty sturdy, so that will work for SFG. I also just bought some 10 gallon rubbermaid totes and we can grow bigger things in, like tomatoes, squash, eggplant... the sprawling veggies. I also have a big 28 gallon plastic bucket growing potatoes. Just remember to drill holes in the bottoms if there aren't any there, and use Mel's Mix just like he says in the book.

There's ton's of information here and lots of experienced people, so just use the search bar or ask questions. Happy SFGing!

$glad you\'re here$

janefss2002 2/20/2013, 10:13 pm

Hi CM!
First, a warm Texas Welcome from someone in DFW! happy hi

I use Smart Pots a lot. I use them when I decide on a new bed. I can move the pots around as I decide how I want the bed configured before I make the bed box permanent..

I have some 10 gallon and mostly now 15 gallons. I think of the 15 gallon ones as 2 squares.

If you do move the pots, you just have to water them to re-establish the water wicking with the ground. You don't have to poke holes in them.

I grow fingerling potatoes and these pots make harvesting a snap. I just dump them on to a tarp and pick out the potatoes. I return the MM to the pot, add some compost and now they are ready for Fall planting (beans, etc, anything to rotate with the potatoes).

If I can figure out how to post pictures, I'll post my picture of my newly started potato pots (I'll add MM to the pots as the potatoes grow).

Hope this helps!

Jane

cmcguire 2/20/2013, 10:45 pm

thanks for your reply. What are fingerlings and what is MM?

janefss2002 2/20/2013, 11:08 pm

CM,

MM = Mel's Mix, the Heart and Soul of Square Foot Gardening. This "soil" is better than any potting soil that you can purchase, in my opinion. You can find out more about Mel's Mix here on this forum and in Mel's book All New Square Foot Gardening.

Fingerlings are fingerling potatoes that are SO expensive in the grocery stores, yet so easy to grow in Texas. I love the Smart Pots for these. I have 16 pots going now with potatoes. I do use my pots for other veggies as they become available. I grow my sweet potatoes in plastic totes as I found the sweet potatoes too difficult to harvest in the Smart Pots.

Jane

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container gardening using smart pots

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