Drip Watering Pots and Plant Containers by Gardener Dave

Some years ago I swore off clay pots in my landscaping layout. My reason for this is:  In our dry climate, small clay pots dry out “before you can put the hose away” – especially the unglazed ones.  Glazed pots fare a little better, but beware of the darker colors as they absorb radiant heat and can cook plant roots if they are in full sun all day.

I still like the look of unglazed clay pots, especially in groups with the largest in the center, or large-to-small arrangement. The “Italian style” pots with the thicker rounded rims are my favorites.  Hmmmm… now I’m talking about “my favorite unglazed pots”!  What convinced me to use them again after I had sworn off?


Drip watering on an automatic timer made the difference for me. I still avoid small ceramic pots due to their quick dryout – my smallest is about 11” in diameter and they go up from there.  I always use potting soil and always plant the pots with bright-colored annuals. I fill the bottom 2/3 of the pots with Perlite to avoid using large quantities of potting soil every year. This provides a “moisture sink” that roots can get down into. You can buy Perlite (or equivalent) in large sacks. It isn’t as cheap as empty pop cans or other such fillers, but I do keep it from year-to-year – currently my Perlite base has been in the pots for about 5 years. I fill the top 1/3 with good potting soil that includes some fertilizer. 

Water distribution to each of my drip circuits from the full-pressure timed lines is through a 15 or 20 psi pressure regulator and 1/2” plastic tubing. Small 1/4” tubing goes from the 1/2” distribution tube to the drip hose in each pot, using 1/4” barbed connectors. See pictures below for straight and tee types.

I prefer to use 1/4” “leaky hose” for watering inside the pots themselves. I have tried spot emitters in the past, but prefer the more distributed drip effect of the small hoses.  I use a proportional amount of the leaky hose, depending on the size of the pot.  For the smaller pots I run one turn of the drip hose just inside the rim of the pot, then one across the diameter of the pot between plants.  I use wire “staples” – made for holding down weed barrier cloth – to hold the tubing in place.  In larger pots, I may use two turns of the tubing inside the rim of the pot, with an “X” of tubing across the pot diameter. Also, be aware that some brands of the little leaky hoses are more “leaky” than others. You just have to try them to know the differences.

Mulch (if used) should be applied to the soil over the tubing.  Less water will be lost to evaporation if the hoses are under the mulch. I use my little leaky hoses for several years before replacing them.  I am on Lakewood (Denver) water, but it will depend on the mineral content of your water – more minerals will mean replacement at more frequent intervals, as minerals tend to eventually plug them up. One good thing about using the small leaky hose is that they can be easily cut shorter or spliced if you find that you are watering too much or too little.  Fine tuning is part of the process (it’s a hobby, right?)  Of course, the frequency and duration of watering as set by the timer(s) are basic to the whole drip watering approach. Experiment with these as necessary.  My pot circuits are set to run for 5 minutes every other day. This seems to be adequate even in hotter weather.  Use whatever works for you. Try to group plants with similar water needs on each circuit if you can.

If you successfully fine-tune your drip watered pots, you can go on vacation with confidence, knowing that your pots and containers will be correctly watered. I generally have my system up and totally fine-tuned by the time September is here.  JUST KIDDING!    ;o)

Cheers,
Gardener Dave

Saving Soil When Planting Large Planters by Caroline Reardon

Magnificent plant pots abound, from the local discount store to upscale greenhouses. Terra cotta, glazed, even plastic that looks like pottery—or not, in hot lime green, tangerine, aquamarine. These large containers make a strong statement massed on the porch by your front door or along the patio by the lawn chairs. And then comes the fun of choosing an artistic combo of leaf shapes, colors, uprights and vines.



And soil. Reality hits when you realize how much potting soil you will need to nurture this fine display! Perhaps as much as two feet of soil at the bottom of a tall pot that the roots will never touch.

Recycling to the rescue. Collect some empty aluminum pop cans from your recycling bin and arrange them in the bottom of the pot, deep enough to leave 8"-12" above for the soil.

Cover the cans with a couple layers of landscape cloth. This will keep the potting soil from filtering down into the spaces between the cans and still allow for good drainage. I wanted a trellis for the Black Eyed Susan vine I would be planting so cut a couple of holes in the cloth and pushed in the sticks. Soil will hold them in place.

Fill the remaining space with your favorite potting soil and then plant, usually starting from the center with the tallest selections and working toward the edges. Crowded plantings make the most spectacular displays, as long as you remember to fertilize throughout the summer. And now you have more soil for your next display.

Veggie Gardening in Containers by Donna Duffy

The number of people who grow vegetables at home has increased dramatically over the past few years. But what if you are limited on space? Vegetable gardens require lots of square footage, don’t they? Well, not necessarily. Some vegetables will be perfectly content to grow in a container if a few basic principles are followed.

1.     Match the container with the vegetable you want to grow. Tomatoes do well in a large, deep container (at least 12”) that provides stability when the plant gets tall, and also has room for strong root growth. Beans, on the other hand, do well in a long box, at least 12” wide and 8” deep (choose pole beans). Carrots, chard, leaf lettuce, beets and peas all need a container that is at least 8” deep. Regardless what you are growing, make sure the container has never contained any kind of toxic material. Container veggies must have drainage. If your container doesn’t have holes, you could put a layer of rocks on the bottom of the container, and then plant your veggies in a container “insert” – a pot slightly smaller than the outside container. Be sure the insert has drainage holes. Remember: a larger container will make your veggies easier to care for and will allow you to provide a larger supply of water and nutrients.

2.     Be savvy about soil. Avoid using soil directly from your garden – it’s probably too full of clay and may contain pests that will cause problems later. Purchase potting soil at your local garden center instead. 

3.     Pick plants purposefully! Not all veggies are well-suited for containers. When you are shopping for veggies (or seeds), look for descriptors such as “compact”, “patio” “bush” or “determinate”. If you are planning on growing tomatoes, the following are good choices: Patio, Pixie, Tiny Tim, Saladette, Toy Boy, Spring Giant. The CSU Extension Garden Notes #724 has a long list of veggies appropriate for containers: http://www.ext.colostate.edu/mg/gardennotes/724.pdf

4.     Water, water, water! Growing vegetables in containers requires a bit more attention than growing ornamentals. The quality of most container grown veggies will improve if a constant supply of water and nutrients is provided. Without this, most vegetables will lose flavor, become tough, and perform poorly. In the heat of summer, your container may require watering every day (maybe even twice a day). Always apply enough water that the excess drains out. Avoid standing water by draining any saucers under the container (tip: use a turkey baster if the pot is too heavy to lift).

5.     Add nutrients.  Because the container will limit the root spread of your veggies, a regular supply of fertilizer is critical for maximum production. At the time of planting, add timed release fertilizer if the soil doesn’t already have it. Throughout the growing season, add soluble fertilizer according to label directions. More is not better! If you over-fertilize, you’ll have a lovely crop of leaves and stems instead of veggies.

Miles Davis's Container Gardening Tips.

Here is a very funny article "written" by famed jazz great Miles Davis.  Some very wise gardening advice given!


McSweeney's Internet Tendency: Miles Davis's Container Gardening Tips.

Pots “R” Us (In special places) by Gardener Dave

There were a couple of problem areas in my yard where nothing seemed to grow well. I didn’t want to put a lot of work into them for reasons which I will explain. One location is in a far corner with a utility pole in it. The grade there is already a bit higher than my neighbor’s and would require a preliminary dig-out to put in a raised bed so as not to harm the fence. However, I kind of like the way my yard slopes gently up to that stage-like corner. The other reason for not putting in an extensive/expensive raised planter bed there - the plants would get pretty well destroyed if the “Power to the People” (Xcel) crew decided that major work is needed up the transformer pole, or (heaven forbid) the pole needs replacing. Since the corner was slightly elevated, I decided to put some “characters” on my little stage in the form of graduated-size terracotta pots. These I plant with annuals each spring. This year I put a row of Calibrachoas in front of the pots. The pots are filled with moisture-retaining potting soil and everything is watered by drip irrigation so maintenance is pretty much just fertilizing and a bit of deadheading. In the late fall I remove the annuals, let the pots go dry, and cover them with plastic to keep the soil dry so it doesn’t expand and crack the pots. If the Power People need to work there, at least they won’t be destroying perennials or an elaborate raised bed, and the pots can be moved.



The other problem area was below my deck in one end of a brick planter that was built at the same time as the house. It gets no direct sun. The light source there is primarily reflected light off the concrete driveway. This seems to be adequate for Impatiens and a few other shade plants. It looked bad, so I decided to give it the “graduated size pot treatment” also. There was room for only three “sized” pots, which I planted with New Guinea Impatiens, “Can Can” Coral Bells (Heuchera ‘Can Can’), and a “Little Lantern” Ligularia (Ligularia x hessei ‘Laternchen’) which I have not tried before. So far they all seem to be happy there. I wish I had a “before” picture to show you, as it’s like the expression “You Had to be There” to see what it was like originally, with Oregon Grape Holly trying to extend itself into those shady conditions from the middle of the planter. It got tall and lanky and very weedy-looking. Needless to say, it is no longer there. Good riddance!

Cheers,
Gardener Dave