Bigger pots

SadisticPeppers · Jul 26, 2012

One thing I learned from my previous (disasterous) go at growing peppers, was that bigger pots would've been a huge help. I just bought a set of 30 1-gallon Europots, as well as 5 Europot holders which double as water catchment & carriers that hold 6 pots each, should I feel the need to move them around. I think I got a fairly good deal. All told, it was around $40, including shipping, which I think is a decent deal, considering pots at Home Depot, even the 1-quart quasi-decent ones I got were $2 a pop if I include the matching saucer in the price.

My goal is, once my plants get a little bigger, I'll transplant them into to bigger pots and slowly lower them down from their current positions close to my growlights (see the pics I have in my blog) until I can take them as low as they can go.

What say ye?

armac · Jul 26, 2012

I grow in 10 gallon root pouches.

SocalChilehead · Jul 26, 2012

I am doing the same as Armac with 10 gallon, but also 5 gallon root pouches and 5 gallon black plastic container.

Cayennemist · Jul 26, 2012

If you don't mind the appearance These work Great for me so far and cost .50¢ each
They end up being about 4.5-5 Gal. Sure bigger is better, but for my limited space, I'm going for production more so than plant size.

http://thehotpepper...._80#entry653187

As for the production... well

this pic is a a month old or so but you still get the idea of what they look like with a plants in them.

Big Mike · Jul 26, 2012

Exactly. 5 Gallon Homer containers for me. I drill six or seven 11/16 inch holes in the bottom for drainage and cut the handles off. Cheap, good size and available.

Slice38

spicy_echo · Jul 26, 2012

Don't know how much your local nursery charges, but I had a friend get me some smaller pots/buckets that they use to transport small trees (around 15 gallon size) and they work GREAT for peppers. I was doing 2 peppers per container, but I have learned after this year that 1 per would have been better.

Dave2000 · Jul 26, 2012

I also primary use 5 gallon buckets but managed to find some extended height type too which are 6 and 7 gallon capacity. Unfortunately they are PVC and the older ones get brittle after 2 to 3 years in the sun, but they were free and free is good.

armac · Jul 26, 2012

Only bad thing about buckets is that at the mid to end of the season, your buckets will get brittle from the sun. I have had several break when picking them up.

Cayennemist · Jul 26, 2012

here is a more recent picture

SadisticPeppers · Jul 26, 2012

As it stands right now, my main concern is space. 1 gallon pots are about the biggest I could do, given that I'm in an apartment and have no backyard at all. If I had a yard to do it, I'd be all over 5-10 gallons like green on leaves. Granted, the plants will likely end up slightly smaller than what their max size may be, but at least I'll have plants a-growing

fireface · Jul 26, 2012

I've got a few plants growing well in 2gal smart pots. they have been producing quite well, just not as well as the ones in 7 gal smart pots. They also need to be watered far more than the 7gal pots. A few peppers are better than none I say.

Dave2000 · Jul 27, 2012

When space is a concern, choose deeper pots and rectangular ones you put in rows under the grow light or along the window, etc. For example, with 2 x 4' long grow lights and a width of only 17.5", you could have a row of 4 of these end to end, 72 gallons of soil in a space 17.5" x 94", and they happen to be on sale for a great price now @ $3.88 each. I'd put more than one plant in each.

http://www.sears.com...05_00928114000P

They might be a bit large for some room sizes unless you have a bare wall to devote, but the general idea is the same with smaller rectangular containers arranged short end to end.

corene1 · Jul 27, 2012

For nice sized pots cheap . I go to newly built tract houses that are being landscaped and get the old pots for free. Some landscape companies will also let you have the old pots if you ask them. I really do like the Walmart shopping pots though!

nee · Jul 27, 2012

Cayennemist said:
If you don't mind the appearance These work Great for me so far and cost .50¢ each
They end up being about 4.5-5 Gal. Sure bigger is better, but for my limited space, I'm going for production more so than plant size.

Genius idea! Never thought of that!!

Cayennemist · Jul 28, 2012

nee said:
Genius idea! Never thought of that!!

I was thinking about how to make cheap air pots, I saw these at Wally and almost tried it... Then PepperWoman Suggested it to me in chat and told me they were only 50. each. Now they are my pot of choice.

So far, they are as good as when I got them. They breath so well, that I use them to strain my AACT before putting it in my pump sprayer.

thegreenman · Jul 28, 2012

Cayennemist said:
If you don't mind the appearance These work Great for me so far and cost .50¢ each
They end up being about 4.5-5 Gal. Sure bigger is better, but for my limited space, I'm going for production more so than plant size.

http://thehotpepper...._80#entry653187

As for the production... well

this pic is a a month old or so but you still get the idea of what they look like with a plants in them.

This is the best Idea Ever....really genius use of those bags.

I'm growing in a 4" up to 15 gallon nursery pots. Mostly because I get nursery pots for free.

But I'm also trying homemade earthbox bins just for giggles.

I've found the best larger nursery pots are the ones with the holes a few inches up from the bottom edge, with no bottom drain hole. This allows for constant bottom moisture, with overflow drainage. It's like a built in reservoir.

SadisticPeppers · Jul 28, 2012

And how are those Walmart bags as far as water retention is concerned? Do you by any change put a plastic liner of some kind inside the bag?

Cayennemist · Jul 28, 2012

elcap1999 said:
And how are those Walmart bags as far as water retention is concerned? Do you by any change put a plastic liner of some kind inside the bag?

Nope...
These are intended to be just like Smart pots but cheaper.

Jetchuka · Jul 28, 2012

Thank you for the heads-up on the reusable walmart totes, picked up a dozen of them earlier. I google searched the subject afterwards, and i think some walmarts carry an even larger version for a dollar? These bags are supposedly made from polypropylene, just like smart pots. I like that they aren't colored black, which means they won't get as hot in the sun. The fabric definitely breathes well.

Not sure if it's every Walmart but my local store has the 2cf bags of shredded pine bark mulch for only $1 a bag, so i grabbed a few. Going to mix this with manure compost and some perlite to create a low cost potting soil.

These would only be used for supplementary plants, but i now have a head start for next year, and for only pennies on the dollar.

SadisticPeppers · Jul 28, 2012

Cayennemist said:
Nope...
These are intended to be just like Smart pots but cheaper.

Duly noted. Thanks for the info

may get a few for my bigger plants