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Potting Questions

geeme

geeme

I recently bought my first pepper plants, and put them into ceramic pots the size recommended by the guy at Lowes - 10". That's okay for the jalapenos for now, but if they survive the winter in my house, I'm definitely going to need to repot next year. The cowhorn, however, clearly needs a bigger pot now. I'm undecided about what kind of pot, however - ceramic or plastic? I know plastic is less expensive (and seems to be what most posters to this site use), but I haven't had much luck keeping things alive in plastic in the past. Part of the problem is the weather here - Cleveland, OH area, where we can end up fairly cold and rainy most of the summer from time to time - the ceramic helps drain out excess moisture. On the other hand, I do already have a bigger plastic pot available (about 3 gallons), but would have to purchase a larger ceramic one. Does anyone from this general area have a recommendation?

Also, the cowhorn's got quite a bit of fruit on it right now - any tips for repotting without disturbing the plant too much? I'm thinking I should move it shortly after watering, so the dirt clings together the most due to the moisture. Yes/No?
 
I have been working on finding the best overall myself. Im using ceramics, plastics, and grow bags too. Thats another option. If you will have them indoors, I think plastic and or grow bags will do well. You can get a tray for them to sit in, and water from the bottom up. Water from the top when feeding. They allow for a little more airflow in my opinion. Ill ask around for ya. I have family all over OH so Im sure they will have a good idea. Theres also some members on here more familiar with that climate. Somebody will get you on the right track. Good luck!
 
what is the problem with using plastic containers outdoors?

these trinidad scorpions were transplanted from 3" square containers to 5 gallon extruded plastic containers...I grow in containers exclusively

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Plastic works best for me. Terracota/clay is probably the worst in my opinion since they are heavy, they heat up very quick, and they wick moisture away from the roots
 
AlabamaJack said:
what is the problem with using plastic containers outdoors?

these trinidad scorpions were transplanted from 3" square containers to 5 gallon extruded plastic containers...I grow in containers exclusively

092309b004.jpg
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Absolutely georgeous plants - but I see you are in Ft. Worth. I had no probs growing things in any type of pot when I lived in Houston, or even L.A.. But perhaps that's it - maybe I'm watering like I'm still in that zone.

But now I'm curious - why don't you just stick those beauties in the ground, given where you live? Ft. Worth ain't Houston, but you stll have a better climate than Cleveland, OH.
 
I don't have to tear what little yard I have up and can move the containers anytime I want plus I can mix my soil to what I like to have the plants grow in and control their nutrients a lot better than if they were in the ground...there are other growers in Cleveland that produce massive plants in plastic containers...I just don't see the difference is all I am saying....
 
Just that the plastic holds water longer. We had a really cold, wet summer last year - you were sweatin' while we were wearing sweaters. The moisture in the ground was lovely for breeding all kinds of things that killed off half my flower garden in the front yard. I have never seen some of that stuff before. Ended up hiring a guy to actually remove the dirt and mulch and bring in fresh, so have put in new plants this year. And that's in the ground. Excess moisture in a pot becomes just as lovely, only faster. [Just a little bit of sarcasm here?] Granted, at least I can move a pot to cover if it rains too much, but then it would be missing out on the daylight (what little there is sometimes!)

But the flip side of plastic pots is the same - it holds moisture longer. So in the winter, when it gets bone-dry indoors, plastic pots make more sense. Maybe that just made my decison for me!
 
geeme said:
Excess moisture in a pot becomes just as lovely, only faster.
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I understand where you are coming from, but I don't agree. If you use plastic pots you decide how long your pots hold moisture - you decide how many holes you put in the pot and where you put them. And it's really easy to put more holes in if even after you put the plant in. If you use clay you are pretty much stuck with whatever you have. It what you have works for you - great. But it it doesn't?
 
I prefer Terracotta, but both have their pluses and minuses. Plastic holds water longer; but if one isn't careful over-watering can be a problem and they get very hot in direct sun. Another advantage is expense; plastic being considerably cheaper.
Terracotta on the other hand dries out faster, thereby lowering the chance of over-watering. Its other advantage is the material is permeable and allows air through the sides for the roots. It's also safer to sit the pot in a pan of water if one is going to be gone for a few days; the pot will wick the water as will the dirt and the chances of drowning the roots/plant are greatly reduced.
I use plastic pots for starting plants; I put the coir puck in it's first dirt in a small plastic pot. Thereafter I go to Terracotta.
Viva-la difference. Cheers. ;)
 
I'm gonna have to be a Missourian on this one...show me....(for non US people, Missouri is the "Show Me" state)...

If you are saying that clay/terracotta lets water seep out of the pores, then I can see a minor difference but other than that, I really don't see how containers of the same size with the same amount of soil that are watered the same and have the same number and size of drain holes don't dry out at the same rate
 
AlabamaJack said:
I'm gonna have to be a Missourian on this one...show me....(for non US people, Missouri is the "Show Me" state)...

If you are saying that clay/terracotta lets water seep out of the pores, then I can see a minor difference but other than that, I really don't see how containers of the same size with the same amount of soil that are watered the same and have the same number and size of drain holes don't dry out at the same rate
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Of course I call it evaporation; but it's basically the same thing/result. I will guarantee that all things being equal except the pot material (plastic/Terracotta); the Terracotta pot will dry out faster. I'll qualify that by adding one thing; I'm speaking of non-glazed Terracotta pots and should have stated so earlier. My bad. Cheers. :)
 
OK...understand now...sorry to be bothersome...
 
AlabamaJack said:
OK...understand now...sorry to be bothersome...
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Bothersome??? No, no, not at all. I look at your crop and squirm with envy. I like Terracotta, but as I said or meant to say; plastic is fine and you would/could be the poster child for that.
I just think that for greenhorns, unglazed Terracotta can sometimes be a better choice. That said, Viva-la difference. Cheers. ;)
 
tip on container gardening...or at least for my grow situation...

if you plant in 5 gallon containers...after 3 months in the container after transplant, the roots of the plant will start growing out of the drain holes in the bottom...to me this is a good thing...as long as the ground they are growing into contains no bad chemicals (read grass weeder)...I have found that the plants in the containers with roots grown into the ground need watering less often and seem to be bigger/healthier plants...the bad thing about roots growing out of the containers is you need to leave them where they are....once my plants get that age, they don't get moved any more...
 
I should have clarified that I was referring to unglazed pots, as well. I appreciate everyone's input.
About the roots growing out of the container holes - that was what I was thinking of when asking why you have those HUMONGOUS beauties in pots at all. When I decided to put in a flower bed in the front yard, I had a guy come and dig out not just the grass, but a ways down, as well, then fill it in with bedding soil. (Actually, a layer of bedding soil mixed with gravel, with a layer of just bedding soil on top of that.) We've got a lot of clay in the ground here (as I believe you do, too), so I wanted to make sure the roots had plenty of good soil to go down and out into. Granted, at some point they're still likely to go deeper into the clay, but at least I gave them a good foundation. Have you considered something like that?
 
not really geeme...I am happy with the way they grow right now...if by chance, the quality of my plants and harvest starts to suffer in the future, that is a great idea...
 
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