in-ground "Underground" pots/baskets

The_Birdman

The_Birdman

Hi, I've overwintered some 1-2 year old plants indoors in small pots and want to put them in a large planter I have outside when the weather gets better. I want to put them in some underground mesh-like pots so the roots don't tangle up too badly and to make them easier to retrieve when I bring them back in. 
 
My problem is I don't know the name of this type of pot/basket which I need - I've tried searching every possible combination of underground, buried, sinking, net, pot, basket etc and the only ones that turn up are the types used in hydroponics (which would be fine if they weren't so small). I am guessing I need 20-30cm ones but really can't find them online anywhere. Of course I could just drill some holes in old pots but it seems like this would be a readily available item if I just knew the proper name.
 
Thanks to anyone who can help!
 
If the roots can breach the container, they will reach out and get tangled. What size are you looking for? and I am referring to gallons. Hydro pots are generally smaller because they do not have to contain the entire root structure of the plant, just render aid in supporting it.
 
What are you attempting to achieve by putting smaller pots in one large planter vs. just putting your plants in larger yet manageable pots? Seems by your explanation, it is a lot of unnecessary work and possibly cost for a same result.
 
CAPCOM said:
If the roots can breach the container, they will reach out and get tangled. What size are you looking for? and I am referring to gallons. Hydro pots are generally smaller because they do not have to contain the entire root structure of the plant, just render aid in supporting it.
 
What are you attempting to achieve by putting smaller pots in one large planter vs. just putting your plants in larger yet manageable pots? Seems by your explanation, it is a lot of unnecessary work and possibly cost for a same result.
Click to expand...
 
Yes I may be overthinking it, I am just imagining pulling them out of the large planter at the end of the year and it would make it a bit easier, and give me a clear "safe" root buffer to cut/snap around the outside of as I'm not very experienced doing that type of thing. I could just stick them straight in the planter soil but feel like it's going to be harder not to hurt them when I move back to pots indoors or they need to go in the greenhouse. Also I'm worried about support and feel like they'd be set more strongly in underground pots of some sort.
 
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Here is a reaper plant that I pruned back to stems, dig up, trimmed back the roots and planted in a Waterfarm hydroponic planter. Right after transplant.

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2 months later - 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide

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A ghost - pulled out of a 5 gallon pail, removed soil from roots, trimmed back the roots and repotted in a 1 gallon pot.

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2 months later.

Don't worry too much about hurting the plant, they are pretty resilient and sprung back with no issues.
 
The_Birdman said:
 
Yes I may be overthinking it, I am just imagining pulling them out of the large planter at the end of the year and it would make it a bit easier, and give me a clear "safe" root buffer to cut/snap around the outside of as I'm not very experienced doing that type of thing. I could just stick them straight in the planter soil but feel like it's going to be harder not to hurt them when I move back to pots indoors or they need to go in the greenhouse. Also I'm worried about support and feel like they'd be set more strongly in underground pots of some sort.
Click to expand...
 

Let this thread run a while before you make any final decisions. I think you will get a whole new perspective from the ideas that will pop up here.
 
Wow!......See in canada their plants grow sideways. :party: :party:
 
Sorry guys...I hate double posting and I dont know how to get rid of one.....drinking and posting.......take what you get...lol
 
net pot is probably the product you was thinking of. They are made for hydroponics. 
 
Though like others said. you're over thinking it. Just trim what you need to. 
 
Sizzle Lips said:
Wow!......See in canada their plants grow sideways. :party: :party:
Click to expand...
 

No, JoeMay was being considerate by posting so those going to bed and getting their last minute updates could view the plants in a more realistic orientation.
 
For the record, I don't really see any usefulness to planting in net pots.  But it's your question, and your plant to deal with, so I'll throw you a bone, on this one.
 
These fit on a 5 gallon bucket:
 
http://www.htgsupply.com/products/10-inch-mesh-bucket-lid
 
In the nursery, we use "accelerator" pots  They are available from small to mondo sizes:
 
http://www.nurserysupplies.com/products/accelerator
 
If you just want an easy way to get the plants out of the ground for overwintering, you could put them in pots with the bottoms cut out.  This will also eliminate the perched water table in your container.  But there is some advantage to cutting roots back.  Mainly, the fact that it helps eliminate/correct a previous/future rootbound condition.
 
When I've made bonsai trees I plant the tree seedling in a plastic pasta strainer
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I put stones in the bottom then add the plant then fill the rest up with soil
Then I will use a knife to pack in the soil around the edges as hard as I can
Then you dig the hole and put this inside and fill around
 
One year later you can dig it out pretty easy to inspect. Roots will escape but they are small and easy to cut off
Roots will only escape to the sides
 
I do this with a different species of plants (though also Solanaceae), you drill holes, larger ones, on the sides of the pot then dig them in. In autumn you run a knife or other sharp tool along the pot edges and pull the pot out. Then they overwinter in a non-freezing safe space without any root stress and in the spring are dug in again.

Edit: the key is to have fewer but bigger holes in the sides, having a hydroponics pot would be pointless as it would be much harder to cut it out in autumn and the roots would dry out too much in storage.
 
I've almost always just grow in pots and or SIP containers.  All of my best producing plants have been in pots.  Keep in mind I'm only growing 20 or so plants at once, but I found containers allow me to control the soil, amendments, and location of the plant more than planting in ground.  At the end of the season I prune and put them in the garage.  At the beginning I get them under lights in Jan so by March / April they ready to go outside.
 
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