• Do you need help identifying a 🌶?
    Is your plant suffering from an unknown issue? 🤧
    Then ask in Identification and Diagnosis.

Why pots/buckets

Growing in containers does give you a lot more control over water, nutrients, soil type, light, etc. Learning how to adjust all those variables for best production is where I'm behind. I have better results in raised beds and in the ground probably because I don't have control of everything. :D
 
Tonly said:
Growing in containers does give you a lot more control over water, nutrients, soil type, light, etc. Learning how to adjust all those variables for best production is where I'm behind. I have better results in raised beds and in the ground probably because I don't have control of everything. :D
Click to expand...

My thoughts exactly. I use raised beds too. I grow a few in pots but they never grow nearly as well.
 
Tonly said:
Growing in containers does give you a lot more control over water, nutrients, soil type, light, etc. Learning how to adjust all those variables for best production is where I'm behind. I have better results in raised beds and in the ground probably because I don't have control of everything. :D
Click to expand...


Josh said:
My thoughts exactly. I use raised beds too. I grow a few in pots but they never grow nearly as well.
Click to expand...

Yup...me three
 
HawaiiAl said:
there have been alot more cooked plants in containers than in the ground. you can always build a fence or buy a shotgun.
Click to expand...

Isn't a shotgun for rabbits a bit overkill? I mean you would wind up with a very large hole and no rabbit to eat. I'm pretty sure a .tt would do just fine lol.
 
I'm also in OH, but in the Cleveland area. (Yeah yeah, I know, condolences aren't really necessary.) I grow mine in pots for the reasons already given. Our grow season is so short here, there is no way I could get any production from peppers like 7 Pot, Brain Strain, Fatalii, or Rocoto if I couldn't start them in the house and/or bring them back in the house when the weather cools down. Similarly, I can move them into the garage if we get too-strong winds or hail. This year I will be doing a mix - some in the ground and some in pots, with at least one of each variety in pots. I also agree that you CAN control the soil in an in-ground garden - I hired someone to dig out my garden area, and had him bring in a good soil mix to fill it. The plants in the garden appear to be very happy with that, and they can stretch their legs as long as they wish.

So really it's up to you, given your local factors, what you want to grow, and how much control you want over mobility. If I was only interested in growing annuums, for example, I might do them all in the ground since they grow and produce pretty quickly.
 
I totally agree with each of AJ's earlier points.
I have raised a garden almost every growing season of my adult life. Before that,I did so with my Parents and Grand parents.
Then as a result of many years of errant and youthful behaviors, a combination of arthritic knees and lower back surgery,was forcing me to strongly consider giving up one of my favorite hobbies.
So last year I decided to try containers for the first time, and temporarily covered up my raised beds.

In 2010 I raised 18 pepper plants of several varieties in 3.5 and 5 gallon buckets, and a few large flower pots.
I enjoyed a bountiful harvest far beyond what I had remotely expected, and much more powder,pods,fermented mash,hot sauce... than I could use and/or give away to others.

But the main reason(s)I've become a container convert is because it requires minimal kneeling, squatting down,or stooping over.
1.The planting process was easier.
2.No weeding...hoeing etc. (I also experienced much less insect damage.)
3.Easier (chest high) harvesting
4.No more cat shite in the garden.

This season I'm planning on around 60 pepper plants, green beans,turnips,lettuce,potato's,tomato's... all of which will be in grown in containers.
And my obsolete raised beds will be re-worked as a "bucket patch" before season's end.
 
Overarching theme and simplest answer?

CONTROL

And for me, much like Louisiana Bill (transplanted to the Ozarks) up there, my in-ground experience entails a jackhammer to penetrate the ground more than two inches. All rock.

Karst country is beautiful...and horrible ag land.
 
If you can keep the soil healthy it is very little maintenance and the plants will always have what they need. Use mulch to conserve water and prevent weeds.

I'd prefer to have a sunny, healthy, raised bed, mulched and drip irrigated over having to mess with containers all the time.
 
orangehero said:
If you can keep the soil healthy it is very little maintenance and the plants will always have what they need. Use mulch to conserve water and prevent weeds.

I'd prefer to have a sunny, healthy, raised bed, mulched and drip irrigated over having to mess with containers all the time.
Click to expand...

I agree. Unfortunately, as mentioned above, some of us have hail, deer and the need for larger raised beds due to bedrock.

This is one of those 'to taste' things, I think.
 
AlabamaJack said:
1. Mobility
2. Maximum use of minimum space
3. Exact control of nutrients given
4. Exact control of water given
5. IMO cheaper to build enough soil for containers vs building soil in a garden plot
6. When you feed/water, you only feed/water the plants in the containers and not the whole garden
7. Recycling your soil year to year...
Click to expand...

That pretty much sums up my exact reasons. I do have a small space for other things, but I wouldn't dare with my peppers.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top