Garbage Cans
 

I'm a huge fan of re-purposing and I found one of these huge rolling garbage cans that I'm thinking of turning into pots. ( Toter 96 gal. Wheeled Trash Can Cart-025596-01GRS at The Home Depot ) for reference. Would that slow the crap out of the growth? I see huge plants coming out of much smaller pots, but I really want it to fruit. Would that hinder that goal?

Re: Garbage Cans
 

I don't think that would be a good choice, and the wheels will not handle the weight.

The best pot design, IMO is the Big Bag Bed wider is better than deeper.

For growing a potted plant quickly, it is better to start with a small pot and incrementally move into larger pots.

This will give you a higher root density when you reach your final pot size.

I grow large plants in 82 gallon rectangular pots and section off the four corners to reduce it to a 41 gallon pot.

After the roots become stacked on the perimeter, I then remove the dividers allowing the plant use the rest of the pot.

Re: Garbage Cans
 

Have you used the Big Bag Bed before??? Or know anyone that has??? If so, what kind of feedback have you heard???

Re: Garbage Cans
 

Bananas will prefer large width of pots to depth. I'm sure you could grow some nice bananas in there, but it's not an optimal pot. I would steer more toward a compost receptacle.

Re: Garbage Cans
 

Going to the website I just realized the the Big Bad Bed is part Smart Pot. I ordered some Smart Pots for the first time this year and am excited to use them. Already have a small hibisicus in one.
I think the root-pruning idea of Smart Pots is perfect for nanners to allow them to grow huge in a smaller pot. Maybe before when one used a 25 gal pot to fruit a nanner in the past, they can now use just a 15 gal Smart Pot? Who knows...
Z

Re: Garbage Cans
 

PRG
Just wondering if you still use these bags.
Has anyone else used these?
Thanks to Momoese and CB Im running out of room
and my tc unknowns from FHN
are becoming rootbound in th
5g pots already.

Ive read on here that any roots
deeper than 2 feet on naners is
not necessary or useless?

Wider rather than deeper pots for naners?

Thanx!:bananas_b

Re: Garbage Cans
 

I use cloth bags also and have gotten slow growing stuff to take off fast. Roots can breathe and are self pruning. Called Jackpots from Botanics nursery on the Martin Hwy in Palm City. My grafted Quenepa/Genip is the best example - grew very slowly for years. Now it's 3 times as large in one year. Latest planting is pole beans with a wire trellis cage stuck in it.

Re: Garbage Cans
 

I done a great deal of container gardening.. and I agree with the one poster who recommended a shallower, but larger pot. But I bet it will do fine in a standard large pot.. but the trash can is likely not a good choice.. IMO.
Whatever you choose.. put a lot of composted soil in it.. since your going to limit it's reach, you better compensate by increasing the density of the nutrition available to it. It will need a LOT more water than an in ground will.. leaving some room at the top of the pot for some sphagnum mulch would help retain some moisture.. but you're still gonna be watering far more than you want to.. good luck with it !!

Re: Garbage Cans
 

Sounds like the perfect container would be a plastic kids swimming pool. Only it would probably fall apart in a few seasons.

Re: Garbage Cans
 

Big question is the durability of the cloth bags?
In another thread, it was said that
exposure to sun weakens the
plastic tubs with ropes.
Im thinking of reinforcing the tubs with duct tape.
It shields the plastic from
uv rays and keeps the plastic together.

Re: Garbage Cans
 

If you do go for the plastic tubs with rope handle, go to a feed store or horse tack store (a big one in your area is called "Broken Horn"). The livestock plastic ones are made of thicker plastic which is also more UV resistent than the cheaper WalMart beverage buckets. No duct tape needed.

Re: Garbage Cans
 

I have several trees 8 years old in the same cloth Jackpot bags. The seams do not rot. Check out Botanics website. They have several locations in S fl. Most of their inventory is in bags.

Botanics Wholesale of Martin County, LLC

From their website------------------------------------------------------

Botanics Wholesale of Martin County, LLC, carries a huge selection of top-quality trees, palms, fruit trees and more. All our plants are grown in the JackPot™ original aeration container, which produce much healthier and larger plants than typical plastic pots.

Re: Garbage Cans
 

@GB, never used 'em
but the dimensions looked good
If I was to use 'em
probably switch out the
cotton thread for
nylon in one of the
Newlong np-7a & buy
a roll of quality
landscaping cloth &
make hundreds of 'em