We love to share with you all what we are learning as we go about our successes and some failures. We like to get out ahead of you so that we can help you not make some of the same mistakes that we have made. This is the study of how are containers have been producing, and what we are going to have to do to get them back on track.
Container gardening
Poor soil quality
Nutrient deficiency
Soil contamination
Soil-borne diseases
Drainage issues
Soil compaction
Soil acidity problem
Soil amendment
Fertilizing container plants
Organic matter for container soil
Raised container gardening
Self-watering planters
Garden soil vs. potting mix
33 Comments
Great video!!! Gave me some good info to ponder. I will be eagerly awaiting future videos about this. Since we do mostly use containers, because we are in town, this is extremely relevant to us.
It was super foggy at my northeast Texas home as well. We have a layer of rock at the bottom of our containers, then mulch, then soil. These heavy rains have been a challenge!
Costco will have the 27 gallon storage totes on sale for $7.99. Be careful with the bagged organic potting mix especially the moisture control ones. It's quick heavy and compacts right away. I add perlite to loosen it up
Thanks for your insight. I also watch Robbie in Southern California who gardens in 18 gallon totes. She is all organic and makes her own soil with leaves, grass clippings, kitchen scraps Etc. She will add some purchased potting soil on top. Essentially she is composting in place. I’ve learned quite a bit from her and have adopted some of her ideas. She refurbs her totes with new leaves, kitchen scraps every few years. Of course she doesn’t grow commercially as y’all do. And I don’t think her area of California has to deal with the number of pests and diseases that we do here in central Texas. I’ve been battling horn worms and fungus in tomatoes and blossom end rot on squash this year. Sheesh! Gardening in Texas can be rough!!!
Same here, container totes and/or soil hasn't met my expectations as to tomatoes. Does better with eggplants, beans and brassicas. The heat hasn't helped …
Timely info and research!
Hi.will stay tuned.would like to know when u start fall seeds.i like your strategy
When I dump out the soil, I always wash my containers with soap and water. I totally agree with you.
I got organic soil in my tot’s first time doing it can’t put a garden in yard it’s nothing but hard clay.
I take the potted soil after my growing season and empty it in a large pile and ad composted manure, bone meal, blood meal, leaf mold, grass clipping. I cover it with a tarp for the winter. It’s full of red wigglers now and I’m reusing it again. I haven’t noticed aphids on the plants and have looked for them every morning but will go ahead and soap spray. Thanks for the heads up.
Question about your high tunnel — do you use shade cloth?? do you take off plastic during the heat of the summer?? I've been awarded one from NRCS, but yet to purchase. Considering Leon's in OK, as they will put it up, but they do not have roll-up sides, so still undecided. His recommendation is removing the plastic during the summer, which makes sense, but I do not know if we are up to the physical task. Would love to pick your brain! I am in TX too, along the OK border, zone 7.
Costco has a nice organic potting mix, huge bags for around $8, but you can only get it at the beginning of spring.
Saw a great video explaining how organic fertilizers replenish soil and encourage the biology in your soil, building a relationship with your plants. The chemical fertilizers eventually kill the soil and the plants have to be continually fed the fertilizer because the soil is now just dirt and have nothing to offer your plants. Understanding our soil, YouTube channel Jimi Sol
I keep trying to comment on your video but, youtube keeps deleting it. I don't understand. I know it's not you. Great video! I have tree sized containers that I revitalize every year. Half the old soil cleaned of all the root mass, mixed with new soil, compost and worm castings.
Hey Jill it's going to be a hot one for days. Spot on about the container garden. We change our soil out once a year and compost it for the landscape. We use bone and blood meal and organic fertilizer's. We have a problem with the stink bug on our tomatoes. We have tried everything, Neem oil, insecticidal soap, diatomaceous earth. They don't seem to be doing any damage so I'll just spray Neem oil once a week. We make our own potting soil with peat, black Kow manure, pearlite, bone and blood meal and it really save lots of $$. We are ready for the fall planting and season. Canning as much as we can. See yawl in a couple days, God bless!
We are at 101 now
Hi Jill, as far as feeding my plants I'm finding that the Jadam method works well for me. It's well worth looking in to and I'm going to set up a couple more containers for my flowers, this fertilizer together with my worm tea and water is the best ever. I think that commercial fertilizers are not for me and it's best to stay away from them. Have a lovely day or evening. 🌱💚🌱
I gotta try cover cropping in my containers. In the worst case it will protect the soil against the winter
Geez…I dig up my pots or containers in the fall after harvesting. I use fresh soil come spring. I sort of scrub the insides too, hose down, then turn upside down and cover with tarps for winters. Of course I dry them out good before turning them upside down. So far so good…
WOW I never thought about this I'll definitely turn over all my containers when the tomatoes finish. TY so much
Be careful not to get overheated.🙏
What about raised beds? That would be a big job to change the soil in those. 😬
My husband was adament about having our tomatoes in the ground. So that is where ours are and they are thriving at this point! So many green tomatoes have picked about 5 or 6 so far but wanting them all to come at that same time so I can – can them. Spider mites yes fought them with neem and water and insecticile soap. My tomatoes are beginning to ripen so havesting will come quick. Just picked about 2 pounds of yellow jalopena's that the Survivor seeds mis = named as these were supposed to be green jalpeno's. These yellow taste great have a great heat to them. Pickling and canning them tomorrow. Once this harvest is over we will get ready for the 2nd fall season also. We already have another raised bed built. Our raised bed are open to the ground the one we bought is not and it dries out more than the ones we built.
I hope and pray that you guys are safe for I just heard about perryton tornado I'm not sure if you are anywhere close to there but I'm praying hard for the people of Texas… I'm from self. Small Town LaBelle FL. Be safe and love show. I haven't seen purple hull seen i was a kid . God bless y'all prayers with you.
Thank you so much
News is reporting about bad weather in Texas. I am in Ohio. Just worried about you, sister! Praying you are ok❤❤❤❤
What I do after harvest from the grow bags is put soul back with leaves on the bottom (green) soil in the middle and more leaves on top and let them sit for a few weeks or months and the roots compost and the leaves compost and then re use and add granulaar fertilizer…. Either way never throw out old soil at least dump it in your beds. Compost right in your containers.
@Everyone
I dump my buckets out.
Then when I refill the buckets in the bottom I like to put in about 4 inches of pine needles,
The old dirt, I mix in half rabbit 💩, leave or pine needle dirt and then mix in half natural dirt, mix very well, add 1 shovel natural dirt to each bucket with pine needles, about 4-6cups of chicken 💩, then fill bucket with mix to 2-4 inches from top. Ready to plant in. I use pine needles and or news papers for mulch.
And over the season the pine needles become pine needles dirt. Pepper do seem to like the 5gallon buckets better than the tomatoes, but all of them I try to add a watering jug to the buckets also, to help keep them from drying out when its really hot…😅🎉
No rain here on the Texas Coast, with a 105-112 degree Heat Index Daily this week , the heat came on fast this year in 1 week to be exact !
I have not seen marigolds so tall. Thanks for sharing about the tubs.
I've been using worm castings when I plant and find lots of worms in the soil processing any dead roots or plant bits and aerating as they go. This has helped tremendously. If I re-pot, then I keep all the worms and add more soil as needed and try and give them a source of food. Only fertilize with natural organic fertilizers like you do. Blessings!
Great info. West TX gardner here. Can’t get over your tomatoes are done. Tomatoes are just getting to bud stage here.
I've lived in Texas and been back through Texas idk how many times. Never, Never seen that kind of humity. Omgoodness
build a soil company has some of the best living soil I have ever used..I love using living soil!