reducing weight in large flower pots

Mary Sue Ittner msittner@mcn.org
Thu, 10 Feb 2005 17:44:51 PST
Hi,

I've been reading all the posts on what to put in your pots with interest. 
When I first started expanding the number of bulbs I grew I was eager to 
follow the "rules" I read from the experts about what to use in a mix but I 
have long since decided there is not a correct way to do any of this. A lot 
of ways and materials work and it depends on what you have available, how 
able you are to lift heavy pots, what your conditions are like 
(temperatures, amount of rainfall, sunshine, etc.), and how much time you 
have to water and generally provide special treatment for your plants. Over 
the years I've tried a lot of things that have been suggested by others and 
have dismissed a number of them since things just didn't do well for me 
grown that way. I am reminded of a post by Bob Werra who described his 
growing medium and asked and answered his rhetorical question about why 
that mix, with just because.

Reading the most recent posts about adding light weight items to large 
containers to reduce the weight makes me wonder why not just use smaller 
pots. Some bulbs seem so much happier in larger pots because they have 
increased root run or want to be deeper in a pot. If you add barriers like 
bottles, cans or contained styrofoam it would seem to me that you would be 
decreasing the amount of room available for the roots. It's why some people 
recommend not to add crockery to the bottom of your pots, saying it doesn't 
help drainage, it reduces space for the roots. If the plant doesn't need 
the extra space, why not just plant accordingly? Judy's comment has given 
me courage to say what I was thinking.

Mary Sue in Northern California where we have continued to have DRY warm 
weather and where each day something new is in bloom.


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