Have read here that most annuals put out roots in the top 6-8 inches of soil. Ann

The info is probably inconsequential for container growing. Aeration is the limiting factor in in situ soils and in container soils. As long as soil is well aerated, roots will colonize the entire container. O/a volume and soil choice is much more important than either width/height, thouigh taller containers are easier to grow in as they will contain a higher % of well-aerated soil than shallow containers.

Al

I don't know of a good source for pot sizes for various plants although there might well be one somewhere.

The general rule I follow for all outdoor pots, regardless of what is grown in them is nothing less than 10" containers. This is so the containers don't dry out so rapidly.

For peppers a 3 gal or 10" pot is good and for tomatos I prefer 5 gallon buckets or a 12-14" pot. For lettuce and most small herbs you can use a 6" deep, 6" wide trough container although if you can find deeper use that. The roots don't really need it, but 6" depth dries quickly. This works out because lettuce does best in the spring when it is cooler and rainy and many herbs are fine in soil that dries out.

For annual flowers container size doesn't matter much for most as they are fast growers determined to flower no matter what. I would chose larger pots (10-12" minimum) and then plant based upon expected mature size of the plant. Just put multiple plants in the container so it fills it up nicely.

If you want to grow vine crops like cukes, pumpkin, gourds etc in containers then bigger is better. 5 gal bucket is minimum, whiskey half barrels (21-22") are better and be prepared to feed and water often once the plants are full grown.

Bush beans can be grown in 4" of space and peas 2-3". Onions and garlic don't do that well in containers (for me) when planted in large numbers, but they do well when planted in other containers and their foliage is used to add some height, much like what dracaena spikes are used for. I think they benefit from the soil shading the other plants provide as these like to stay moist for good growth.

I know this will be a strange question, but is there anything that would grow in 1" of soil? Specifically, in a 10" terra cotta pot saucer that's 1" deep? Lest you think I'm crazy, the reason I ask is that I'm going to try to do some pot irrigation this year in my raised beds. I got 10" pots that I've buried up to their necks in the dirt, which I will keep filled with water, and I'm using the saucers as tops to keep bugs and dirt out of the water. I'm trying to think of something creative I can do with that real estate on top. If nothing else, I can throw a few red wrigglers into the saucers, cover with some manure and mulch, and every time I pull a weed, I can feed it to them. But if I could find something that would grow in the saucer, that would be better.

Diane

House leeks (sempervivum, hen & chicks) and a wide variety of sedums have always done well in shallow containers - succulents & cacti as well. Be careful about over-watering, as shallow containers will retain a very high % of saturated soil when compared to deeper containers. The soil will need to be more free-draining than a soil you might use in a larger container.

Al

Click on images to enlarge

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Misc. succulents in a terra-cotta saucer

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Cacti in another saucer

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Sempervivum, naturally dwarfed, growing in a depression in a cedar log

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More sempervivum in a very shallow hypertufa container

I agree with Al that sempervivum and related plants will do fine in such shallow soil. It is very difficult to underwater them, very easy to overwater.

Sempervivum completely turn what we think we should do for plants on it's head.

Hello all~

I'm doing a serrano pepper in a 6 inch pot indoors. It's already about a foot tall and starting to bud. Should I transplant into something bigger? Another question, what size container is best for eggplant and bell peppers?

Thanks~

The Purdue Cooperative Extension at Fort Wayne has a publication that gives the info on what will grow in what size container. I'm sorry I don't have the name of the pub. right at hand but it was very helpful when I gave a talk on container gardening last year. Sorry I can't move at the moment (back injury, pinched nerve) but I'll post it when I can move. Sandy

For veggies you can use intensive gardening spacing; I've been known to crowd some things even a bit more. Scroll down on the link for a table of spacing:

Here is a link that might be useful: Spacing

Hello, I found the handout from Purdue EXT. It is originally from National Gardening Bureau, Inc. and is filed as #ACH-144. This pub is a Press Service Sheet titled Container Gardening. The date is Febuary 1984. I looked up the NGB and could not locate this publication, but there is a lot more info on container gardening. Sandy

Here is a link that might be useful: NGB

hi every one i have a pepper yellowmini bell plant that ibrought in from last year is in a 12 inch potwith ten soil its blosomming now i also have it unser light by my hot water register in my dining room last year i grew the eggplant called fairy in a 20in ch pot did very well on my porch on west side of my home here in se.wi. oh i aso have a pvc pipe with pug in the bottom inserted in my pot with hole drilled at various depth so water gets by the roots not just around the edge found this works well. tis been very dry heat the last cou[le of years

Check the link below for plant spacing and container depth for various vegetables.

Here is a link that might be useful: Grow Vegetables in Containers

hillo guys i need help my question is

Giving reason distinguish between the planting depth of annual crop and perennial crops can anyone help me plz to answer