CONTAINER GARDEN - PREPARING POTS FOR NEXT YEAR?

[VeggieNessa]

I've been Container Gardening since 2009. Each year my garden got bigger and BIGGER. Last year, we had 2 deaths in our family and a snow storm and this hindered and prevented me from really cleaning up and putting the pots away. The pots stayed out all winter exposed to the elements. When Spring time came, I cleaned all the debris and removed the top 1/3 of soil. I added Gardentone, eggshells, epsom salts, humus/manure and new potting soil to the pots as I planted my seedlings and seeds. Great, no problems! Then my container garden got hit with Powdery Mildew. VERY

So, my question is, after I harvest my pots, what do I do to prepare them for next year? This is on a 2nd floor balcony and the pots are large and heavy. I would like to stack them, but don't have to. Should I add boiling water to the pots to kill the Powdery Mildew? Should I cover the tops of the pots with plastic? Thank you so much, any advice will be GREATLY appreciated!

 

[momofdrew]

If it were me I'd replace all the soil after disinfecting the pots with bleach...the germ/spore/virus is in the soil...

 

[dickiebird]

I 2nd what mom said. After I use any container or pot I disinfect with bleach/water.

THANX RICH

 

[VeggieNessa]

Thank you so much for your replies.

I've been getting conflicting info. I've read/heard that the soil can be sanitized by "cooking" it (actually baking it in an oven), solarizing it (letting the soil "cook" in the sun), or by adding boiling water to the pots. Do any of these methods work? What do people do with really BIG pots? Also, I have at least 20 really large pots. Is there any way to sanitize the soil, so to speak? Also, the pots are lined with garbage bags - does that make a difference. I'm a new gardener and really need some clarity. THANK YOU!!!

 

[dickiebird]

You're working with a whole different sort of system there.

When the soil in my containers gets used up...corrupted...worn out I can just dump it in a washed out spot and refill from my rather large compost pile.

To refill 20 large containers with potting soil would get quite expensive. By the same token I can't imagine baking that much soil in ones oven!!!!

I know they solarize soil by covering with plastic for a time and let it "cook" but I don't know how this would work on containers. I don't know about boiling water, it would seem to me that all the soil would have to be brought up to temp and that would take a lot of water. It could work?

Even with the bags in your pots I would still disenfect.

THANX RICH

 

[gardentoad]

Just wanted to share the first 2 rows of my container garden, It will have a total of 90 pots like these there will be 6 rows of 15 and another 20 or so for corn, and melons, and gourds you get the idea..we will also have some new tater towers that I am working on. my garden is about 50x50 they are all set up on blocks so that we have very little bending over and very little weeds to worry about. It is a real pain in the back to have a baaad back. also we will have crushed rock walk ways also everything has garden weed cloth under it..It cost a lot at first but each year it will get cheaper
and A don't have to give up my garden because I can't get down or up any longer..well getting down really isn't that hard I just do like every other day..........I Fall !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

each one have been filled with compost,dried chicken stuff and rabbit stuff on top to leach down over the winter



Don

 

[thistlebloom]

That's impressive Don, did you use that method this year also? It should be a easy maintenance garden once you have it finished with the rock pathways and all. Are those 55 gallons barrel halves you're using?

Rabbit and chicken "stuff"... hahaha!

 

[gardentoad]

That's impressive Don, did you use that method this year also? It should be a easy maintenance garden once you have it finished with the rock pathways and all. Are those 55 gallons barrel halves you're using?

Rabbit and chicken "stuff"... hahaha!

Yes I was using it this year but only a few of them..I add them as I can find the barrels cheap. It is very easy to garden like this..sold my tiller and picked up a very nice set of hand garden tools...we have clay soil and it was just almost impossible to work it with a bad back..
And I so much wanted to garden. I think the cost will be about the same as a in ground garden if you figure the cost of a new tiller and maint.


Don

 

[VeggieNessa]

Don --- Thank you so much for sharing! What do you do at the end of the season? Do you dump out the old soil and disinfect the pots and then add fresh soil and amendments (the chicken and rabbit "stuff" ) and let nature take it's course over the winter? I live in a large city and rent, so there's no place on the property where I can just dump the old soil. Should I throw the old soil away?

I feel your pain. I have neck, shoulder and back problems too.

Thanks again to all that replied. I really appreciate the advice.

 

[catjac1975]

I would used bleach and water-dip them and do not rinse. I do this for tomato stakes.