Growing directly in the ground vs Fabric pots

[Jamesbong96]

Putting together plans for a decent sized outdoor grow in Southern California, and I was curious on any advantages or disadvantages of growing herb directly in the ground compared to buying fabric pots. Had plans to use a Super Soil with compost Tea. An added note is the goal is 75-100 plants in a minimum of a hundred gallons of soil. Thanks for any input.

Very simple side question, would putting them in 200 gallon containers be worth the cost difference in container size/labor/soil and nutes compared to 100 gallon?

 

[Roger A. Shrubber]

well, look at 100 gallon pots, then imagine digging 75-100 3 foot x 3 foot x 2.5 feet holes. better get started.
if you're using containers, i'm not sure if it would be worth it to double in size or not, you ought to be able to grow a fucking redwood class tree in a 100 gallon container. if you're digging holes, i wouldn't, once your plant fills its 100 gallon hole, it won't have any problem reaching out as far as it needs to

 

[waterproof808]

Get a soil test done and figure out what you need to amend your native soil.

 

[Dan Drews]

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If you're growing outdoors without a greenhouse, why NOT prep and amend your native soil? Imagine a field of corn with each plant in it's own fabric pot, then possibly reconsider whether 100 fabric pots are a viable option.

Or if you prefer scientifically quantifiable results for YOUR particular grow - plant half directly in amended, prepped soil and the other half in pots and see which yields the better crop, and at what cost.

 

[Reeves]

I'm a plant straight in the ground type of guy, I've never had an issue and the plants have always been bang on without a single deficiency

Sent from my EVA-L09 using Rollitup mobile app

 

[petert]

I do both each year and my results vary a bit year to year. I use 100 gallon soil savers. Great for cloned plants that don’t have a tap root. 9 of my 15 plants were 10+ feet tall and bushy as hell. My plants in ground averaged 7 feet tall. That said I did not dig my holes as big as a 100 gallon pot.

 

[Space_cadet]

This is my 2cents

Piss the fabric pots off dont use them they dry out way to fast out doors go plastic planter bags or pots or grow directly in the ground.

Even growing with fabric pots indoors is a pain in the ass cause its recommend you double the pot size to combat evaporation leaving you with less space

Each to there own tho

 

[SchmoeJoe]

Putting together plans for a decent sized outdoor grow in Southern California, and I was curious on any advantages or disadvantages of growing herb directly in the ground compared to buying fabric pots. Had plans to use a Super Soil with compost Tea. An added note is the goal is 75-100 plants in a minimum of a hundred gallons of soil. Thanks for any input.

Very simple side question, would putting them in 200 gallon containers be worth the cost difference in container size/labor/soil and nutes compared to 100 gallon?

Big, wide, deep planting beds with sheet mulch can go a long ways between waterings and maintains a more consistent state for longer making for a healthier more productive root zone.

I can't think of any other crop that people grow in massive pots. Aside from keeping ideal conditions for longer and not having to water as much think about the cost. Those pots are expensive and I'd rather spend that money on more soil or to rent a small excavator. On that note, don't be scared by the idea of digging the holes. If you're already thinking a out making the investment than the cost of even hiring a two man crew with excavator and a front end loader to clear site is more than worth it.

There's an old irrigation method for creating a drought resistant crop. Early when the plants and their roots are shallow you have to use what's called shallow frequent waterings. Later you transition to deep infrequent waterings to encourage a deeper root system that can go longer between waterings.

Most will tell you that marijuana plants don't need a deep root system because they do all of their feeding shallow. That's true, especially from clones. Even the seedling with a taproot gets most of it's nutrition from lateral feeder roots but when you have that deeper planting bed it acts as a reservoir that holds the water and with the mulch sheet the moisture not only lasts a lot longer between waterings but when the bed warms up the moisture spreads out evenly helping to keep that more consistent environment.

 

[SchmoeJoe]

Big, wide, deep planting beds with sheet mulch can go a long ways between waterings and maintains a more consistent state for longer making for a healthier more productive root zone.

I can't think of any other crop that people grow in massive pots. Aside from keeping ideal conditions for longer and not having to water as much think about the cost. Those pots are expensive and I'd rather spend that money on more soil or to rent a small excavator. On that note, don't be scared by the idea of digging the holes. If you're already thinking a out making the investment than the cost of even hiring a two man crew with excavator and a front end loader to clear site is more than worth it.

There's an old irrigation method for creating a drought resistant crop. Early when the plants and their roots are shallow you have to use what's called shallow frequent waterings. Later you transition to deep infrequent waterings to encourage a deeper root system that can go longer between waterings.

Most will tell you that marijuana plants don't need a deep root system because they do all of their feeding shallow. That's true, especially from clones. Even the seedling with a taproot gets most of it's nutrition from lateral feeder roots but when you have that deeper planting bed it acts as a reservoir that holds the water and with the mulch sheet the moisture not only lasts a lot longer between waterings but when the bed warms up the moisture spreads out evenly helping to keep that more consistent environment.

Some of my earliest memories are of cruising the strip with my did picking up lawn clippings from the casinos and hotels that he'd use to make compost and the people that always stopped by our house to ask him how it possible for him to have a vegetable in Henderson NV. I've known the basics since I was three or four but a few years back I got a copy of "Secrets to Great Soil". It is a very well made book. It's comprehensive but simple. I think one of the best pieces if advice is to look to general gardening and farming practices for advice and this book is easily one I've the best I've seen. At this point I should probably point out that it isn't my book, I don't know the author, I don't stand to gain from any sales that result from my recommending it,...

 

[Dan Drews]

Excellent advice above, you might also want to look into your local gardening clubs and see if your local JC has a gardening or soils class. Never underestimate the value of your local farmers who know your soil, air, water, and sunlight better than anyone.

 

[SageFromZen]

Putting together plans for a decent sized outdoor grow in Southern California, and I was curious on any advantages or disadvantages of growing herb directly in the ground compared to buying fabric pots. Had plans to use a Super Soil with compost Tea. An added note is the goal is 75-100 plants in a minimum of a hundred gallons of soil. Thanks for any input.

Very simple side question, would putting them in 200 gallon containers be worth the cost difference in container size/labor/soil and nutes compared to 100 gallon?

Your question can splinter-out into multiple, multiple directions, with multiple directional answers.
It really depends on where you are in Southern Cal. I've grown in native West Covina soil, La Mesa, Paso Robles, Arroyo Grande and Santa Barbara dirts and soils. There is coastal soil that is worthy and inland soil that isn't. Of course it looks like you're leaning toward a pre-mixed soil and working with pots. That's alright too.

I was just going to say that depending on where you are I've actually pulled off Winnebago-sized plants within native east L.A. soil so the ball's in your court. The world is your oyster... you can go in any direction you like.

 

[SchmoeJoe]

Your question can splinter-out into multiple, multiple directions, with multiple directional answers.
It really depends on where you are in Southern Cal. I've grown in native West Covina soil, La Mesa, Paso Robles, Arroyo Grande and Santa Barbara dirts and soils. There is coastal soil that is worthy and inland soil that isn't. Of course it looks like you're leaning toward a pre-mixed soil and working with pots. That's alright too.

I was just going to say that depending on where you are I've actually pulled off Winnebago-sized plants within native east L.A. soil so the ball's in your court. The world is your oyster... you can go in any direction you like.

Ultimately there are a few more or less universal truths but more often than not it comes down to an if/than scenario. In my mind I try to consider the middle ground but I'm thinking towards the best case "perfect world" scenario. Of course there really is no such thing and it comes down to the best compromise/amalgamation of the current tech.

 

[Bugeye]

In ground if you have good soil. Drip lines are the only way to go with those large fabric pots, they need a slow daily water as they do dry fast in warm weather.

 

[SchmoeJoe]

In ground if you have good soil. Drip lines are the only way to go with those large fabric pots, they need a slow daily water as they do dry fast in warm weather.

Native soil can be amended to be whatever you want so the quality of it to start is just about irrelevant.

 

[Roger A. Shrubber]

composition can be a problem, the ground here is more rock than soil, and what soil there is is heavy red clay. you'd have to do a shit ton of amending to make a decent patch here. i garden in the summer, and use raised beds and big totes instead of trying to till this mess up

 

[SchmoeJoe]

composition can be a problem, the ground here is more rock than soil, and what soil there is is heavy red clay. you'd have to do a shit ton of amending to make a decent patch here. i garden in the summer, and use raised beds and big totes instead of trying to till this mess up

I figured it might be. If you're actually able to dig then I'd dig out beds and back fill with your choice of soil instead of trying to amend. Renting a backhoe for a day is the way to go for a decent size project.

 

[bguwop420]

This is my 2cents

Piss the fabric pots off dont use them they dry out way to fast out doors go plastic planter bags or pots or grow directly in the ground.

Even growing with fabric pots indoors is a pain in the ass cause its recommend you double the pot size to combat evaporation leaving you with less space

Each to there own tho

Plastic pots get rootbound way too fast

 

[Roger A. Shrubber]

Plastic pots get rootbound way too fast

then you aren't starting out in big enough pots, or potting up to big enough pots. growing in coco hempy buckets, I start in one quart containers for seedlings and clones, then flip them to one gallon pots for veg, then three gallon pots when i flip to flower. the pots are full of roots, but as long as you water daily, they don't get bound at all.