Crow River Posted September 16, 2023 Share Posted September 16, 2023 Maybe this has been covered elsewhere, but I notice for some plots growers use planters. Could be the soil isn't good, or cannot be accessed, or the plants may need to be moved. I'm using a couple of found planters down at the railway, and I've seen others using fabric pots, buckets or car tyres. At my allotment I sometimes use rubble sacks or old compost bags as planters. I was thinking about what else I have kicking around that I could use, and apart from obvious things like old paint tubs, big water bottles, etc. I have a bunch of empty mini-kegs that used to contain beer. They're very sturdy aluminium/steel construction, have a carry handle, and even a tap at the base. Once you remove the pressure valve at the top (easy with a screwdriver as a lever) they can be used as is for, say a reservoir for Classic Blumats or similar. I suppose you could store water in them too. I thought maybe they could be used as small planters too. Seems I'm not alone, there are various instructions online in how to convert them. Basically you have to remove the top. So, some hammering and banging later, with use of just a hammer, nail, narrow chisel, and tin snips, I removed the top off one and I think it will make a decent small planter for a single plant. Just needs some drainage holes in the base. I'll make a couple more and try them out soon. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBaker Posted September 16, 2023 Share Posted September 16, 2023 Great topic @Crow River I love watching what other people up cycle, to grow in. Paint cans( 10lt plastic/can fit 12ish of medium ) have been very useful this year. Although if you stand still, long enough around me, i will sow something in your pocket... In the Hedgerow, both the Mighty freeze and The 7 are sown in waste paper baskets(approx18-20 lt), lined with strong black plastic, holes drilled in the base. I had a notion, where if the plants had to go out the gap, to the wild, for any reason, i could pull the plastic up half way on the basket, sink it into some amended ground, and let the roots filter out through the mesh. Id still like to give it a go next season with a few. The willow has been so useful, i was considering a simple woven open ended cylinder to create raised planters. A miniature version of Underdogs log planters :). Its waste paper baskets and paint cans this season. With the price of pots in the garden centers now, every single vessel, no matter what its former use was, has potential in my eyes. Those kegs are savage planters!..How much medium will they hold for you? Nice one. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 I made my own flat pack planters out of flat sheets of plastic and duct tape. They cost a fraction of shop bought containers and absolutely brilliant to transport http://www.uk420.com/boards/index.php?/topic/425772-underdogs-3-strain-endeavour-rgsc/&page=2 I put the Pink Cherry Pie testers in them. Check it out 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crow River Posted September 17, 2023 Author Share Posted September 17, 2023 12 hours ago, TheBaker said: Its waste paper baskets and paint cans this season. With the price of pots in the garden centers now, every single vessel, no matter what its former use was, has potential in my eyes. Those kegs are savage planters!..How much medium will they hold for you? Nice one. I love the waste paper basket idea. Versatile! The mini-kegs only hold 5 litres, maybe a bit more. Fine for a single auto or a plant to be kept small and discreet. I re-use them for holding my own home brew, but I have loads and don't need so many. So why not wee planters? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crow River Posted September 17, 2023 Author Share Posted September 17, 2023 1 hour ago, Underdog said: I made my own flat pack planters out of flat sheets of plastic and duct tape. They cost a fraction of shop bought containers and absolutely brilliant to transport I put the Pink Cherry Pie testers in them. Check it out I like those a lot. Suppose it's quite a bit of effort to put them together, but then once they're done very light and easy to cart about. Good job! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 It took me 15mins per pot and they last a good few seasons. Next year I think I'm going to experiment with mylar sheeting. Drive 4 stakes into the ground attach the sheeting around the stakes and fill with medium. I think it's definitely worth a try. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DutchFox Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 (edited) @underdog yes that works...or something like this....but you made them better... most soil bags are black inside....... ---- recycle shops are my favorite growshops and we have in every village a place where people can bring all kinds of ""waste"" ..... which you can take away for free if you kindly ask... guerilla must be low budget...since there is no garantee of loot ..... Edited September 17, 2023 by DutchFox 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DutchFox Posted September 17, 2023 Share Posted September 17, 2023 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DutchFox Posted September 18, 2023 Share Posted September 18, 2023 (edited) On 16-9-2023 at 9:33 PM, Crow River said: 1....Maybe this has been covered elsewhere, but I notice for some plots growers use planters. Could be the soil isn't good, or cannot be accessed, or the plants may need to be moved. I'm using a couple of found planters down at the railway, and I've seen others using fabric pots, buckets or car tyres. 2.....At my allotment I sometimes use rubble sacks or old compost bags as planters. 1...yes also planters are used in wetlands...to keep roots dry a bit.... 2....yes anythingoes....patatobag from cotton... the problem with the black planters is.....they are made for greenhouses....with light only from above. so in the field they get pissing hot.....what you can do is put guerilla soil on the south side of the pots.... @Underdog solved it with his log planters.....the wood keeps the soil from heating...and the logs contain moist-water. Edited September 18, 2023 by DutchFox 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DutchFox Posted September 18, 2023 Share Posted September 18, 2023 @murzyn uses these... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DutchFox Posted September 18, 2023 Share Posted September 18, 2023 in wet lands you can make your own hills.... the pot is 30 liter.....you can fill the space of the pot...with organics you can find near the plot....or bring them to plot.... if you dont use plastic...you dont have to hide them in winter..... 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted September 18, 2023 Share Posted September 18, 2023 @DutchFox Hey hey, I'm glad someone else saw the logic in my log planters. A lot of hard work, but moisture retention is absolutely amazing. Thanks for the mention. @Crow River With my collapsible duct tape container's, they do get very hot too the touch on hot days. The only reason I didn't have to water that much this season was due to the amount of rain we have had. I did consider using white duct tape. I decided against it though as I got worried about them possibly being spotted through the bushes and from the air. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DutchFox Posted September 20, 2023 Share Posted September 20, 2023 On 18-9-2023 at 11:22 PM, Underdog said: With my collapsible duct tape container's, they do get very hot too the touch on hot days. The only reason I didn't have to water that much this season was due to the amount of rain we have had. I did consider using white duct tape. I decided against it though as I got worried about them possibly being spotted through the bushes and from the air. you can put some spot soil on the southside of the pots....so pots cannot get hot.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted September 20, 2023 Share Posted September 20, 2023 4 hours ago, DutchFox said: you can put some spot soil on the southside of the pots....so pots cannot get hot.... Not possible on the site I used them at. The ground is solid hard clay, all year round. I've broken many garden tools trying to amend the ground. Honestly, absolutely awful. I have considered some kind of DIY shades to put in front of the pots to shield from the sun from the pots. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aphatspliff Posted September 20, 2023 Share Posted September 20, 2023 Some cool ideas. If your feeling cheap and lazy.. heavy duty bin bags! Done some MWF in doubled up bin bags, stabbed some holes in the bottom, sprinkle of calcified seaweed and chucked some compost in.. easy as that. They did alright. I would recommend you do these by a water source though as they needed it at times 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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