I built a hoop house a couple years ago where I work,to mostly grow vegetables.It is located on a raised bed island with numerous shrubs and trees.There are two Maples nearby and their roots are invading the soil,even after severing some of the large surface ones growing in that direction.
So,I decided to grow things in containers.These photos are of stone fruit trees and a few other things presently there.Most of the plants are young,but there are a few fruit.
I’m going to be adding tomatoes,in pots and a few other vegetables. Brady
Thanks Tony,the summers average about 75F with some days going into the upper 80’s.I’m probably going to be adding one or two exhaust fans and some pea gravel on the floor to be sprayed with water for cooling. Brady
I’m surprised to see you with two trees in one pot.
I have one pear tree in a similar sized pot and people on GW said it was probably a little on the small side (I did it anyway). Seems like yours are doing alright though.
For this year,they are going to stay there.In 2016 I’m going to separate and/or get bigger containers,maybe grow bags,25-30 gallon.
In life,nothing is really permanent.so I’m not sure what will happen to them yet.Full sun?,as in getting too hot?I’m working on that.
fruitnut,I think had three trees in one pot once. Brady
@Bradybb do the trees get much sun. I asked cos I do not have the luxury of full sun. I have several apple trees that do that get much sun, I have had them for a few yrs, no blossoms/fruits
Oh yes,the thing is out in the open,with probably at least seven hours of full sun a day.There are a couple of Fir trees to the west,that may block some,during late afternoon,but that’s fine with me. Brady
I was hoping you would say 4 hrs (which is what I get if I am lucky) Just curious, how come you are allowed to build a hoop house where you work? You are either the owner or you have a very nice boss!
It was the latter,Roundface.A few years ago,I had some Walla Walla Onion starts and was planting them there in the raised island.The manager sees me and asks what I was doing.A few weeks later,when the corporate boss comes for a visit,out of the blue,she asks him if we can start a garden there and he said he didn’t care.So I started with a small area,the one seen in the photo,adjacent to the hoop house and the next year,the manager said she wanted something bigger,so up went the other one.
Four hours of sun with a greenhouse is better than sun without one.
Thanks RedSun,hopefully,things will turn out okay.
A couple more pictures. Brady
An employee brought the trap there,because I mentioned there was a Raccoon problem at my place,but that size is too small.There is a Rabbit that is very bold and destructive and need to catch it,but there is so much other stuff of mine to eat,about the only way to remove the thing is with a pellet gun.
The black nursery pots are fine,with holes around the sides,but the other ones,I probably should put some there also.From what I’ve read,stones or other material like that,i.e.broken pottery,doesn’t help with drainage.It’s really about the mix.I use something like the 5-1-1 and water goes through the bottom holes fairly quickly. Brady
Yes the trap is too small for the raccoon and rabbit too. Aww…I hope it won’t come down to a pellet gun.
I am going to forgo the stones. Tell me, is the Foxfarm and Promix BX is comparable to 511 assuming you have tried either one? Getting a ready made mix is easier for me than doing my own. This morning I called the feedstore to re-order the Promix BX after @zendog informed me that the anti-fungal in Promix is a bio-fungicide. I asked store about the fine that zendog add to Promix. All they have pine mulch which is rather chunky and is what I used in my own mix last yr and I find the dirt soggy in spring when pull out dead winter casualties. thanks!
Roundface, I’m going to answer this question over in the growing trees in containers thread, since there is a lot of discussion there about the various mixes.