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size and sources of pots for palms?


MarkbVet

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Hi, I'm growing a variety of palms (Sabals, Trachys,  Braheas, etc) in pots for the next 4-5 years, until I can put them in the ground.  Looking for recommendations of how large a pot I should provide, to allow for good root and plant growth, but also to allow for moving the pots into protected areas in winter.   Is 10-15 gallon big enough, with fertilizing, to allow decent growth and size over a 5 year span?  Any sources of plastic pots that don't cost a lot?  I bought some grow bags, but larger ones are not as sturdy for the weight of soil as I would like... I worry about damaging roots when moving them around.  So would prefer solid plastic pots.   Any ideas?  

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It might be better to use cheap, thin pots and just pot them up sequentially.   

I like the cheap black growers pots from nursery suppliers, but I don’t grow that many, so for just a few, Lowes has not as cheap black pots that are a little thicker.   

I like to cut the pots off the plants and open them like banana peels, so not to disturb any roots, unless they are loose enough to fall out.  The flimsier the better.  
 

 

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53 minutes ago, Looking Glass said:

It might be better to use cheap, thin pots and just pot them up sequentially.   

I like the cheap black growers pots from nursery suppliers, but I don’t grow that many, so for just a few, Lowes has not as cheap black pots that are a little thicker.   

I like to cut the pots off the plants and open them like banana peels, so not to disturb any roots, unless they are loose enough to fall out.  The flimsier the better.  
 

 

Kinda wish I went this route lol 

 

Most of mine are in Bloem Lucca pots (or something similar) - I had no idea that roots would find their way all the way through the little water openings. I've got a Queen, a Washy, and a C. Cataractarum that all have pretty impressive root systems and I dread repotting them in spring. 

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1 hour ago, Looking Glass said:

It might be better to use cheap, thin pots and just pot them up sequentially.   

I like the cheap black growers pots from nursery suppliers, but I don’t grow that many, so for just a few, Lowes has not as cheap black pots that are a little thicker.   

I like to cut the pots off the plants and open them like banana peels, so not to disturb any roots, unless they are loose enough to fall out.  The flimsier the better.  
 

 

:greenthumb: X 2 for the nursery cans for convenience.. Can move them where ever i need to w/ out risking breaking them.. They also don't break down like Clay / Terra Cotta.  Only use the sturdy thicker pots though. Thin ones have a tendency to crack easily, esp. here w/ our sun / dry air..  Toss those anytime plants i pick up are grown in them.

..And don't forget: ..to help keep soil in the pots/ bugs that like to mine through the soil / excavate it out of the pots themselves  ..Put screens over the drain holes..  No excavating issues w/ loosing soil on stuff where i used screen.

As far as when it is time to repot / plant out,  i'll carefully thump the sides / bottom to work the rootball out..  No way i'd slice up good pots.

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Any idea what size pots I'm going to need to keep small (seedling or slightly larger) palms in for 5 years?    Thanks--  :-)

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13 minutes ago, MarkbVet said:

Any idea what size pots I'm going to need to keep small (seedling or slightly larger) palms in for 5 years?    Thanks--  :-)

I'm no expert. I've only been doing this for a couple years. 

 

But I was always under the impression that it's an annual upsizing to prevent root rot/fungus/nastiness. IE I wouldn't put a seedling in a 10 gallon pot. There's a lot of variables, too. I bought some king palm seedlings from this forum last year, and I've got a couple in large grower pots, a couple in some 2gallon bottom watering pots, etc etc, some stayed indoors some stayed outdoors until it got cold, etc etc and one of them is significantly heavier and more rootbound than the others. The general rule of thumb is to add 2" growing space every year from what I've read/been taught. But it all varies based on growth rate on particular plants in your environment. Like, I wish I had put my washy and my queen in bigger pots - my big cat palm shouldn't be growing as well as it is, so in hindsight I wish I put it in a larger pot, too. 

 

TLDR version - IMO if you want them to do well, you can't put them in the same size pot they'll need in 5 years. It's an annual process. 

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1 hour ago, JohnAndSancho said:

I've got a Queen, a Washy, and a C. Cataractarum that all have pretty impressive root systems and I dread repotting them in spring. 

1 hour ago, Silas_Sancona said:

As far as when it is time to repot / plant out,  i'll carefully thump the sides / bottom to work the rootball out..  No way i'd slice up good pots.

I admit that I often let things go a little too long, and I hate digging deep holes.   But no matter if I cause it with my own neglect, or if I pick up palms from some of the famous, expert growers of Palmtalk, the roots have often left their plastic prison, and braided an external spaghetti nest on their way to Hades.   

The last few I got, I had to cut the sides of the pot completely off first, then spend 20 minutes doing a potectomy, with knife and scissors to remove the bottom in quarter sized pieces of plastic between tangles of big, healthy roots.  

Those pots are cheap, compared to the time and $$ of the palm cargo within.   Maybe I’m a little paranoid about sparing roots though.   

16 minutes ago, MarkbVet said:

Any idea what size pots I'm going to need to keep small (seedling or slightly larger) palms in for 5 years?    Thanks--  :-)

Maybe just go with the usual step ups?  1, 3, 5/7 gallons over time when they look cramped?  Then dig a hole….  I’ve got my seedling D. Lafazamanga in red solo cups, read to go into 1s or 3s next week, depending on my mood and how the look.  Some are now about a foot tall and looking silly in there.  

I’ve got 1s and 3s and 5s coming out of my eyeballs in the garage.  Every time I hit the nursery for non-palm stuff, it’s in one of those, and often these are salvageable.  
 

 

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I live in an apartment, so the whole concept of planting is uhh welp completely out of the question

 

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1 hour ago, Looking Glass said:

I admit that I often let things go a little too long, and I hate digging deep holes.   But no matter if I cause it with my own neglect, or if I pick up palms from some of the famous, expert growers of Palmtalk, the roots have often left their plastic prison, and braided an external spaghetti nest on their way to Hades.   

 

 

Lol, if i told you  how long i have had some " potential "  Sabal " Lisa " seedlings in 2 1 gal community  pots ..you'd both laugh, and probably cry a little inside.. They're alive though..  Hoping to finally get them correctly potted this year.

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4 hours ago, Looking Glass said:

I admit that I often let things go a little too long, and I hate digging deep holes.   But no matter if I cause it with my own neglect, or if I pick up palms from some of the famous, expert growers of Palmtalk, the roots have often left their plastic prison, and braided an external spaghetti nest on their way to Hades.   

The last few I got, I had to cut the sides of the pot completely off first, then spend 20 minutes doing a potectomy, with knife and scissors to remove the bottom in quarter sized pieces of plastic between tangles of big, healthy roots.  

Those pots are cheap, compared to the time and $$ of the palm cargo within.   Maybe I’m a little paranoid about sparing roots though.   

Maybe just go with the usual step ups?  1, 3, 5/7 gallons over time when they look cramped?  Then dig a hole….  I’ve got my seedling D. Lafazamanga in red solo cups, read to go into 1s or 3s next week, depending on my mood and how the look.  Some are now about a foot tall and looking silly in there.  

I’ve got 1s and 3s and 5s coming out of my eyeballs in the garage.  Every time I hit the nursery for non-palm stuff, it’s in one of those, and often these are salvageable.  
 

 

Sounds good,  kinda what I was thinking I'd have to do... thanks!  

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On 2/20/2022 at 2:15 AM, MarkbVet said:

Sounds good,  kinda what I was thinking I'd have to do... thanks!  

The landscape companies that regularly plant things for customers can be a source for pots as they generally pile these up or throw them away.  You got to call and schmooze a little.  My local nursery sells them cheap.  You just go back to a big pile and tell them what you got.

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@tntropics - 60+ In-ground 7A palms - (Sabal) minor(7 large + 27 seedling size, 3 dwarf),  brazoria(1) , birmingham(4), etonia (1) louisiana(5), palmetto (1), riverside (1),  (Trachycarpus) fortunei(7), wagnerianus(1),  Rhapidophyllum hystrix(7),  15' Mule-Butia x Syagrus(1),  Blue Butia capitata(1) +Tons of tropical plants.  Recent Yearly Lows -1F, 12F, 11F, 18F, 16F, 3F, 3F, 6F, 3F, 1F, 16F, 17F, 6F, 8F

 

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