As a frugal urban gardener who often creates container gardens from buckets I have always had problems. This I think is because where I live it is dry and hot in the summer and I think it "cooks" the plant in the plastic. So I finally just gave up on trying to grow veggies in pots. That is until I heard about Smart Pots.
What are Smart Pots? The patented Smart Pot is a soft-sided, fabric container that has the rigidity to hold its shape and can even support large trees. In fact, the Smart Pot was originally developed for and has been used by commercial tree growers for over twenty years. The Smart Pot is an aeration container. It has a unique ability to air-prune and enhance a plant’s root structure. A highly branched, fibrous root structure is the key to growing a better plant – with more flowers and fruits, and more resistance to insects and diseases.
Read more: Smart Pots - Container Gardening, Hydroponic Fabric Containers
Since Smart Pots are made from a permeable material plant roots don't circle the pot and eventually become root bound like in traditional containers. The root tips emerge outside the fabric only to be "pruned" by being dried out by the air-causing the plant to send out more roots at the root ball. This is called "air pruning." The result are stronger, healthier plants.
These pots are good solutions for container gardening because they're reusable, weigh less than terracotta, stone and metal pots; even less than their alternative fiberglass pots. When you are done with the growing season you can just dump the soil out, rinse out the pot, let dry, and then fold up and store for next spring. Their light weight also makes them ideal containers for older gardeners, gardeners with mobility issues, balcony gardeners and rooftop gardening. I also love this idea because maybe you have some spots in your yard that has rocky, poor, or contaminated soil but you need the space for gardening. We have just such an area that is full of gravel and neither my husband or I relish the thought of having to dig it out, but with such limited garden space we need that full sun spot for squash. So I am using one of the largest sizes of smart pots to plant some pumpkins there!
here are our potatoes that are started this spring
They're also pretty affordable and within the means of gardening on a budget which is always a huge priority for me!
While I used my Smart Pots to grow vegetables they're also applicable in ornamental container gardening. I received four Smart Pots for free for the purposes of reviewing them. I used two for potatoes which you can see and the other two I am saving for when the weather warms up for winter squash in my gravel area. I cant wait to see how they turn out!
These pots were very easy to work with and I liked how light they were. I also liked that I can move them around my garden with out much effort. I would recommend these to pretty much anyone because they are so useful.
Win Your Own Raised Garden Bed!
Smart Pots has generously offered to give one of my lucky readers one of their big bag instant garden beds!
RULES: This Giveaway is open to users 18 years of age or older. USA & Canada. No purchase necessary. Please enter the Giveaway using the rafflecopter widget. The winner will be selected by random and notified by email . All entries will be verified. If an entry isn't completed it is considered invalid and a new winner will be chosen. The winner will have 48 hours to reply back to email before the new winner is selected. Contest is no way associated with Facebook. Only Mandatory “Easy Entry” is to enter the Rafflecopter from to be in with a chances of winning. All other entries are optional. Hearth and Home is not responsible for prize fulfilment. Good luck!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway