why not just grow in the ground?

B

BRANDON77

Well-Known Member
Im sure there is a reason people always use the big 65 gallon containers etc and not just use the ground? till the soil and amend it then plant? can even do it in big circles the size of small pools...im ignorant to outdoor at this point but trying to learn...thanks!!!
 
sandhill larry

sandhill larry

Well-Known Member
If you have good soil to begin with, and add some animal manure composts and other amendments to it, it will do fine. I'm using a few pots for the first time this year. I have always been an in the ground guy, and will have a few patches like that this year too. Like everything in life, each has it's pros and cons.

Many who grow in pots have poor, rocky, too wet or too dry soil. Pots do help to keep other plants from sending their roots to steal your ferts and water. But above ground especially, they are not good at water retention. Above ground pots are higher, so they would catch more sun when they are young, so maybe grow a little faster.

Planting in the ground will be better for water retention and stealth. But you can run into all sorts of plant killing varmints. I lost a few plants last year to termites. Folks further up north have to deal with gophers. Slugs can get you no matter where you grow.

When digging holes, wider is more important than deeper. Last year I did one kiddie pool sized hole. I put the plant into it when it was still real young, and it turned out to be a male, {this was Big & Stinky, one of my best studs last year}, but when I chopped him, he was 10 feet tall and 8 feet wide. The wider the root ball, the bigger the plant will be.
 
sandhill larry

sandhill larry

Well-Known Member
I have also used the actual kiddie pools to grow tomatoes in. 45-50 gallons of soil mix will make a big tomato plant.
 
I

IamJoe1220

Member
In ground is fine. You just have to do the prep work to have success. Guerrilla growing is trickier, that's why guys pack their gear, find a spot and drop.
 
DG1959

DG1959

Well-Known Member
In ground for me but in a greenhouse. Dirt was where I have had cattle, pigs and sheep for 40 years. I also add bone meal and Epsom salt.... doubt I needed it. Last year they got too big.
 
oldtimer54

oldtimer54

Well-Known Member
I grew outside for decades. I used 5 gallon buckets and store bought soil in the beginning just to keep myself in weed for the year until the next growing season. Then came the year someone discovered my spot and unfortunately claimed all my hard work for themselves. I decided to become more stealthy and plant directly into mother earth out in the country on some state gameland. After multiple hikes I found a few great sites with water very near and the soil was ok. I worked on these sites for several months prior to the upcoming grow season. I hauled dozens of bags of soil and dug holes for the plants and incorporated the store bought soil with the native soil. I grew in that area for years with no problems. Then I was able to purchase 10 acres of my own in a very rural area and just started using my own land instead of the States . I enjoyed growing outside and only my age and physical endurance convinced me it was time to start growing inside ! I think your choice of where or how you decide to grow depends on your own personal situation there are pro's & cons to both choices......but the end results sure are nice !
 
GroErr

GroErr

Well-Known Member
Both work, I used to grow in the ground when I had my own country property but the soil was very sandy so I'd dig holes and throw my own soil mix in. Now I grow in pots because I'm in a sub-division and have to be able to move them from time to time for stealth reasons. Either way produces dank, just a situational thing with me giving the pots some preference due to flexibility of moving them, otherwise I'd be in the ground. Hoping to be legal next year in which case I'd dig into a useless hill in my back yard (but gets a lot of sun) and plant them there.
 
BarnBuster

BarnBuster

Virtually Unknown Member
oldtimer54 said:
directly into mother earth out in the country on some state gameland. After multiple hikes I found a few great sites with water very near and the soil was ok. I worked on these sites for several months prior to the upcoming grow season. I hauled dozens of bags of soil and dug holes for the plants and incorporated the store bought soil with the native soil. !
Click to expand...
this for me, last 15 years
 
natureboygrower

natureboygrower

Well-Known Member
one thing to consider about growing in the ground is how much water it will hold after rain.i recently started a new garden and was going to go directly in the ground.clay soil 86'd that idea so i decided to do 3' high planters sunk 18" into the ground.after i dug my holes we got rain and it was quite evident i was going to need drainage under my planters.so now i have roughly 6-10" of gravel that my planters sit on.the planters are still buried about a foot into soil so as not to be too top heavy.i guess that water would be perfect for a covert operation but im legal.i like to be able to regulate my watering.
 
whitebb2727

whitebb2727

Well-Known Member
Sir Napsalot said:
Living in a legal state I sometimes forget that others don't, sorry.
Click to expand...
No biggie.
natureboygrower said:
one thing to consider about growing in the ground is how much water it will hold after rain.i recently started a new garden and was going to go directly in the ground.clay soil 86'd that idea so i decided to do 3' high planters sunk 18" into the ground.after i dug my holes we got rain and it was quite evident i was going to need drainage under my planters.so now i have roughly 6-10" of gravel that my planters sit on.the planters are still buried about a foot into soil so as not to be too top heavy.i guess that water would be perfect for a covert operation but im legal.i like to be able to regulate my watering.
Click to expand...
A must have in clay soil.

I like planting on south facing hills. If I can I cut a trench from my hole and lay corrugated pipe covered in gravel running from a bed of gravel in the bottom of the hole.
 
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