Friday, February 5, 2010

My Plants Have Outgrown Their 3-Gallon Containers

Hello Daylily Friends,

Here in north Georgia it is raining again as it has done so, so often this winter. So, I have been working inside the Greenhouse, both yesterday and today, getting ready for spring. To my surprise my daylilies have just outgrown their 3-gallon containers. The roots are large, and they have circled the bottoms of their pots, and have grown into the mulch below the pots. I know that the plants have to remain in place in the Greenhouse for at least 6 more months, and I just can't leave them in their 3-gallon pots. So, with regret, I have started the process of moving the plants from 3-gallon containers to 7-gallon containers. I am showing a picture of one plant, and as you can see, the roots are just gnarled together. This process just can't continue. I went around gathering the 7-gallon pots that I have, and I started the transfer process. I like to tweak the roots at the bottom before the plant is placed it its new, 7-gallon home. You can see what I do to the roots from the second picture that I am showing.

The fertilizer that I like to use is Florikan/Nutricote. The blend that I have is 15-4-9. It releases over 270 days, and it does not release unless the temperature is 70 degrees. In fact, I have applied the Nutricote to my outside garden, during the period of January through March, with only excellent results. This early application is possible because, as I say, it is a slow release that only releases when the temperature is 70 degrees. I buy my fertilizer in 50 pound bags as I am showing in the picture. You can purchase this same fertilizer at Home Depot in containers called "Dynamite." I use the fertilizer in my potting mix, along with a reasonable amount of Epson Salts. Once the plant is in the 7-gallon container, I like to create a depression where I place the fertilizer. I usually put about 4 to 6 ounces of fertilizer in the depression. I then cover the fertilizer with more soil. In my opinion the fertilizer releases at the top of the container and then disperses throughout the container. This keeps the plant well fed for the time it will be used in the Greenhouse to produce seeds.

Well I have placed about 30, 3-gallon daylilies into 7-gallon pots. Quite a job. I have made my final selection of plants for use in making seeds. I hope that General Lee, the ground-hog, is correct and that spring will be here sooner than 6 weeks.

Bill

4 comments:

  1. Hello Bill
    Your plants have great roots ,just no room to grow in them small pots. It has rain a lot this winter here in South Carolina too. If it has been nice and sunny it has been real cold, But have not had a big snow yet. Just north of us they have had 2 big snows in the last few weeks. Not to much yard work has got done this winter. Ready for spring.
    David from S.C.

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  2. Hey Bill, You better be careful before you know it you'll outgrow your greenhouse and have to build a bigger one.

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  3. Hi David,
    I am also "ready for spring!" In fact, at this moment, I feel like a race car, with my engine ready to race, just waiting for the appointed moment to arrive. Thanks so much for your comment.
    Bill

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  4. No John, I will never have a larger Greenhouse. I have seriously thought about a larger structure, but a bigger Greenhouse would work me even harder than what I can do. I have to manage my dreams with my actual physical abilities. My Greenhouse is 35 feet wide and 48 feet long. It takes considerable planning to stay within my appointed space. Still, I do think of another 12 feet in length, but then I have to tell myself to be happy with what I have.
    Anyway, the true test of a daylily is what it will do outside in the cold weather. Thanks for posting your thoughts.
    Bill

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