FW: Packing Pellets and Plants

Hi Bridget,

I seem to remember hearing something recently that corroborated the no-fill
idea.  Don't remember where.  

I usually put a small screen over the hole to keep out slugs.

Cheers,
Bracey
San Jose

-----Original Message-----
From: bridget lamp [b*@yahoo.com] 
Sent: Sunday, June 20, 2004 8:28 AM
To: tiede@pacbell.net
Subject: RE: Packing Pellets and Plants

When I took Container Media at UC Davis, we were told
that putting a layer of rocks or terra cotta shards at
the bottom of the pot also impeded drainage.  There
was a demo in-class to show us, but it was awhile ago
so the details are foggy.  I'm sure someone is going
to prove me wrong when I write this!  But, it's one of
those old-wives tales or something your mom told you
to do when you were learning to garden in the
backyard.  And mom always knows best!

cheers!
bridget
Seattle, WA

--- Bracey Tiede <tiede@pacbell.net> wrote:
> Hi Carol,
> 
> Last year, we did a research project using packing
> pellets (the non melting
> plastic kind) in half wine barrels.  Half the barrel
> was filled with pellets
> and then with soil.  Shallow rooted ornamentals were
> planted and regularly
> watered.  Two of the four barrels had pellets and
> two did not.  The barrels
> with pellets quickly became swamps as water did not
> drain through the
> pellets.  The pellets formed a impenetrable layer. 
> Based on that
> experience, rocks , perhaps lighter weight lava
> rock, would be much
> prefereable as a filler for your planter.
> 
> This year we cleaned out the barrels for reuse and
> could not recycle the
> soil as the pellets and roots were all tangled
> together.  We could not put
> them into the compost pile either  What a mess. 
> Plastic packing pellets
> should be recycled through waste disposal rather
> than gardening.  I would
> imagine the corn based pellets would 'melt' together
> too.
> 
> Bracey
> San Jose
> UCCE Master Gardener
> 
> 
> At 02:46 PM 6/18/2004 -0700, you wrote:
> >Slightly off-topic, but it is for a citrus tree...I
> have an oversized
> "planter" (a tall wooden crate) that I want to use
> for a Mexican Lime. I
> want to fill the bottom half with something much
> lighter than rocks, and to
> that end have collected some packing pellets from
> work: some pink s shapes
> and white pellets.  Does anyone know if these will
> harm my citrus?  The
> whites dissolve in water, so won't be particularly
> useful, but how do I tell
> if the pinks are poisonous? 
> >
> >Thanks
> >
> >Carol
> 
> 



	
		
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