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Pot-in-Pot, The Ultimate Winter Plant Protection

January 12, 2010 by Rick

The weather outside is frightful… By Florida standards anyway. At the nursery, we cover acres of plant with Frost Cloth every time a freeze threatens. This works very well except when the wind blows the cloth off your plants. At home I use a different method I developed called Pot-in-Pot Landscaping.

I use an empty pot as a sleeve. It is the same size pot as the pot of the plant I am installing

and I drop it in for a finished job. When the frost threatens, I lift the plants and park them in my garage for the evening.

PotinPot

The method has many reason for you to consider using it in Florida. Follow this link to 21 reasons for Pot-in-Pot Gardening. This works also well for larger containers and combinations too.

Using this method in combination with a drip irrigation system save water and improves plant quality and longevity. Pot-in-Pot is also ideal for using tender plants within large containers as shown here.

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Comments (10) -

April 8. 2009 01:19

Very interesting! Do you do this only for annuals that may freeze?

Susan

April 8. 2009 07:39

Susan,
I suggest you try it for pentas and even hardy annuals. There are many reasons for you to consider this method. Follow this link for 21 reasons. www.floridafriendlyplants.com/.../...-Updated.aspx
Thanks for the comment.

Rick

April 13. 2009 19:48

Ah! A way to save my pentas from nematodes, too! I know people who have years-old pentas. Mine last only a year or two, and then they're gone.
The only thing I don't like about pot-in-pot is I can't imagine plants getting very big, and I like big. I'm thinking I need to save my biggest containers from store-bought plants and give it a try. I'm sure I'll be buying plenty in March.

Penny Carnathan

April 14. 2009 06:43

Penny
Pentas will live for years if you improve the soil to a 50% organic matter mix. If not, the nematodes will shorten their life. I am glad you are trying it because there are so many advantages to the system for various types of plants and gardens.

Rick

April 15. 2009 02:14

You had told me about the nematodes -- once the organic matter's gone, the nematodes move in on the pentas. With this freeze, I can now dig into my soil a lot better without worrying about disturbing plants. (The dead don't seem bothered!)
What do you recommend for amending, Rick? Remove half the native soil and replace with compost?
I'm going to do pot in pot in spots, and amend in spots, and I'll report back the results.

Penny Carnathan

April 15. 2009 08:43

Penny,
I like to use compost from leaves and frozen plant material. Hmm, wonder where I can get some of that? They sell compost and composted cow manure at The Home Depot. Don't use top soil as it has too much sand and muck in it. Peat moss is great last the longest, works best but costs the most.

Rick

April 16. 2009 14:28

Hi,
I was wondering if the roots of the plants in the pots in the ground grow through the holes of both pots, and therefore would make it difficult to remove when I wanted.
Thanks for your answer. It seems like a great idea!
Patsy
On Jan 12, 2010, at 9:33 PM, Patsy,
Yes, but not so much that removing them is difficult or damaging. What also happens is encroaching roots from shrubs and trees come up through the bottom of the pots and intermingle with the rich, moist soil in the Pot-in-Pot and can make lifting difficult. If this is the case you can lift them once a month to check and break these shrub/tree roots before they take over your pot. This situation where competition favors the shrub/tree is where the Pot-in-Pot method is most beneficial and practical and what I have had the best luck with for many years. Thanks for the question. it is a good one and often asked. Good luck and let me know how it works for you.
Rick

Rick

April 16. 2009 23:58

Ha!! Sounds like I've got plenty of your favorite compost material. Thanks for the tip on peat moss. I'll have a nice savory stew for the garden come March -- and some new-old pots

Penny Carnathan

April 18. 2009 00:22

Penny,
That will be great to hear about. You will have graduated to the next level of gardening. Once folks realize how important the soil is and how to get it rich enough in Florida's sandy soils their brown thumb turns bright green.

Rick

April 21. 2009 04:30

"I use an empty pot as a sleeve. It is the same size pot as the pot of the plant I am installing and I drop it in for a finished job. When the frost threatens, I lift the plants and park them in my garage for the evening."

This is a great idea! Pot in pot is really a simple but very practical method of gardening in Florida during winter.

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Pot-in-Pot, The Ultimate Winter Plant Protection

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