Grow Bags for Zucchini

[Dirtmechanic]

Instead of buying any or compost for the various plant pets, I just used the old garden soil from the 20 or so 7gallon bags I used last year. That works out to about 9 big bags of potting soil. Or 18 small ones.

 

[ninnymary]

There are a number of reasons for going with a bigger pot.
A bigger container holds more soil which means you hold more water longer and in turn water less often.
A bigger container with more soil tend to protect the roots better on a hot day.
A plant in a larger container will tend to have larger root mass than ones that is grown in a smaller container.
As for feeding less often, that could be if your running a bottled fertilizer and not running a living soil.
When growing in a living soil your feeding the soil not the plant, the soil then feeds the plant and you tend to feed the same amount throughout the the season.


You could go with a 15 gallon container but considering how big a Zucchini plant gets I would go with a 20 gallon. I grow everything in a living soil so I tend to grow in big containers and get a better harvest out of a bigger container.


I grow in the cloth pots and love them.
Pros - With the correct soil I grow bigger, healthier and more productive plants in a container than in the earth. With containers your starting with a clean slat, your able to control what your growing in.

Cons-
The only con I can think of is the start up cost BUT that isn't that bad when you figure a good soil mix will last longer than your container. This will be my 6th season growing in the same soil I started with and the soil keeps getting better every season.

I agree with you that bigger is better. Grow bags will require more water but I am in the S.F. bay area where our summer temps are around 67 so its a cool summer unlike other hot areas. I'm thinking that I may have to water them maybe every 2 or 3 days.

What type of soil do you use for them? Once you fill it up what other amendments or fertilizers do you use?

I have received both the 15 and 20 gallon and can't decide which one to go with and which to return. The diameter is almost exactly the same. The only difference is that the 20 gal. is about 4 inches taller.

The zucchini I plan to grow is called Astia. It is a smaller type meant for containers or small gardens. For this season I don't plan on growing anything else in them.

Mary

 

[Titan Farm]

I agree with you that bigger is better. Grow bags will require more water but I am in the S.F. bay area where our summer temps are around 67 so its a cool summer unlike other hot areas. I'm thinking that I may have to water them maybe every 2 or 3 days.

What type of soil do you use for them? Once you fill it up what other amendments or fertilizers do you use?

I have received both the 15 and 20 gallon and can't decide which one to go with and which to return. The diameter is almost exactly the same. The only difference is that the 20 gal. is about 4 inches taller.

The zucchini I plan to grow is called Astia. It is a smaller type meant for containers or small gardens. For this season I don't plan on growing anything else in them.

Mary

What type of soil do you use for them? Once you fill it up what other amendments or fertilizers do you use?

I mix my own, I use 1/3 Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss 1/3 Aeration 1/3 Compost.

I use a good quality Peat and I don't strain it (leave the small twigs in).
The Aeration I use is equal parts small black lava stone, pumice par boiled rice hulls and bio-char (Don't use Perlite, it will break down or all float to the top of the soil)
For Compost I use equal parts worm castings, malibu compost and composted rabbit manure.
To this mix I add a "Coots" Complete Soil Builder that I get from Build A Soil.
This Soil Builder contains;
1. Crustacean Meal
2. Kelp Meal
3. Neem Cake/Karanja Cake 70/30
4. Milled Malted Barley
5. BuildASoil Basalt
6. Gypsum Dust
7. Oyster Shell Flour
I mix everything together dampen it and let it set for 2 weeks then I fill my containers, plant, add about 2 good hand fulls of Red Wiggler worms to the soil and mulch with a good clean Barley Straw.

It last about a good portion of my growing season with out feeding but when I do I add Mr. B's Green Trees
(5-5-5)

In the fall the Barley Straw is just about all broke down, I plant White Clover as a cover crop then I cut the plant that was growing in the container that year down at the grown (don't pull it out) and break the plant up and leave it on the Barley Straw to break down.

In the spring about 2 week or so before planting I will cut down the Clover leaving everything right in the container and then top off the container with the same soil mix as I filled the container with (Shouldn't take that much), then start the whole cycle over.

Since your in California you should be able to get BigRootz soil which is a great soil and use that in your containers. Then you don't have to mix the soil or add the amendments to the soil at the beginning just side dress with a good "fertilizer" like the Mr. B's.

 

[ninnymary]

I mix my own, I use 1/3 Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss 1/3 Aeration 1/3 Compost.

I use a good quality Peat and I don't strain it (leave the small twigs in).
The Aeration I use is equal parts small black lava stone, pumice par boiled rice hulls and bio-char (Don't use Perlite, it will break down or all float to the top of the soil)
For Compost I use equal parts worm castings, malibu compost and composted rabbit manure.
To this mix I add a "Coots" Complete Soil Builder that I get from Build A Soil.
This Soil Builder contains;
1. Crustacean Meal
2. Kelp Meal
3. Neem Cake/Karanja Cake 70/30
4. Milled Malted Barley
5. BuildASoil Basalt
6. Gypsum Dust
7. Oyster Shell Flour
I mix everything together dampen it and let it set for 2 weeks then I fill my containers, plant, add about 2 good hand fulls of Red Wiggler worms to the soil and mulch with a good clean Barley Straw.

It last about a good portion of my growing season with out feeding but when I do I add Mr. B's Green Trees
(5-5-5)

In the fall the Barley Straw is just about all broke down, I plant White Clover as a cover crop then I cut the plant that was growing in the container that year down at the grown (don't pull it out) and break the plant up and leave it on the Barley Straw to break down.

In the spring about 2 week or so before planting I will cut down the Clover leaving everything right in the container and then top off the container with the same soil mix as I filled the container with (Shouldn't take that much), then start the whole cycle over.

Since your in California you should be able to get BigRootz soil which is a great soil and use that in your containers. Then you don't have to mix the soil or add the amendments to the soil at the beginning just side dress with a good "fertilizer" like the Mr. B's.

Oh thank goodness you mentioned BigRootz. I was overwhelmed with all of your soil prepping. I've never heard of BigRootz. I will have to google it and see where I can find it.

I love your method about having living soil. That is indeed what we should be doing just like we do with our ground planting areas. I don't know why I never thought of that. I usually take my soil containers and just replenish the soil every 2 years or so. Your method is much better.

Thank you so much for all your help. Much appreciatd.

Mary

 

[Titan Farm]

@ninnymary
Your very welcome.

Patrick King ("The Soil King") is the Founder CEO of the company The Soil King Garden Center they make BigRootz Soil. Patrick is all for a greener way of growing, both vegetable and medical cannabis and backs what he sells. In fact the compost that is in his soil he has tested for chemicals etc. and is a clean sourced compost meaning there no manipulable waste, trash, sewage waste in the compost. Also I believe he is the only company that will have every batch of soil mix tested.

This is the make up of BigRootz;

Peat moss, Triple Washed Coir, Clean Sourced Compost , Worm Castings, Ligna Peat, Pumice, Seabird Guano, Langbiente, Feather Meal, Kelp Meal, Ferrous Sulfate, Green Sand, Bat Guano, Dolomite (as pH adjuster), Volcanic Ash, Fish Bone Meal, Neem Meal, Glacial Rock Dust, Rock Phosphate, Sulfate of Potash, Humic Acid, Blood Meal, Oyster Shell (as pH adjuster).
pH (6.5 to 6.8)

 

[ninnymary]

@Titan Farm I have only found two places that carries it. One is 2.5 hours away. The other is about an hour and 20 minutes. It seems too far away from me but my husband says we can go if I want to.

Ugh so now I’m undecided! Is it worth the drive? Or is there something else you recommend that is more readily available?

Mary

 

[Titan Farm]

@Titan Farm I have only found two places that carries it. One is 2.5 hours away. The other is about an hour and 20 minutes. It seems too far away from me but my husband says we can go if I want to.

Ugh so now I’m undecided! Is it worth the drive? Or is there something else you recommend that is more readily available?

Mary

The closest to BigRootz might be Nectar of the Gods - Nectar Soil #4 or #8

This list you could try, but they have perlite in them and over all there not going to as good as the two listed above.

GreenGro - Earthshine Premium Potting Soil
Purple Cow - IndiCanja
FoxFarms - Ocean Forest (I would mix this with FoxFarm Happy Frog because the Ocean Forest tends to run Hot sometimes.)

Since these mixes have perlite in them you could add Pumice or Small Lava Rock (around pea size)

 

[ninnymary]

Well I took Titan's advise and drove 1 hr. 15 minutes to get 5 bags of BigRootz.

I have also decided to keep the 20 gallon bags and return the 15 gallon ones.

Wish me luck! lol

Titan, is there anything else I need to add to the BigRootz? Any other tips or advise on maintenance? Thank you again for all your help.

P.S. My husband said for the amount of money I spent that stuff better grow well in them, haha. I think with zucchini I have a pretty good chance.

Mary

 

[Titan Farm]

Well I took Titan's advise and drove 1 hr. 15 minutes to get 5 bags of BigRootz.

I have also decided to keep the 20 gallon bags and return the 15 gallon ones.

Wish me luck! lol

Titan, is there anything else I need to add to the BigRootz? Any other tips or advise on maintenance? Thank you again for all your help.

P.S. My husband said for the amount of money I spent that stuff better grow well in them, haha. I think with zucchini I have a pretty good chance.

Mary

Your welcome,
You should be good with just that but you could add say a hand full red wigglers to the soil and mulch with some straw.
If you want to go full living soil you could get some Azospirillum and Aminos too top dress the soil but that can be done anytime of the year.
As a tip, once you plant don't let the soil dry out completely. Since it is peat based it will take a wile to dehydrate plus drying out will kill any mico life that is in the soil.

Did you get to look at the soil?

 

[ninnymary]

Your welcome,
You should be good with just that but you could add say a hand full red wigglers to the soil and mulch with some straw.
If you want to go full living soil you could get some Azospirillum and Aminos too top dress the soil but that can be done anytime of the year.
As a tip, once you plant don't let the soil dry out completely. Since it is peat based it will take a wile to dehydrate plus drying out will kill any mico life that is in the soil.

Did you get to look at the soil?

I haven't opened up the bags yet so I don't know what the soil looks like.

Mary