Looking for 2' x 2' planters for citrus trees in SD county

[Meadowlark]

Hmm,not sure what the HOA is gonna think about cattle watering troughs in your front yard.LOL.

Sounds like they are concerned about plumbing...as if that is anyone's business but the property owners.

 

[tomkat]

Sounds like they are concerned about plumbing...as if that is anyone's business but the property owners.

Yea but you know how HOAs are,most are kinda persnickety about how folks "decorate" their property.

 

[jjdbike]

Welcome @jjdbike. It is shocking to me to read those restrictions in what is normally termed a "free" country. What is the justification for them on gardening?

Hello @Meadowlark ,

We live in a 55 & over community w/ an HOA. It is an old development with old and fragile underground plumbing. They are concerned about roots growing down and interfering with and potentially damaging fragile plumbing. It has certainly happened to neighbors.

Best regards.
JD

 

[jjdbike]

Sounds like they are concerned about plumbing...as if that is anyone's business but the property owners.

Thanks for your comments and concern.

It is an association. We do not own the land surrounding our home. It's not idea, but it has it's advantages, especially for older folks who do not have the ability to maintain their own property. The two downsides are the monthly association fee, and that they have rules. Again, the rules are also a double edged sward.

For us, it is our reality, which we entered with our eyes open.

Needing to put our plants in pots is a small issue and one that I am willing to live with.

Respectfully,
Jim D

 

[jjdbike]

If you use dwarf varieties, the half barrels work great.

Thank you @cpp gardener ,

I must admit I am concerned about them rotting and falling apart. We do live in an arid climate, but watering them and moist soil would eventually take it's toll on bare wood.

Your thoughts?

 

[jjdbike]

Hmm,not sure what the HOA is gonna think about cattle watering troughs in your front yard.LOL. Most citrus trees (less than 10 years old) would be very happy in a half whiskey barrel. My Page and Owari satsumas are in 20 x 20 inch plywood planters I built myself and are very happy.

Thanks @tomkat ,

Wouldn't you think a wooden whisky barrel would eventually rot due to watering and moist soil, especially over a 10 year period?

Respectfully,
JD

 

[Meadowlark]

...Needing to put our plants in pots is a small issue and one that I am willing to live with.

Jim, I suspect I am a good bit older than you having passed four score and because I love gardening so much, I have developed a system utilizing old cattle protein tubs to grow many different veggies and plants.

The tubs are somewhat larger than 2x2 and about 25-30 gallons each (they are free to me but you can normally get some from a nearby rancher). To make them efficient and older person friendly, I add drainage holes, then a layer of decayed/rotting wood, then a layer of good rich compost, then a top layer of good garden soil.

This approach offers some "pros" in that it requires far less garden soil which can be expensive for some, offers excellent portability as the bottom two layers significantly reduce the overall weight of each container from about 200 pounds to about 50 or less pounds, offers continuous nutrients to the plants through the decaying wood which also acts to absorb and release water which minimizes watering after you get it established.

Instead of buying lumber and constructing somewhat immobile containers, you can be gardening in these in just minutes using repurposed materials. I've been gardening in them for several years now without any problems thus far. In fact, some selected veggies actually outperform garden planting in these containers. I have spread sheets on all of that.

I have studied this system a good bit and have measured productivity of veggies grown in these containers that I call Hügelkultur containers (HK for short). It is based on centuries old proven technique of using decaying wood as an underlayment in growing veggies. It works for me.

If you are interested in this, you can see all the results of those early experiments in an old thread here which I can't seem to find the link for you right now....maybe later.

I can post photos also if you are interested. Some on here questioned the value of this system in the early days, but I can testify that it is extremely effective for me right now, and without doubt it will become more and more important/critical to me as the years go by. It is interesting also to observe that many people are using Hügelkultur in increasing numbers today.

At any rate, thought you might find it interesting.

 

[jjdbike]

Jim, I suspect I am a good bit older than you having passed four score and because I love gardening so much, I have developed a system utilizing old cattle protein tubs to grow many different veggies and plants.

The tubs are somewhat larger than 2x2 and about 25-30 gallons each (they are free to me but you can normally get some from a nearby rancher). To make them efficient and older person friendly, I add drainage holes, then a layer of decayed/rotting wood, then a layer of good rich compost, then a top layer of good garden soil.

This approach offers some "pros" in that it requires far less garden soil which can be expensive for some, offers excellent portability as the bottom two layers significantly reduce the overall weight of each container from about 200 pounds to about 50 or less pounds, offers continuous nutrients to the plants through the decaying wood which also acts to absorb and release water which minimizes watering after you get it established.

Instead of buying lumber and constructing somewhat immobile containers, you can be gardening in these in just minutes using repurposed materials. I've been gardening in them for several years now without any problems thus far. In fact, some selected veggies actually outperform garden planting in these containers. I have spread sheets on all of that.

I have studied this system a good bit and have measured productivity of veggies grown in these containers that I call Hügelkultur containers (HK for short). It is based on centuries old proven technique of using decaying wood as an underlayment in growing veggies. It works for me.

If you are interested in this, you can see all the results of those early experiments in an old thread here which I can't seem to find the link for you right now....maybe later.

I can post photos also if you are interested. Some on here questioned the value of this system, but I can testify that it is extremely effective for me right now, and without doubt it will become more and more important/critical to me as the years go by. It is interesting also to observe that many people are using Hügelkultur in increasing numbers today.

At any rate, thought you might find it interesting.

Wow,
That's pretty cool.
Thanks for sharing that.
Respectfully,
JD

 

[Meadowlark]

It is hot humid summertime here in Texas JD @jjdbike right now, but I thought you might find it interesting to see what is currently growing in my HK containers....

First, horseradish (which can't be grown in Texas) several years of production in this HK container...



Carrots in several containers of different varieties staged for continuous harvest (can't grow carrots in Texas in summer )...



Several HK tubs of different variety of Blueberries (which I previously could not grow in Texas)...



Turkish Bafra tobacco as experiment


Fig trees...



Osage Orange trees experimental



Special experimental India melon ...



Four different varieties of HK tubs of asparagus beds which previously became invasive and failed...but not now..




Well, running out of room...but I hope you get the picture of the versatility and utility of these containers.

 

[jjdbike]

It is hot humid summertime here in Texas Jim right now, but I thought you might find it interesting to see what is currently growing in my HK containers....

First, horseradish (which can't be grown in Texas) several years of production in this HK container...

View attachment 115224

Carrots in several containers of different varieties staged for continuous harvest (can't grow carrots in Texas in summer )...

View attachment 115225

Several HK tubs of different variety of Blueberries (which I previously could not grow in Texas)...

View attachment 115226

Turkish Bafra tobacco as experiment
View attachment 115227

Fig trees...

View attachment 115228

Osage Orange trees experimental

View attachment 115229

Special experimental India melon ...

View attachment 115230

Four different varieties of HK tubs of asparagus beds which previously became invasive and failed...but not now..

View attachment 115231


Well, running out of room...but I hope you get the picture of the versatility and utility of these containers.

So cool,
It looks beautiful and bountiful! I love that you are growing and experimenting with plants that "can not grow in Austrailia" . Thanks for sharing!

At the end of the day, I am simply going to buy a couple containers and put my dwarf citrus trees in them. Over the past two days I have found a couple different options that meet my size parameters.

I am most likely not going to use wooden barrels for fear that they will rot.
Respectfully,
JD