Question(s) for you ....
We have a beautiful, large slate patio at the new house, surrounded by a rock wall which is a really good look. Mom has some very large pots, at least 4, that all match & would look nice on the patio.
My issue is that the darn pots are so heavy! I am going to get pot caddies so I can move them easily around the patio, but I am also wondering if the pots can be partially filled with ‘light’ material ... pine cones, packing peanuts, etc. I have seen this ‘tip’ in various places & I think I used pine cones (we have an endless supply) in the two huge pots on either side of our current steps (mom doesn’t remember if we did or not).
How much dirt should be in the pots if partially filled with something other than dirt - 12”? 18”? By “dirt”, I mean something like potting soil & I know they make a lighter soil for pots so they aren’t so heavy. Mom has regular dirt in the pots now (from our brush pile in back) that I need to dump - it’s heavy & compacts easily. I have used the brush pile dirt in my raised beds (but not the herb garden expansion bed) & heavily amended it with compost to lighten it up. The beds that have been there for a couple of years have great dirt now (that I want to take with me). I was thinking the raised bed dirt might be good in the pots, too.
The patio is pretty much full sun so we were thinking monarda and I have 3 lavender plants I intend to transplant/take with me. Some of the lavender will go in the raised beds.
My brother stopped by this week and wanted some herbs to take home - he picked a handful of rosemary, sage, couple of thyme sprigs & oregano out of my garden. He has quite a few raised beds & just ended up with another one after re-doing his back deck. He already has SO much (veggies) in his raised beds that I told him to plant the new one with herbs ... he won’t regret it. He’s got a green thumb - he’d end up with a gorgeous herb bed.
Yes, big pots and their weight is always an issue!
I fill my larger pots with anything from the recycle bin - cans, plastic bottles, etc. About 1/3 of the bottom with the ‘space fillers’ and then the rest with a good potting mix. I like the Miracle Grow brand, or Walmart also sells an ‘Expert’ brand that is just about as good and a lot cheaper. Don’t fill them with garden soil; they need something lighter.
Make sure the pots have good drainage; the pot caddies will help with that. I put mine up on bricks for drainage - they won’t drain properly if they are flat on the ground or the cement patio. I put a coffee filter over any drainage holes and that keeps the dirt in, yet lets the water out. So, coffee filter, ‘space fillers’ then, potting mix.
...and fertilize, fertilize, fertilize anything you’re growing in pots. Plants that are ‘pot bound’ use up all the nutrients in the soil quickly. With pots you’re usually watering once or twice a day (in the Summer heat) so I always add a lesser dose of water soluble fertilizer to my watering can every time I water. You can also add granular fertilizer to the soil when you’re planting - something like Osmocote brand is good. It releases fertilizer slowly over the season.
Here’s a bunch of great ‘pot filling’ ideas, too:
https://singlegirlsdiy.com/how-to-fill-the-bottom-of-a-large-planter/