Just noticed a lot of folks are still planting way too deep in their pots

I've been growing stuff on my balcony for about five seasons now, and I keep seeing pictures where the soil is right up to the rim of the container. That's a fast track to root rot, especially for things like peppers and tomatoes. I learned the hard way after losing three bell pepper plants in one wet spring. You need at least an inch, better yet two, of space from the soil line to the top of the pot for proper watering. Has anyone else adjusted their planting depth after a bad season?

2 comments

2 Comments

barnes.brian1mo ago

Disagree completely on this one. My best yields have always come from filling those pots right to the top. That extra soil volume means more room for roots and it holds moisture longer in the hot sun. My peppers would dry out way too fast with a big air gap at the top. Maybe it depends on your climate or your watering habits, but a full pot works perfectly for my setup. The key for me is using a really loose soil mix so it never gets soggy.

nina1801mo ago

Brian, you fill the pot all the way to the very top? I can't even imagine the mess every single time you water. My patio would be a mudslide. Don't you get soil and mulch washing over the sides with every good rain? I guess if you never get a downpour or you carry every pot to the sink, it could work. My method is an inch from the top, and I still get some runoff.