I think I had a good idea for stealth growing (hey, it has to happen once in a while). Although I am in the desert, I think this may be good for other environments with poor soil. Where I am, as deep as you dig, it is nothing but pure sand. So…I am going to get some heavy duty plastic bags. Obviously, make drainage holes in and near the bottom. I am going to dig a hole, put the bag in, fill it with Coco coir, and cover up with 6-12" of sand. The coir is excellent at holding moisture, while letting the roots breath. Inasmuch as this thing will be in sand, the root ought to get plenty of O 2. Put my Bunny Wabbit cage around the seedling, an, voila. I’m very interested in anyone’s comments, criticisms or approbations.
All I can think of is that I am not sure I would bury the bags below sand. I would just have them flush with the ground…
Tree farms tend to bury their maturing trees in big 10-15 gallon pots, put into a hole with the top of the pot level with the ground.
I recently baught “Grow Bags” they come in various sizes and are made of A felt like material they are heavy duty and I recommend them highly…I also live in A hot climate in A valley and it seems to me these bags are cannabis sent.I have to water twice a day on hot days but the growth of the plants are so much bigger than if I had put them in the ground.
Thanks for the report from the 'Real World'! Appreciate that. Here's another thought - I am using the resueable shopping bags from Walmart. They work perfectly as 'Smart Pots', and they cosr 50 cents apiece. Use 'em once, throw 'em away. They are fabric, they breath. So, this put fabric bags within the reach of all.
Having such a quick wet/dry cycle has got to be great for your plants.
Also, what is the point of 6 to 12 inches of sand at the surface? I think it would be better to mix the coir with sand, not much different than mixing coir with perlite for better drainage and air to the roots. Perlite and sand are both excellent sources of silicon and that is really good for healthy plant tissues and especially handy in situations where you may do some supercropping or otherwise severely bending and training, silicon make the stems bend easier with less breakage.
The idea was stealth. So it would look like any other plant. Where I am is like a beach in all directions. Additionally, I have been thinking about desert plants. It seems to me the the sand reflects a lot of light, thereby keeping the whatever below it cooler in the 100 degree heat. If I had my own place, or stealth was not an issue, then I probably would just let the coir be uncovered. I have decided against going outside this summer. I'm in too much of a populated area. 'Wouldn't be prudent'.
Oh, ok, I’m sure a couple of inches would be plenty then. Just to make the surface look normal. I had figured that’s why you wanted to bury it, I should’a put 2 and 2 together, lol.
Oh, and just a couple of inches would likely provide plenty of insulation as well. Perlite and sand are mostly silicon and are not that different than fiber glass, Perlite even less so, Perlite, itself, is used in house insulation as well.
