Understanding The Hot Soil Method In Smart Pots

Smart Pots are a type of fabric container for growing plants. They are lightweight, portable, and easy to set up. The amount of hot soil you'll need for your Smart Pot depends on the size of the pot you're using. Smart Pots come in various sizes, from 1-gallon to 1,000-gallon pots. It's important to use the right type of soil for your Smart Pot, as ordinary garden soil can be too dense for good drainage and may contain insect pests. Instead, a light-weight, soilless potting mix that drains excess water easily is recommended. This keeps plant roots hydrated and healthy. You can also make your own potting mix to suit your specific needs.

Smart Pots need a light-weight, soilless potting mix

Smart Pots are lightweight, portable, and easy to use. They are made from fabric and can be hung up, allowing plants to grow all over the container – top, sides, and bottom. They are ideal for growing perennials, as the root structure of a plant stays healthy and vibrant for a long period.

When using Smart Pots, it is important to select the right soil. The best soil for container gardening is a lightweight, soilless potting mix that easily drains excess water. This type of soil helps keep plant roots hydrated and healthy. A soilless potting mix is different from garden soil, which is typically too dense for good drainage and can harbor insect pests.

When selecting a potting mix, look for one that is specifically designed for containers and includes a slow-release fertilizer or vermicompost for added nutrients. Commercial potting mixes are available in a variety of formulations tailored to specific plant types, such as cacti, orchids, acid-loving plants, and African violets. There are also general-purpose potting mixes suitable for container gardens, hanging baskets, houseplants, and raised beds.

If you prefer, you can make your own potting mix and adapt the recipe to fit your specific growing needs. However, it is important to avoid using garden soil or topsoil, as these mixes are often poorly draining and may contain pathogens or weed seeds.

You can make your own potting mix

The first thing to note is that most commercial potting mixes are actually growing media that don't contain soil. Soil varies greatly in composition and texture, whereas potting mix is designed for use in containers and is a mixture of light-weight organic and inorganic (mineral) materials that drain freely.

The basic materials for making your own potting mix or improving your soil are just a few different organic and inorganic (mineral) products. Here are some of the ingredients you can use:

• Well-aged compost or well-rotted animal manure
• Worm castings
• Composted pine bark
• Coir (coconut fibre)
• Perlite
• Vermiculite
• Coarse sand
• Limestone or dolomite
• Natural fertilizer

Regular potting mix recipe for flowers, tropicals, and vegetables:

• One part composted pine bark
• One part mature compost, worm castings or mushroom compost
• Add a handful of garden lime or dolomite per ten-litre bucket of mix

Australian Native Potting Mix:

• Two parts coarse sand
• Three parts regular general-purpose potting mix

Seedling Potting Mix:

• One part coir (coconut fibre)
• One part perlite or fine sand

Potting soil recipe for potted trees and shrubs:

• Three parts regular general-purpose potting mix
• Two and a half parts coarse sand
• Three parts composted pine bark
• Two and a half parts perlite
• Two tablespoons of lime (if using peat moss)
• One cup of granular organic fertilizer (or one cup of the DIY container fertilizer blend)
• One-quarter cup of organic cottonseed meal (if growing acid-loving trees and shrubs)

Potting soil recipe for succulents and cactus:

• Three parts sphagnum peat moss or coir fibre
• One part perlite
• One part vermiculite
• Two parts coarse sand
• Two tablespoons lime (if using peat moss)

Potting soil recipe for seed starting:

• Two parts sphagnum peat moss or coir fibre
• Two parts vermiculite
• One part coarse sand
• Three tablespoons lime (if using peat moss)

Homemade potting soil for transplanting seedlings:

• Two parts sphagnum peat moss or coir fibre
• Two parts vermiculite
• One part finely screened compost
• Three tablespoons lime (if using peat moss)
• Two tablespoons granular organic fertilizer (or two tablespoons of the DIY container fertilizer blend)

Potting soil recipe for houseplants:

• Two parts sphagnum peat moss or coir fibre
• One and a half parts perlite
• Two cups coarse sand
• Three tablespoons lime (if using peat moss)
• Two tablespoons granular organic fertilizer (or two tablespoons of the DIY container fertilizer blend)

Never use ordinary garden soil in your Smart Pot

The amount of hot soil you need for a Smart Pot depends on the size of the pot. For example, a 5-gallon Smart Pot will require a different amount of hot soil compared to a 10-gallon or 30-gallon pot. It is recommended that you plan ahead and consider buying your hot soil mix in bulk rather than buying a large number of smaller bags, as this is usually cheaper.

Why you should never use ordinary garden soil in your Smart Pot

Ordinary garden soil is not suitable for Smart Pots for several reasons. Firstly, it is typically too dense for good drainage. Smart Pots require a lightweight, soilless potting mix that drains excess water easily to keep plant roots hydrated and healthy. Dense garden soil will hinder drainage and negatively impact root growth.

Secondly, using garden soil in your Smart Pot can introduce insect pests that may have overwintered in your garden. These pests can damage your plants and affect their growth.

Instead of using garden soil, opt for a potting soil specifically meant for containers. Look for one that includes slow-release fertilizer or vermicompost to provide added nutrients for your plants. Alternatively, you can make your own potting mix, customizing it to fit your specific growing needs.

When filling your Smart Pot, ensure you fill it to about one inch below the rim, as some settling may occur after watering. If you are using a previously filled container, refresh the soil by removing some from the center, loosening it, and mixing in new soil. If your plants suffered from insects or diseases the previous season, be sure to empty the old soil, clean the container, and start with fresh soil.

Smart Pots are ideal for growing perennials

The soft-sided, fabric construction of the Smart Pot is a distinct advantage that allows you to grow plants all over the container—top, sides, and bottom. You can simply cut an "X" anywhere on the Smart Pot and start growing. This is in contrast to hard-sided containers, which only allow you to plant less than 25% of their capacity.

Smart Pots are also lightweight and portable, making them easy to place in areas where other gardens can't grow. They are also easy to transport, even for large houseplants, as they are made of lightweight, easy-to-carry fabric. This makes it convenient to move plants indoors and outdoors based on the weather.

When it comes to overwintering perennials, Smart Pots offer a great solution. Some cold-hardy perennials can lie dormant in their Smart Pots during the chilly winter months and start growing again in the spring. Larger Smart Pots are ideal for overwintering as they hold more soil. You can cover the soil-filled containers with a layer of organic mulch to keep the soil moist and regulate temperature, while also preventing root damage caused by freezing and thawing.

Overall, Smart Pots provide a convenient, effective, and healthy way to grow perennials, making them an ideal choice for container gardeners.

Smart Pots are porous enough to release excess water

Smart Pots are made from a patented fabric that is durable enough to withstand the elements and porous enough to release excess water. This makes them ideal for hydroponic gardeners. The fabric is so porous that it has become the pot of choice for many hydroponic gardeners.

Smart Pots are designed to distribute moisture evenly. In these planters, moisture moves by capillarity, from wetter areas to drier areas throughout the pot. This means you won't get the "crispy tops, soggy bottoms" that are common in standard pots, or the drainage issues that come with in-ground gardens. Even water distribution and excellent drainage mean no more root rot from overwatering, and lots of healthy roots and plants.

The fabric construction of Smart Pots is a distinct advantage that allows you to grow plants all over the container: top, sides and bottom. You can simply cut an "X" anywhere on the pot and start planting. The soft-sided construction also means you can hang the pot up.

Smart Pots are also beneficial because they aerate the soil, producing airflow through the container walls. This results in cooler temperatures that don't damage your roots.

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