Last January I had a contest to give away a set of soft-sided “Smart Pots,” the winner won several pots with the condition that they check in a few times and share how the plants in their Smart Pots are doing. In case you missed it, Smart Pots are a soft-sided “pot” that is supposed to provide better air circulation in the potting mix. Debra of the Smith Bites blog was the winner, and recently she sent me her initial thoughts. I have also been growing tomatoes, lavender, peppers, dahlias, and lilies in some Smart Pots, and have some initial impressions to share too.
Debra’s Experience With Smart Pots
Using a good organic planting mix with Perlite, both the tomato and peppers transplanted better in the new Smart Pots than in my regular pots – very little droop in either plant and both perked up in their new homes after about 30 minutes. It’s been about a month since planting and both plants are bigger and more robust than plants in my other containers. Since I live in the Midwest, our growing season hasn’t really begun (i.e., no blooms as of yet) so I will need to report later on the yield.
I have been pleasantly surprised to find that the Smart Pots maintain the moisture of the soil better than my other pots which means they don’t need to be water as often and they maintained their shape – wet or dry.
Overall impression is that I’m happy enough with the results so far, that I’ll be looking to add a few more pots in the future; we have a pond and I’d like to try planting a water lily in one and see how the Smart Pot holds up under water!
My Thoughts on Growing Plants in Smart Pots
I love Debra’s idea of using a Smart Pot to grow a lily in her pond. I have been meaning to try water gardening for some time, and I can see how a Smart Pot would be a good option in that setting.
I have all my Smart Pots potted up at my office. We did a poll here on LOTB to decide what I would grow in my Smart Pots, and you all selected tomatoes and lavender. I bought plastic pots the exact size of the Smart Pots and planted nearly identical plants in both the Smart Pot and the plastic pot. I used identical potting mixes and have fertilized the pots exactly the same.
I selected an indeterminate type of tomato that has blueberry-sized fruit called ‘Red Currant.’ The plant growing in the Smart Pot is a good 12 inches taller than the plant growing in the plastic pot, even though the plastic pot has a slightly better location (it gets 30 minutes-1 hour more sunlight). Both plants have flowers and green tomatoes, though the Smart Pot plant has more tomatoes that are almost ripe, more green fruit, and more flowers.
For the lavender comparison, I selected a beautiful variety of Spanish Lavender. One plant was slightly smaller than the other. I placed the smaller plant in the Smart Pot and the bigger plant in the plastic pot. The smaller Smart Pot lavender has grown at a faster rate than the plant in the plastic pot (I measure the diameter, height, number of flower buds, and number of opened flowers on a weekly basis). I’m not sure if this is because of the difference in the pots or the initial size.
Conclusion
Both Debra and I are having better results with Smart Pots than with plastic pots thus far. We’ll continue to keep on eye on the experiment and report back to you later in the season.
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How interesting! I have seen these, but honestly wondered that their advantages as opposed to just using a regular pot. Why do they work better (apparently)? I might need to give in and try some!
I love the smart pots that I am trying. I have rosemary in a 2 gallon; rosemary prostrate; and I have never had one grow so well. I believe the fact that the roots are not forced into a tight circular pattern at the bottom of the pot makes a lot of differenct. My rosemary has roots through the side of the smart p ot already. I just got some more to try out…so more later.
Jennah–The pots are made out of a thick felt-like fabric that keeps the soil very well aerated.
Boom–Good to hear that you’ve had a good experience too.
I’m a huge fan of Smart Pots. I’ve grown tomatoes, potatoes, herbs and have side planted them with oakleaf lettuce, which looked really lovely.
I’ve also put them in bright Dollar Store laundry baskets to make them cutter.
Good experiment. I like the idea of smart pots. I wonder if there is someplace local to buy them. Hmmm…
Oops, I meant cuter, not cutter!
I wonder if you could use a couple layers of burlap and get similar benefits? The burlap would rot eventually, being a natural fiber, and then you could probably just chuck the whole thing in your compost pile, barring diseased plants. Might be worth further experimentation with my pepper plants!
Chani–I don’t think burlap would allow air to pass through as freely. And the fact that it would disintegrate eventually would be a negative for me.
Those red currant tomatoes look adorable. Are they hard to get hold of? I have never seen them before…
Linnea–The link I provided for Red Currant Tomatoes is to the seed company where I purchased them.
Laura–You can buy them directly from the manufacturer: http://www.smartpots.com/buy-products#axzz0pH0rQNv8
I am interested in this as I’m doing a container garden this year. I have been using a cut to fit furnace air filter on the bottom as a substitute for the “Better Than Rocks” substrate I saw online. The BTR allows for more air and the roots some medium to root in. I knew I had seen something similar and hubby turned me on to this recycled plastic mesh furnace filter that I got for $7 and cut to size. I’m not sure how it will work out…but I think it would be a similar effect.
That sounds very interesting! I am going to try this! Hope I will get the same good results as you did.
Wendy–Smart Pots are entirely made out of a felt-like fabric, so air circulates directly through the sides of the pot.
Gotcha Fern! Smart pots seem to be similar to the concept behind soil blocks for seedlings. I was just relaying some of my latest endeavors to provide air to my container plants. I think I’m going to order some …what do you think would be a good size for doing squash, zucchini or cucumbers?
Wendy–I’m not sure that what you described provides much additional aeration. Better than Rocks is not meant to provide aeration, the product is meant to provide better drainage. Likewise, a filter in the bottom of a pot might improve drainage, but doesn’t really have a way to improve air flow in the pot above.
Could I ask what size you are using for tomatoes? I am going to get a coupld of large patio plants, I was going to go with a 10 gallon, but wondering if 20 would be better. Going to do a 20 for potatoes with my 5 year old, he is excited. This is our second year at container gardening, the first did not go well.
Chrissy–I have tomatoes in a #10 Smart Pot, I believe.
Yes, perhaps aeration was the wrong term. I do know that the roots will grow through the BTR and I was thinking of aeration as in creating air space, which I believe the BTR and even rocks at the bottom of a container could do. I understand the concept that it is primarily drainage you are benefitting from though.
The BTR site does claim that aeration is improved….surely not to the extent of the Smart Pot, I’ll admit. But I do think there is some aeration provided because the roots are not being kept in soggy soil (good drainage) and air can get to them.
http://apps.betterthanrocks.com/press-release.html
Fern
I was excited reading the Smart Pot website until I got to the recipes for making a water retentive mix. Ask your local grow store for recommendations.
For tomatoes I currently use 10 gallon black plastic pots with Miracle Grow – Moisture Control potting mix
Plants and fruit are wonderful, however I have to water everyday, the mixture is not very water retentive.
I was looking for Smart Pot to provide several water retentive potting mix recipes for this new planting concept.
Disappointed
John