Large pots

[ZPalms]

Anyone know a good place to buy large pots that won't make me broke, I'm looking for a nice large but tallish pot for my coconut so the roots don't expand outwards but down. The pot it's in now is 14 inches down and 18 inches across and I can't find anything that's tall and deeper compared to the ones I've been finding that are wider without depth and 150$ 🙁

[JohnAndSancho]

Following. I literally just got done emailing Bloem asking about their Lucca pots because I absolutely love them and can't find them anywhere. 

[ZPalms]

22 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

Following. I literally just got done emailing Bloem asking about their Lucca pots because I absolutely love them and can't find them anywhere. 

I just went to there website but didn't see anything that fits what I need, I think I saw a lot of their products at lowes, I was even looking at their biggest pot but it wasn't any bigger than what I already have 

[aztropic]

Used black plastic 15 gallon nursery pots are usually available on Craigslist for $2-3 each.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

[ZPalms]

12 minutes ago, aztropic said:

Used black plastic 15 gallon nursery pots are usually available on Craigslist for $2-3 each.

 

aztropic

Mesa,Arizona

I just went to look and I did find one listing that has a 15 gallon but I think I need deeper because I don't want to go up a tiny bit and the coconut would fill it quickly, I will try and get that pot tho because my majesty needs a repotting 😍

[Looking Glass]

I’ve stumbled upon absolutely huge, decorative polyethylene pots at HomeGoods, that I use to coil my 200 foot hose in, without creating an eyesore.  

I prefer big nursery pots though.  And the big ones…. they aren’t cheap most of the time.   

[ZPalms]

I 

40 minutes ago, Looking Glass said:

I’ve stumbled upon absolutely huge, decorative polyethylene pots at HomeGoods, that I use to coil my 200 foot hose in, without creating an eyesore.  

I prefer big nursery pots though.  And the big ones…. they aren’t cheap most of the time.   

I also prefer nursery pots, I don’t really mind the pots not being cute, I just need them to work. I may check out home goods in person and look but I have a feeling I’m gonna have to buy one of those plastic curb trash cans and cut holes in the bottom 😂

I was thinking I could get a 20gal or 32gal and that would be plenty big enough especially in depth and on the plus side handles! 😂 But would this cause problems when it gets top heavy?

Edited September 10, 2022 by ZPalms

[aztropic]

If you ever plan on moving a planted trashcan,you definitely want to use the grey 'BRUTE' ones to start with. Others like those cheaper brown ones are too thin, and the handles rip off when loaded down...

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona 

[ZPalms]

58 minutes ago, aztropic said:

If you ever plan on moving a planted trashcan,you definitely want to use the grey 'BRUTE' ones to start with. Others like those cheaper brown ones are too thin, and the handles rip off when loaded down...

 

aztropic

Mesa, Arizona 

thanks for the tip! I feel like I can’t beat 32 gallon brute trash can for the price and it’s tall 😍

I’m still open to suggestion for pots but I have a feeling that is what I’ll probably end up doing 

[96720]

Why not just plant it in the ground 

[Reyes Vargas]

49 minutes ago, 96720 said:

Why not just plant it in the ground 

He lives in North Carolina it would die.

[Allen]

Be phone nice and call local landscapers/nursery that plant large potted trees and offer to buy their used pots.   Call a place called site one if you have one there and try.  Good luck.  My local place has a large boneyard of pots they let me buy fairly cheap

Edited September 10, 2022 by Allen

[MrTropical]

3 hours ago, 96720 said:

Why not just plant it in the ground 

It would never survive anywhere in-ground in North Carolina. 

[MrTropical]

5 hours ago, ZPalms said:

thanks for the tip! I feel like I can’t beat 32 gallon brute trash can for the price and it’s tall 😍

I’m still open to suggestion for pots but I have a feeling that is what I’ll probably end up doing 

A 'BRUTE' trashcan will probably end up being the biggest 'pot' you can get for the best price. 

As others mentioned, don't get the cheap Wal-Mart trashcans. Those may seem like an even better deal but you want something sturdy and long-lasting.

You'll have to show us the final result if you end up going with the trashcan idea!

Good luck.
9-10-2022
 

[DoomsDave]

12 hours ago, ZPalms said:

I 

I also prefer nursery pots, I don’t really mind the pots not being cute, I just need them to work. I may check out home goods in person and look but I have a feeling I’m gonna have to buy one of those plastic curb trash cans and cut holes in the bottom 😂

I was thinking I could get a 20gal or 32gal and that would be plenty big enough especially in depth and on the plus side handles! 😂 But would this cause problems when it gets top heavy?

That’s what I’d do and did, oh the Tales of the 32s! At one point I had about 100 palms in those.

[Merlyn]

I third (or fourth?) the motion for a big trash can.    I bought a gigantic Encephalartos Hildebrandtii from forum member ChuckG ~3 years ago, it was in a monster wheeled trash can and weighed around 400-500lb.  It was so heavy that the two of us could not even lift it off the ground.  So we used Chuck's old hydraulic floor jack and it could barely lift it...while sinking into the ground!  But once I got it back out of the van it wheeled okay on pavement.  Honestly I think the 20g or 32g Rubbermaid Brute or Roughneck are pretty tough.  The Roughneck are a thinner, lighter plastic, but it's flexible and crack-resistant.  I use the wheeled 45g Roughneck for yard waste and the trash guys haven't busticated it yet! 

[ZPalms]

9 hours ago, Allen said:

Be phone nice and call local landscapers/nursery that plant large potted trees and offer to buy their used pots.   Call a place called site one if you have one there and try.  Good luck.  My local place has a large boneyard of pots they let me buy fairly cheap

I probably may still do this for my other palms that need large pots, thanks!!!!

8 hours ago, MrTropical said:

A 'BRUTE' trashcan will probably end up being the biggest 'pot' you can get for the best price. 

As others mentioned, don't get the cheap Wal-Mart trashcans. Those may seem like an even better deal but you want something sturdy and long-lasting.

You'll have to show us the final result if you end up going with the trashcan idea!

Good luck.
9-10-2022
 

I think i'm going to do the trash can idea, It feels like it's meant to be. 😂 Plus This will probably be the only and last "pot" change and then it's going into the ground in my greenhouse which I'm hoping to accommodate

8 hours ago, DoomsDave said:

That’s what I’d do and did, oh the Tales of the 32s! At one point I had about 100 palms in those.

100 fully grown palms or seedlings?????😳

7 hours ago, Merlyn said:

I third (or fourth?) the motion for a big trash can.    I bought a gigantic Encephalartos Hildebrandtii from forum member ChuckG ~3 years ago, it was in a monster wheeled trash can and weighed around 400-500lb.  It was so heavy that the two of us could not even lift it off the ground.  So we used Chuck's old hydraulic floor jack and it could barely lift it...while sinking into the ground!  But once I got it back out of the van it wheeled okay on pavement.  Honestly I think the 20g or 32g Rubbermaid Brute or Roughneck are pretty tough.  The Roughneck are a thinner, lighter plastic, but it's flexible and crack-resistant.  I use the wheeled 45g Roughneck for yard waste and the trash guys haven't busticated it yet! 

This looks so funny but awesome! 😂 Did you cut holes in the bottom of this or was this just for transportation?

Edited September 11, 2022 by ZPalms

[DoomsDave]

@ZPalms Oh, yeah, I sure did have about 100 big palms in 32 gallon cans at the time I moved to my present place in OC from LA county 20 years ago. Mr. Spinal Column also remembers!  Some Palm Talkers might have some they bought from me and planted, as a result of the big sales I had during which I sold about 100 prior. 

Those were the days . . . 

[ZPalms]

1 minute ago, DoomsDave said:

@ZPalms Oh, yeah, I sure did have about 100 big palms in 32 gallon cans at the time I moved to my present place in OC from LA county 20 years ago. Mr. Spinal Column also remembers!  Some Palm Talkers might have some they bought from me and planted, as a result of the big sales I had during which I sold about 100 prior. 

Those were the days . . . 

Amazing!!!! Must of been a sight to see 100 palms roll up in trashcans 😂 Sounds like trash cans are the way to go with buying big "pots" I'm not even gonna waste money on buying nursery pots for my bigger palms.

I'm very jealous of your established palm garden, I'll get there one day eventually all my palms are little babies grown from seed.

[DoomsDave]

10 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

Amazing!!!! Must of been a sight to see 100 palms roll up in trashcans 😂 Sounds like trash cans are the way to go with buying big "pots" I'm not even gonna waste money on buying nursery pots for my bigger palms.

I'm very jealous of your established palm garden, I'll get there one day eventually all my palms are little babies grown from seed.

It was a sight, thinking back, I think I'll start a thread, with pre- and post- pictures of some of them, and mourning the lost. 

And, if y'all ever get out this way, you are absolutely invited to check out the garden! Many have, always honored to host! 

[ZPalms]

5 minutes ago, DoomsDave said:

It was a sight, thinking back, I think I'll start a thread, with pre- and post- pictures of some of them, and mourning the lost. 

And, if y'all ever get out this way, you are absolutely invited to check out the garden! Many have, always honored to host! 

Oh that would be amazing! I love seeing before and after photos, your very large royal is engrained in my mind, I always think of it because it was a beast and is and was a absolute goal!!!! rip!!!! 💔

I hopefully and eventually would love to go back to california and get a chance to tour around and look at all the palmage, that would be awesome and would apperciate being allowed to see your garden! 😍

[Jeff zone 8 N.C.]

You could also check Craigs list or your local hardware store for 55 gallon black plastic barrels. They cost between $15 and $25 in North Carolina ( I never pay more than $15) and can be cut in half with a power saw to give you two pots. They are very heavy duty plastic and sun damage resistant. Most of the ones I buy are used to ship pickles from India so do not contain chemical toxins. You can use a saw to cut handles into them. I would drill lots of small bottom drainage holes as well as side drainage holes for better air exchange at the roots. I started putting bottom and several side drainage holes in my small palm seedling foam drinking cups and have seen noticeably better growth and survival because of the extra air able to get to the roots. Also the side holes allow the CO2 in the soil to drain out preventing toxic CO2 buildup in your soil and damage to seedlings.  Most pots end up setting on a flat surface so while bottom holes allow barely adequate drainage of water they are very inadequate for exchange of air.  Air exchange is crucial.   By the way I use these barrels filled with water, in my greenhouse against the south facing wall to gather heat during winter for slow release on cold nights and they work really well.  I also just use an appliance dolly to move my large pots as they will hold up to much heavier loads than the wheeled trash cans.

Edited September 11, 2022 by Jeff zone 8 N.C.

[DoomsDave]

3 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

Oh that would be amazing! I love seeing before and after photos, your very large royal is engrained in my mind, I always think of it because it was a beast and is and was a absolute goal!!!! rip!!!! 💔

I hopefully and eventually would love to go back to california and get a chance to tour around and look at all the palmage, that would be awesome and would apperciate being allowed to see your garden! 😍

Always good to help a fellow sufferer, though I must make a correction: my biggest Royals were planted from 2 gallons in October of 2004. 

On the other hand, I did have a R. oleracea in a 32, which died in the big freeze of 2007. Bummer . . . 

[ZPalms]

1 minute ago, DoomsDave said:

Always good to help a fellow sufferer, though I must make a correction: my biggest Royals were planted from 2 gallons in October of 2004. 

On the other hand, I did have a R. oleracea in a 32, which died in the big freeze of 2007. Bummer . . . 

Wait was it you who cut the royal down because it was going to reach the the power lines or was that somebody else. I remember the big trunk and I also remember recently you had a royal self clean its self and drop it on your grill?

[DoomsDave]

Just now, ZPalms said:

Wait was it you who cut the royal down because it was going to reach the the power lines or was that somebody else. I remember the big trunk and I also remember recently you had a royal self clean its self and drop it on your grill?

I had Butch cut because the leaves weighed 70 pounds and I was afraid they'd brain someone who came to visit. 

Spanky dropped one on the grill, weighed 70 pounds, cut it up stuffed into the trash this morning (that was after the one you describe, but the fall continues . . . . )

[ZPalms]

2 minutes ago, DoomsDave said:

I had Butch cut because the leaves weighed 70 pounds and I was afraid they'd brain someone who came to visit. 

Spanky dropped one on the grill, weighed 70 pounds, cut it up stuffed into the trash this morning (that was after the one you describe, but the fall continues . . . . )

I wonder if a safety net stretched across the tree canopy would keep people safe from getting bonked. very amazing tree though, very fat concrete trunk! I guess that's one of the pros of palms that don't self clean themselves in close promixity to people 😂

I do have a couple royals sprouted myself that I'll be keeping in my greenhouse when they get larger and now that I know I can use trash cans I don't have to worry about getting expensive pots over and over 🥳

[Merlyn]

14 hours ago, ZPalms said:

This looks so funny but awesome! 😂 Did you cut holes in the bottom of this or was this just for transportation?

Chuck grew it in that pot...er...trash can for probably 10+ years after it outgrew the standard tall Stewe pots.  It was completely impossible to budge it from the trash can to get it out, so I had to take a sabre saw and slice around the perimeter to get it out.  I planted it by digging a hole about the right size and then digging a "ramp" on one side, then put a tow strap under it and slid it down the ramp into the hole.  I lucked out, because I only had to take out a small amount of dirt from the bottom before standing it upright!

[ZPalms]

5 hours ago, Merlyn said:

Chuck grew it in that pot...er...trash can for probably 10+ years after it outgrew the standard tall Stewe pots.  It was completely impossible to budge it from the trash can to get it out, so I had to take a sabre saw and slice around the perimeter to get it out.  I planted it by digging a hole about the right size and then digging a "ramp" on one side, then put a tow strap under it and slid it down the ramp into the hole.  I lucked out, because I only had to take out a small amount of dirt from the bottom before standing it upright!

The roots are insane! I may do the trash can without the wheels so theirs no ridges at the bottom so I can compress the sides and release the roots because I don't wanna lose my trash can 😳 Did it have drainage holes before being broke open?

[Merlyn]

24 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

The roots are insane! I may do the trash can without the wheels so theirs no ridges at the bottom so I can compress the sides and release the roots because I don't wanna lose my trash can 😳 Did it have drainage holes before being broke open?

Yeah, and the ones with holes are more expensive too.  If you have a 2-wheeler with a reasonably long base plate then it's easy enough to get under a 32g pot.  Chuck drilled (I think) 4 holes in the bottom with a 1" paddle bit.  If the bottom is totally flat in your tras...er...pot then it might be better to drill them in the side close to the bottom.

[ZPalms]

1 minute ago, Merlyn said:

Yeah, and the ones with holes are more expensive too.  If you have a 2-wheeler with a reasonably long base plate then it's easy enough to get under a 32g pot.  Chuck drilled (I think) 4 holes in the bottom with a 1" paddle bit.  If the bottom is totally flat in your tras...er...pot then it might be better to drill them in the side close to the bottom.

I'll drill holes on the bottom and sides to ensure excellent drainage, What's the padded bit?

[Merlyn]

37 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

I'll drill holes on the bottom and sides to ensure excellent drainage, What's the padded bit?

A paddle bit is that flat drill bit, usually for drilling large holes in wood.  I guess they are also called "spade bits."  They are cheaper than forstner bits and just as good for light duty work like drilling big holes in ABS plastic.

[JohnAndSancho]

Maybe I should try this for a couple of my giant palms. The 7g nursery pots I bought a few months ago for $8 are now double the price. It's gonna suck dragging them inside for winter though plus I dread to imagine explaining to my apartment manager why there's 6 trash cans on my patio 

[ZPalms]

2 hours ago, Merlyn said:

A paddle bit is that flat drill bit, usually for drilling large holes in wood.  I guess they are also called "spade bits."  They are cheaper than forstner bits and just as good for light duty work like drilling big holes in ABS plastic.

Oh that sounds easy, I'll get one of those bits, I don't have one yet thanks! I didn't even know what they were called 

 

26 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

Maybe I should try this for a couple of my giant palms. The 7g nursery pots I bought a few months ago for $8 are now double the price. It's gonna suck dragging them inside for winter though plus I dread to imagine explaining to my apartment manager why there's 6 trash cans on my patio 

You could paint the sides or something crafty to make them more appealing 😂

[JohnAndSancho]

14 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

Oh that sounds easy, I'll get one of those bits, I don't have one yet thanks! I didn't even know what they were called 

 

You could paint the sides or something crafty to make them more appealing 😂

I do have a homey down in Houston that does vinyl wraps. I can see it now.... "I need a bunch of trash cans to look like some cutesy Pinterest crap"

[ZPalms]

4 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

I do have a homey down in Houston that does vinyl wraps. I can see it now.... "I need a bunch of trash cans to look like some cutesy Pinterest crap"

Oh your lucky and how convient! 😂 I was thinking if I truly wanted to make it look cute, taking some rope and glueing it in a spiral around the can to make it look like a basket planter but I probably won't because that sounds like a perfect place for bugs to hide and it shredding

Edited September 12, 2022 by ZPalms

[JohnAndSancho]

37 minutes ago, ZPalms said:

Oh your lucky and how convient! 😂 I was thinking if I truly wanted to make it look cute, taking some rope and glueing it in a spiral around the can to make it look like a basket planter but I probably won't because that sounds like a perfect place for bugs to hide and it shredding

I can put you in contact with my guy. I haven't talked to him in a couple years since I moved north, but I'll do what I can do. 

[ZPalms]

3 minutes ago, JohnAndSancho said:

I can put you in contact with my guy. I haven't talked to him in a couple years since I moved north, but I'll do what I can do. 

I'm ok with my less eye appealing trash can, apperciate it though. It's going to get beat up over time as I use it and I'm broke at all times 😂

[5am]

Sounds like the trash can is a good fit for your requirements but if you're into ceramic (and travel) then Sebastian Pottery in Sebastian, TX is worth checking out. Now I know you're talking about a single pot and even for free the distance wouldn't be worth it, but let's face it: we're plant people. You're gonna need a lot more than one. Pricing just about gave me tears of joy when I picked up 2 ceramic pots that each hold ~3cu.ft. of dirt for $30 a piece. There were tons of them, from tiny to massive and all priced so low compared to what I was used to in Dallas that my wife had to be my voice of reason and prevent me from upgrading everything. 

[ZPalms]

On 9/12/2022 at 3:53 PM, 5am said:

Sounds like the trash can is a good fit for your requirements but if you're into ceramic (and travel) then Sebastian Pottery in Sebastian, TX is worth checking out. Now I know you're talking about a single pot and even for free the distance wouldn't be worth it, but let's face it: we're plant people. You're gonna need a lot more than one. Pricing just about gave me tears of joy when I picked up 2 ceramic pots that each hold ~3cu.ft. of dirt for $30 a piece. There were tons of them, from tiny to massive and all priced so low compared to what I was used to in Dallas that my wife had to be my voice of reason and prevent me from upgrading everything. 

Too bad I don’t live in Texas or I would check them out 😭

[ZPalms]

I did it!!!! I bought a brute trash can and 3 bags of soil and I only have 20$ now 😭 Didn’t expect it to be so expensive but at least I know the can will last but the total was 68 dollars I think if I remember, it was 60 range 💀

Edited September 13, 2022 by ZPalms