Short on Growing Space? Grow in Smart Pots!
You know there is never enough growing space. If you love to grow your own organic food like I do, space challenges are very real. No matter what the size of your backyard, or balcony, there are always more veggies to grow than you have space for.
Its fall and time to plant cool weather veggies in the garden! Here in Southern California, the fall can be our hottest months – my garden beds are still full of my warm weather crops. This fall, since I knew I was going to show you how to grow fall veggies in the “Growing Your Fall Garden” series, I wanted to get an early start on my cool weather veggies. BUT how to keep them from frying in the heat until our weather cools off? With no time to build more raised beds, and no space in my garden to put them, I faced a dilemma.
My answer: Smart Pots! After doing some research and testing these amazing containers in my garden, Smart Pots and I teamed up together for my “Growing Your Fall Garden” series. I’m all about growing healthy plants in a quick, simple and inexpensive way, and the Smart Pots porous, durable, fabric containers definitely fit my criteria.
For many gardeners growing on a balcony or patio – containers are the only option for growing your own food. Not only are Smart Pots budget friendly, but are space efficient as well. In addition, they can be quickly moved inside when the weather is too cold, or into the shade when its too hot. They can be folded up and stored when not in use, and even thrown in the washer to clean. If you have never grown in Smart Pots, you are in for a treat!
Quick Set Up
Smart Pots are very portable and made of a unique porous fabric and take just minutes to unfold, set up, fill with soil and be ready for planting, making them an ideal choice for us busy gardeners.
I was able to quickly set up a Smart Pot container garden on my lower deck where I have an awning to shade my cool weather veggies from the hot So. California fall sun.
Keeps Gardening Simple
Smart Pot containers keep gardening simple for me. Here’s how:
- The aerated fabric allows for air flow, helping the plants stay cooler when it’s hot, and the black fabric warms up quicker when it’s cold.
- the unique fabric has just the right porosity, so soil doesn’t dry out as quickly as in plastic containers, yet drains well, making it hard to overwater – something most gardeners (including me) struggle with.
- Without these headaches to deal with, my plants will be healthier, meaning I don’t have to spend so much time taking care of them. This makes gardening in Smart Pots simple and fun!
Inexpensive
Smart Pots are budget friendly. The 2 gallon container is just a few dollars, and their Big Bag Raised Bed (my favorite) with 13 square feet of growing space is under $40, much less than you’d spend building your own raised bed from wood. Equally important, they are made from an incredibly durable fabric that will last for years.
Healthy Roots = Healthy Plants = Grow More Food
In traditional plastic containers, when the roots reach the side of the containers, they wind around the sides of the pot in a tangled mess, and are unable to take up water or nutrients the plant needs. Because the Smart Pots are made from a tough, porous fabric, the roots “air prune”.
What in the world is “air pruning”? When a root tip reaches the side of the Smart Pot fabric, it stops in place, and branches off to the side. As this process repeats, the plant forms a fibrous root ball, allowing more surface area for nutrient and water absorption. The healthier root structure that develops allows the plant to grow faster than it would in the ground. Healthier roots mean a healthier plant that is more resistant to insects and disease that will grow produce more food for me to feed my family!
100% Organic
As an organic gardener, I love that Smart Pots are BPA free so I don’t have to worry about dangerous chemicals leaching into my soil. This gives me peace of mind, knowing I am feeding my family healthy, chemical free food.
Watch “Growing Your Fall Garden – Transplanting Cool Weather Vegetables into Containers” to see how easy it is to set up a growing space in Smart Pots:
Watch the entire “Growing Your Fall Garden” series to grow your cool weather veggies with me. If you haven’t yet, subscribe to my YouTube Channel, CaliKim Garden & Home, so you don’t miss any episodes – plenty more cool weather gardening ahead!
Thanks to Smart Pots for providing the containers and sponsoring for my fall garden series! To learn more about Smart Pots, visit their website, https://smartpots.com, to purchase Smart Pots, go to my “Products I Use and Love” tab.
Leave me a comment below – What are you growing in your fall garden? What have you grown in Smart Pots?
See you in the garden!
CaliKim
CaliKim’s eBook * CaliKim’s Garden Coloring Book * CaliKim’s Favorite Garden Products
Love container gardening! I still have carrots to harvest as well as tomatoes and 3 kinds of peppers.
Keep up the videos that encourage us to extend our planting season!
Lovely update thank you for sharing your garden is looking very good love the idea of this smart pots thank you for sharing have a blessed day
Hello Linda, Glad you enjoyed the garden update and like the Smart Pots to0 – they certainly are a great way to grow! I’m looking forward to harvesting from my fall garden.
I loved this blog, and the video! I still have 3 kinds of peppers, tomatoes, and carrots that I grew in containers on my patio. I can control how much sun, rain, or wind they have to be exposed to. Great way to expand your garden space.
Glad you are enjoying the blog and liked the video too. Container gardening is becoming more and more popular, happy to hear that you are able to grow your own food on your patio. It’s so convenient to be able to control all those factors you mentioned and have the veggies right outside your door! There are so many budget friendly options out there nowadays, like Smart Pots. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi, I m gonna plant zucchini ,this October and I liked ur video very much. Post more videos, they help me a lot about gardening
i’d like to try that the Smart Pots porous. can i make my pattern and sewi my own?
It’s great that you are using your creative resources to make a DIY container. However, the Smart Pots aerated fabric is very unique, and patented, so it would likely be difficult to make your own and get the same results that you’d get with the Smart Pots. They are very inexpensive, compared to most containers you could purchase at the garden center, and have various sizes to fit the growing space you have and hopefully your budget too!
then where can I buy Ms. Kim? and at what price? I may be given the address? possible in Indonesia also already available? thank you…
If I am ever in Indonesia, I would be happy to visit your garden! The next best thing would be my 85 page eBook – it shows you step by step in detail how to grow 5 warm weather veggies, tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers and eggplant. You can print it and take it with you out to your garden if you like. It is available on “My Products” page, http://calikimgardenandhome.com/calikims-products/. Please let me know how you like it if you decide to purchase it!
I live int Oregon and we put in some raised bed a few years ago! I noticed last year that my plants weren’t doing as good and I was having a problem with rot on the bottoms of my tomatoes 🙁 and realized I should have prepared my boxed beds better…….. so before I start planting again I was wondering if you have any suggestions for me.
Hello, Connie! I am sure you are enjoying the many signs of spring that must be popping out all over in Oregon right now! Raised beds are just the right choice for the cooler PNW climate. Have you thought about mixing your own planting soil? We did a fun livestream recently that shows just how easy and inexpensive it is do it! You can find it here: https://youtu.be/ssOJBOL60fc
Tomatoes are also very heavy feeders and tend to do best if moved to a different planting location each year and fertilized regularly. Have you tried Trifecta+ or Vermisterra Worm Tea in your garden? I am so happy with the results of these products!! You can find a coupon for 10% off on my website here: http://calikimgardenandhome.com/partners-store/ if you decide you want to give them a try. Let me know how your garden is growing and thanks for stopping by!