Growing plants in containers is a fairly easy as long as you have a Really Good Potting Mix and you have a means of controlling weeds in your nursery containers. In this version of “Mondays with Mike” I am going to show you what to put under your containers to keep the weeds down and to keep your plants from rooting into the ground.
I am also showing you what I do to control weeds in my nursery containers using a pre emergent herbicide. Most of the time I use Snapshot.
My New Perennial Bed!
In the video you’ll see where I’m adding a perennial bed so I will have a perpetual supply of perennials that I can use as stock plants for propagation.
Prune, prune, prune!
You have to prune your container grown plants and the earlier you start pruning them the better. In this video I will show you exactly how I prune flowering shrubs that should have been pruned much sooner. I bought some flowering weigela this spring and when they showed up it was obvious that they had never been pruned, now I’m forced to go backwards with them before I can let them start growing in the right direction. Urrrrrrrg! I prune my cuttings in the propagation bed if they need it!
Hello Mike great information
I am curious a friend gave me a small curly willow my first one
It is January would it be OK to take a cutting or two from it?
I just bought your book and such an excited newbie I should be put in the closet for a while till I settle down, lol
I’ve got a little over 100 cuttings in my two little boxes and starting some annuals to sell until my certification comes through.
Thank you for the start your awesome.
Deianna,
Absolutely! Now would be the ideal time to take a few cuttings from that willow. Make them about 4″ long, make the bottom cut right below a bud union and stick them in just about any kind of potting mix or soil. More here; https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2015/01/easy-winter-time-plant-propagation-can-home/
and this; https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/2016/09/hardwood-cuttings-winter-of-20152016/
Bob Briggs did an amazing job of compiling a great deal of information on hardwood cuttings in this post; http://backyardgrowers.com/business-center/growers-discussions/all-about-hardwood-cuttings/
Mike,
What are your thoughts on mixing the shredded paper from my paper shredders in with my potting soil? I’m thinking it will help hold moisture and still provide some air pockets until it breaks down.
Lee,
I think it would make a better mulch in flower beds, then covered with a light layer of mulch. Typically most potting soils stay too wet and need pine bark for drainage. I don’t think shredded paper will provide any air pockets.
Hello Mike; The grass around here sends out underground runners that come up through the weed block material. I don’t know how you keep the grass away from your beds. The grass is resistance to Poison Ivy rated weed killer. Any suggestions. Thanks.
Al,
People get really mad at me when I suggest using Roundup but most of that is based on inaccurate information that they have been fed. All grasses send out runners. All you have to do is apply a light application of roundup. Just wet the foliage, if the spray drips off the weeds or grass you have applied too much. The other non chemical option is to keep the area around the ground cloth cultivated. Constant cultivation does control grass and weeds. Roundup does work on grasses.
Hi Mike,
I just had a call from a gentleman who would like to know if used tires would make good propagation containers? He would through the tire on the ground, fill it with sand and put his sticks in them. What do you think? Would the rubber harm the sticks?
I sure wish I’d seen this before I laid rubber under all my potted plants. Mike I really want to thank you and everyone on the forum for all the help. I have a long, long way to go but I just might make it.
Mike your words are helping me a bunch. I just started back into gardening and I am eager too start making some money from my work. You have given me insperation as well as the right directions to go into. Keep them coming thank you.
Steven,
Thank you, it’s nice to know that what I do makes a difference.
Mike, I thought you said not to use that weed paper, that weeds
will grow right through it and then you can’t, or will have a hard time,
getting it up. Was that a different kind of weed paper?
Love all your info and use a lot of it. Thank you.
Donna,
This is a different product, but more importantly than that, in this instance I am not covering it with mulch, soil or stone. Just sitting containers on it so there is very little room for weeds to grow through. But this is much heavier than what you buy in the garden store and really different material.
another great infomercial ! Thanks m/a
Infomercial? I thought I was sharing good information.
Mike, I just watched you video on pruning and understand it fully, however, my question is: when you prune, how long can the top pruniings sit before using them as root cuttings before they dry out, etc.? It would seem that they would be very delicate, but perhaps not. Newbie and a member. Thanks! John
John,
Softwood cuttings during the growing season are very delicate and need to be stuck right away under https://mikesbackyardnursery.com/mikes-plant-propagation-kit/
Mike, I love your wonderful “tips” for the various times of the year. Please keep the ideas coming!