This summer we tried planting several vegetable crops in Smart Pots, and I have to admit that we are impressed. At the beginning of the season we filled these fabric bags with a mix of our own soil, our own compost, and Moo Dirt. Three of the Smart Pots were immediately planted with seed potatoes. Later in the early summer we planted eggplant in other bags. Although in the hottest weather we watered these soft containers a bit more often than the rest of the veggie garden, through most of the summer they only got a deep soaking once a week, just like the in-ground vegetables.
In late July we harvested a lot of potatoes from these bags. Total success. After the potatoes were out we refreshed the soil a bit and planted some with leeks and others with lettuces. These are way ahead of the same crops planted directly in the ground in the veggie garden. The eggplants that were installed in early June have been producing since the second week in August and are larger than any eggplants we’ve grown in either of our vegetable plots. Again, total success.
Cluster these together to create an instant “raised bed.” Use them along a sunny foundation of a house for a garden that you don’t have to till up. By all means get Smart Pots if you have heavy clay or extremely compact soil. We’ll try more, and other sizes next year. In the meantime, I’m sold! And btw, the potatoes and eggplants are delicious.
These plants are larger than we've ever had eggplants grow.
We lined up a row of Smart Pots along the edge of the cutting garden. I'll be looking for other locations to add more for next year. Look at the Smart Pots website for information about cleaning the pots.
