I have inherited about ten 12-x-12 inch plastic storage crates, sturdy and made kind of like milk crates. I like to keep a container garden of herbs & veggies on my screen porch and am trying to figure out the best way to convert them into planters because I can probably double my gardening capacity just by making a row of them along the porch.
I was thinking about what would be the best, cheapest thing to line them with... maybe just get 5 gallon "grow bags" or something and poke some holes in the bottom... but then I live in FL zone 9b so basically our weather is warm & dry for half the year and hot & wet the other half, so I have mixed feelings whenever using plastic; it's great when it is dry & hot, but it sucks and keeps too much moisture in when we go through a really wet month and it has caused me problems with mold/mildew occasionally.
I have some screening from my porch and was thinking about maybe using that to line them, it'd be great for air flow but maybe a little bit too great and I am afraid the plants might dry out too quickly.
Also was thinking about adding a nylon tube (stocking) full of peat hanging out one of the holes in the bottom and dipping into a big pan of water (with the crate elevated above it of course) so the plant can suck up the moisture it needs and I can just keep the pan full, kind of like a grow box.
Thoughts/experiences for this project appreciated.
I was thinking about what would be the best, cheapest thing to line them with... maybe just get 5 gallon "grow bags" or something and poke some holes in the bottom... but then I live in FL zone 9b so basically our weather is warm & dry for half the year and hot & wet the other half, so I have mixed feelings whenever using plastic; it's great when it is dry & hot, but it sucks and keeps too much moisture in when we go through a really wet month and it has caused me problems with mold/mildew occasionally.
I have some screening from my porch and was thinking about maybe using that to line them, it'd be great for air flow but maybe a little bit too great and I am afraid the plants might dry out too quickly.
Also was thinking about adding a nylon tube (stocking) full of peat hanging out one of the holes in the bottom and dipping into a big pan of water (with the crate elevated above it of course) so the plant can suck up the moisture it needs and I can just keep the pan full, kind of like a grow box.
Thoughts/experiences for this project appreciated.