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Potting on ?

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bouicca21
bouicca21 Posts: 6,514 Forumite
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I've bought two tiny Barnsley Babies. They are for the patio. It's probably a silly question but do I pot themon into their final containers (which are big enough for when the Babies grow to their full size) or pot them up gradually, increasing the size of the pot each time?


They are going to look a bit silly in the big(gish) pots but I'm happy to put them in the big pots if that's ok.


I suppose the second silly question is that my big(gish) pots have several holes round the circumference of the bottom, unlike traditional terracottta/ceramic pots that have a central one. Do I still have to put some drainage assisting bits of stuff in before filling with compost?
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  • Linda32
    Linda32 Posts: 4,385 Forumite
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    I had to google Barnsley Babies, but generally you always pot on one size bigger as the plant grows.

    I only use specific drainage for bulbs in the garden and alpine plants, never bother with anything else.
  • MysteryMe
    MysteryMe Posts: 3,052 Forumite
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    You wont need to put in any more drainage holes. I have three of them in pots, in flower but looking a bit straggly TBH but I'll prune them hard when the time comes. Hopefully that will encourage them to bush out a bit.
  • Farway
    Farway Posts: 13,225 Forumite
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    bouicca21 wrote: »
    I suppose the second silly question is that my big(gish) pots have several holes round the circumference of the bottom, unlike traditional terracottta/ceramic pots that have a central one. Do I still have to put some drainage assisting bits of stuff in before filling with compost?

    I would, another purpose of the drainage stuff is to stop compost / soil washing out of the holes, and help prevernt things creeping in, like worms

    It also helps with drainage to stand the pots on feet [bricks / stones] of some sort, to raise them off the ground. Also helps stop worms sneaking in the pot
    Eight out of ten owners who expressed a preference said their cats preferred other peoples gardens
  • bouicca21
    bouicca21 Posts: 6,514 Forumite
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    I was just thinking about raising the pots! Most of the ordinary pots are ok but I have several of those stacking triple pots and the slugs have destroyed everything in them. Can’t understand how they can climb up those pots and even make it to the second story yet fail to climb the others. Angle of the dangle?
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
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    Just a quick post to say Barnsley Baby didn't do much for me. In fact, having taken cuttings and made three or four of them, I was so unimpressed, I ditched the lot.


    This is not meant to dishearten you; you'll have different water, compost and growing conditions from me, so your chances of doing things better for the plant are high. However, if you do have problems, you'll know it isn't just you!
  • Farway
    Farway Posts: 13,225 Forumite
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    Davesnave wrote: »
    Just a quick post to say Barnsley Baby didn't do much for me. In fact, having taken cuttings and made three or four of them, I was so unimpressed, I ditched the lot.


    This is not meant to dishearten you; you'll have different water, compost and growing conditions from me, so your chances of doing things better for the plant are high. However, if you do have problems, you'll know it isn't just you!


    Just to give hope, my Barnsley baby, bought half dead, at serious knock down price, from Wilko this year has recovered and is now flowering in a pot.
    No idea how it will fare for next year, but so far so good as the bloke said on his way down after jumping out of window:D
    Eight out of ten owners who expressed a preference said their cats preferred other peoples gardens
  • shortcrust
    shortcrust Posts: 2,697 Forumite
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    edited 27 July 2019 at 7:12PM
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    According to this the benefits of drainage material at the bottom of pots is a 'garden myth'. I think I’ve also read the same in fairly recent New Scientist.

    https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/apr/28/nine-gardening-myths-debunked

    Here it is...

    https://www.newscientist.com/article/2162111-growing-skills-a-scientific-guide-to-greener-fingers/
  • Farway
    Farway Posts: 13,225 Forumite
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    shortcrust wrote: »
    According to this the benefits of drainage material at the bottom of pots is a 'garden myth'. I think I’ve also read the same in fairly recent New Scientist.

    https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/apr/28/nine-gardening-myths-debunked

    Here it is...

    https://www.newscientist.com/article/2162111-growing-skills-a-scientific-guide-to-greener-fingers/


    Don't forget this part of the article. "The only benefit to putting a piece of crockery in a container is to cover the hole to stop the compost escaping."

    Plus broken crocks, stones or old polystyrene packing are often cheaper than compost if using a large pot, maybe for decorative purpose, with shallow rooting annuals for instance in it
    Eight out of ten owners who expressed a preference said their cats preferred other peoples gardens
  • twopenny
    twopenny Posts: 5,553 Forumite
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    edited 28 July 2019 at 6:59PM
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    Put a few stones in the bottom, it will weight it for the winter storms.

    And as said above, multipurpose compost not great for things long term in pots and it dries out really quickly.

    Anything shrub use John Innes 3 and add some large horticultural grit (small stones) to keep the compost 'open'. They will thrive in this. Those plants when the wild form are used to growing in rough soil and coastal so don't feed them too much.
    Good luck
    Oh, and don't pot on too large. It really should be next size up, you can get away with doubling up the original size but too big and the put on roots at the expense of the foliage and flowers and can be overwatered and rot the roots. Hassle I know but I've tried 'saving time' and pots by going large and the books are right, it doesn't work well.

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  • Katiehound
    Katiehound Posts: 7,557 Forumite
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    edited 30 July 2019 at 11:42AM
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    My friend always puts a circle of garden membrane in the bottom of her pots followed by broken crock/ pebbles. It stops the escape of soil and prevents the invasion of slugs!
    Being polite and pleasant doesn't cost anything! --
    Many thanks
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