Some things just grow better in a pot.

Chives seem to grow better in a pot then in the ground. The ground can get hot & dry during the year & the Chives could die, & get eaten by varmints. Does anyone have any more plants that seem to do better in pots, in regards to keeping them going from year to year?

Mint is pretty indestructable as well. But you're right, chives do GREAT in containers.

I'm glad to hear you say that about chives. I planted chive seeds in a pot this spring, the first time I've ever grown them. The oak sticks are so my wife's cat won't lay in that pot. I don't know whether I should bring these inside for the winter or not - it can get a little below zero degrees here, though that's rare.

I've posted before that I've kept a pot of Maui Purple Peppers going for many years now. We bring it inside for the winter, of course. I suspect that any small pepper variety that likes to be crowded, like those, will do better in a pot than in the ground. The individual plants only live 2 or 3 years, but they reseed themselves.

Hi Ozark. Up until this past spring, I had the same terracotta pot of chives for the last 4-5 years. I never brought them in and never protected them. They just came back every spring like clockwork. I have no idea how that pot lasted that long with all that freezing and thawing, but I do remember repotting it once into a slightly larger pot with fresh potting mix. During spring clean-up this year, my mom mistakenly threw out the contents of that original chive pot so I had to buy new ones at the supermarket. They are doing great though and I'm sure I'll have them for many years to come.

This year it seems that everything I grow in a pot is doing better than simlar plants in the ground. My green bush beans in a pot are big and, well, bushy, and producing beans. The ones in the ground all got eaten by baby bunnies and birds. I have a zucchini plant in a pot that is taking over the patio, while the one in the ground is about a foot tall.

I also have a clay pot of chives that spends the winter in my garage and comes back every spring. A sage plant in a pot spends winter outdoors and returns every spring. Maybe I need to invest in more pots and put more of my plants in them!

All the water-hogging brassicas do exceptionally well in 5-gallon self-watering eBuckets! Cabbages, Broccoli, Cauliflowers, and Eggplants (a nightshade?) can take up water from the built-in reservoirs, and keep themselves happy!

Linda

And, if you prefer a more decorative design, follow this link to see how easy it is to convert a large planter into a self-watering system!

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1094601/

The only plant i'm having trouble with is green pepper. I think it is somehow my fault and not the container.
Vickie

Basil grows great in pots also.