Does anyone have experience with large containers for tropical grown indoors?
I have several elephant ears that I typically overwinter in pots (up to 30" diameter). I would like to create a large planter, like in a mall.
The room is temperature controlled (~70F) and has good light with supplemental grow lights.
Elephant ears need some moisture, but don't like to have wet feet unless they are in a strong growth phase (e.g. >80F and >13 hours sun).
I need help determining how to construct the planters (or where to buy), soil, and drainage.
Thanks, ROX
Containers for large indoor plants
You'll need a soil comprised primarily of particles larger than 1/8" to eliminate a perched water table (PWT). Alternately, you could use a wick to drain water from the PWT if you can construct the planter so it is raised above a reservoir. Can help more with specifics if you're interested.
Al
Al-
Any idea on the depth I will need?
Some of the EE are in pots ~ 2 feet deep.
I am definitely interested in more specifics.
ROX
Can you estimate how robustly you think they will grow indoors? What kind of lights - how close? Will you remove the corms in spring and replant in another container or outdoors, or is it going to be semi-permanent?
I think that o/a volume will be much more important than depth. With the vigorous roots they produce, you'll need a fair amount of soil. You'll need to describe what this planter needs to look like & any limitations you have (size/weight/run off storage/ etc). The soil will be key, but it's pretty easy if you're willing to do some looking for ingredients.
Al
Typically they maintain their current growth or die back slightly. I have some that are 8 feet tall and others that are 8 inches tall. I have hundreds of plants and would love to provide space for about 20 of them.
In the Spring, I would like to remove many of the plants from the planter and replant outdoors. So for me that's about 6 months of indoor living.
I have several types of lights. Light stands with 5 plant light bulbs per stand and clip on lights for larger plant bulbs.
I typically put the lights within 1-2 feet of the plants.
I have a 20 x 40 foot room with large south, south-east facing windows on two sides. The planters can be as big as I can find and move into place. Once filled they can stay where they are. I would like something that looks good, but I'd be OK with hiding a plastic feeding tough within a nice lumber box if that would work.
ROX
PS Part of my motivation is that I moved from a much warmer climate and want to create an indoor garden during the colder months. Another is that some EE do not do well overwintering as bareroot corms and need to be kept growing in pots.