5" pots big enough to grow in?

[onefivenine]

Sorry another newbie question!

I have lots of 5" pots and am wondering if they are suitable as a final growing place for any tasty veg etc. Little Gem lettuce perhaps?

I'm thinking I could sow Little Gems in small batches in a heated propagator/module tray at staggered dates - perhaps 4 per week - and then transplant them into 5" pots as they are harvested to produce crops over the full season. I would move the 5" pots into my growhouse.

Does that sound like a plan that would work?
Does anyone have any good 'systems' of this nature? I was even considering trying to use microsoft project to create a plan/timeline! Is that sad?

[Victoria26]

They'll be fine for little gems. Though I tend to use troughs for carrots, radish, lettuce, and mini veg.

Why not grow the parmex carrots in your pots too? (The ones that were free with GYO mag last month)

[veg crazy]

I've grown lettuce in pots the only downside is they dry out quite quickly. Dont think your sad wanting to use project to set it all out I have lots of spreadsheets with all different things on wish I had the time to put them all together in project.

[onefivenine]

Carrots in a 5" pot? Is that possible?!
I've got some Early Nantes 5 carrot seeds... are they any suitable for a container?
(Maybe not a 5" one though - 10"-12" perhaps).

[snohare]

At worst, if you put carrots into a smaller pot then you get baby carrots, and may have used greenhouse space/time that could have been better utilised. But if it keeps the slugs from munching them, and you love carrots...
I usually use those little window troughs for cut and come again/salad plants and just keep them indoors, but 5 inch pots would do fine for that as well. I'd say that your plan sounds like a well thought out production line, and little gem will appreciate the protection from slugs.
One thing you have to remember though is that it uses up more time, compost and greenhouse staging/windowsill than doing it outside.

[Victoria26]

Carrots in a 5" pot? Is that possible?!
I've got some Early Nantes 5 carrot seeds... are they any suitable for a container?
(Maybe not a 5" one though - 10"-12" perhaps).

Parmex carrots are small golf ball sized carrots. Ideal for shallow containers or growing in a pot. You will only get 1 to a 5inch pot but yes its possible.

Your early nantes have a long root so you will need something deeper. I sow quite a few in deep planters in my garden. As they are higher off the ground they are never really bothered by carrot fly.

[onefivenine]

Cheers folks. This help is great, and very much appreciated

Think I'll try to concentrate on a Little Gem production line

If I can get 3 or 4 of them once a fortnight that would be a good return for a packet of seeds in my mind.

Would 2 little gems be OK growing together in a 5" pot or would it have to be just one?

Based on a 10-14 week cropping time I reckon if I germinate 4 seeds every 2 weeks then I'll need a total of 7 pots for the 'production' cycle.
That'll just about take up one shelf in the growhouse

I can set outlook task reminders to tell me when to sow again, and as long as I keep them labelled with the sowing date I should hopefully be able to stay in control of things.

Victoria, those golf ball carrots sound quite interesting, but I didn.t get that magazine (I did get Let's Grow Veg though.)
Oh I just found some F1 Maestro carrot seeds... would they be any better or worse suited to 8"-10" container growing than the Early Nantes 5?

[Two_Sheds]

Lettuce hates high temperatures. They don't need a heated propagator, just sow them in a pot.

[Two_Sheds]

5 inch pots are probably big enough for a lettuce, but they will dry out really quickly.
It is always worthwhile to put saucers under pots anyway ... I buy camping/picnic plates which tend to be cheaper than "proper" pot saucers.

[TEB]

Would 2 little gems be OK growing together in a 5" pot or would it have to be just one?

I have never grown Little Gem but the spacing between plants is supposed to be aroung 9-10" (according to the packet) so you may get smaller sized if growing in 5" pots, hopefully someone will confirm plant spacing

[Two_Sheds]

Just a thought.
For continuous lettuce, you don't need to keep sowing. Just have a few looseleaf types (eg. lollo rossa) and pick leaves as you need them.

[Victoria26]

I thought the type i had were Parmex but they are Paris Market (same thing) I've sown most of my packet but still have about 50 left if you want to try some?
Also got some loose leaf lettuce types you can cut and come again to try?

I've PM'd you.

[onefivenine]

Just a thought.
For continuous lettuce, you don't need to keep sowing. Just have a few looseleaf types (eg. lollo rossa) and pick leaves as you need them.

Good point... I have got a window box full of Leaf Salad - Italian Mix, on the go too. Sowed on 15th and have loads of seedlings already. In another window box I've sowed coriander and spinach. They've yet to sprout.

I hope they'll be Ok where they are, on a south facing window. Just need to watch they don't dry out I suppose.

[onefivenine]

I have never grown Little Gem but the spacing between plants is supposed to be aroung 9-10" (according to the packet) so you may get smaller sized if growing in 5" pots, hopefully someone will confirm plant spacing

It says to think the seedlings to 6-8" on this pack (Suttons). Perhaps one gem per 5" pot would be more sensible

[elsie-scot]

5 inch pots are probably big enough for a lettuce, but they will dry out really quickly.
It is always worthwhile to put saucers under pots anyway ... I buy camping/picnic plates which tend to be cheaper than "proper" pot saucers.

great tip