Planting in cans

[socalgardengal]

I was wondering if it's ok to repurpose large cans to use for pots. I have a few and it seems like a waste to throw them away. Does rust hurt plants?? Thanks for the info.

[Doug9345]

I've done it and no rust doesn't hurt plants as far as I know. Some areas around me have enough iron in the soil that it is red.

[Deborah]

I've done it too. What are you thinking of planting?

[socalgardengal]

Thanks Doug, sounds good enough for me. Just don't want my food tasting like metal or killed by rust Will pepper plants do ok in them or I need something bigger??

[socalgardengal]

Hi Deborah, I was thinking herbs, strawberries and peppers. What are your thoughts?

[Deborah]

Where are you going to set the cans? The metal can heat up quickly in full sun.

[socalgardengal]

Never crossed my mind Thanks for telling me

[Doug9345]

I assume you are talking about those gallon cans that things like vegetables and tomato sauce comes in for commercial use. I think a pepper plant should do alright. Herbs should do well. I've grow basil in a 16oz cup. A strawberry plant maybe.

What I've found out about smaller containers is that they are harder to keep the moister level right in them. They can go from too wet to to dry in a short period of time. Peppers work because they like it dryer than tomatoes, herbs in general like it dryer. A strawberry I don't know about. The other question I have about strawberries in San Diego, is do you get enough cold weather to keep them going?

[Deborah]

Strawberries do great here ! I always get a little extra surprise crop in February.

[socalgardengal]

Yes exactly, the big commercial size. I don't know about enough cold here for berries but I live on the coast which is cooler during hot spells. We have alot of overcast days, until around mid- july. I do have 2 sequoias growing right now and had some alpine seeds I'm trying to germinate which a few just started to show a root. I have a large shaded area on the north side of the house. I'm new to gardening so maybe I'm getting alittle ahead of myself

[Deborah]

If you're right at the beach and foggier than me, sun will be OK unless it's a really, really hot day. Sounds like filtered sun would work. You don't want actual shade for the plants you mentioned.

[socalgardengal]

Yes it gets real foggy, I'm in Pt. Loma. The great thing about containers is you can move them. I wonder if I paint the cans white, if that will help keep the heat down?

[Deborah]

I don't know, but it'd still be metal. Ifn the cans weather it'd look rustic and terrific.

[Doug9345]

White would work and look good. Metal feels hotter than something like wood because it conducts heat so much faster and thus heats you fingers much quicker, not so much because it gets hotter.

[Doug9345]

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I would label a weathered, meaning rusty, can dump truck fodder. Dump truck fodder is what we call a load of trash tin heading to the scrap yard.