My stacker pots

I was the lucky recipient of 5 Veggie Stacker pots my wife gave me as a birthday present. I love the idea of being able to grow vertically in a limited amount of space. I really like the pots! So I bought 7 more to make 2 stacks of six pots. Last night I planted one seed in each of the pockets and 3 extras on the top. Didn't' want to overcrowd the plants. So we have 73 Green Been bush plants and 33 Yellow Wax Bean bush plants in 2 stacks.

Pros-
More plants per square foot
Look cool
Reusable
Stackable
Heavy Duty
Variable height depending on quantity used
Drain very well.

Cons-
Cost - At $16.95 a pot it's slightly expensive for the 6 pocket 22" diameter plastic pot. Does not include shipping.
Stacking holes do not line up easily. They are very difficult to get the 3 stacking holes to line up and snap together. Not counting the center pole, the units are held together by tension and the connectors continue to pop loose while you attempt to squeeze it together to insert the other guide stubs in the holes.
No instructions although you put stuff in them and hope they grow!


Next post, how I put them together...

What I utilized...
12 Veggie Stackers (6 pocket stacking planter pots)
1 - 10' 6" fence pole cut in half to make 2 pieces
2 - 2.5" Hex Bolts and nuts
2 - Fence Gate pole clamps
2 - Wire fence post for ground base

Optional:
pole caps to cover the top of the post on each stack
Planting bucket/container for use beneath the stack

Each stack too approximately one 5kg brick of Coir. I mixed in approximately 20% Perlite and about 2 cups of organic fertilizer.

First step.
I used some wooden planting buckets to add more planting space on the bottom of my stack. This serves 2 purposes for me. First, they look nicer sitting in the yard and second they capture the run-off water/nutrients that the coir lets flow out of the stack.

here is the bucket with the drainage holes and the center hole cut out. The center hole was cut the diamter of the fence tubing so it can fit inside.

Here is the bucket shown from the bottom.

I then picked a location and drove my base fence post into the ground for stability. The round pole will eventually slip over this post.

I slipped my bucket over the post in the ground.

Then I cut my 10'6" pipe in 2 pieces 5' 3" each.. Here is one of the pipes after cutting.

Then I slipped this over the fence post I already drove into the ground.

Note the pipe slips into the hole in the bucket that I pre-drilled.

Here is the fence gate post clamp with the bolt. This will mount on the pole.

Since I am using 6 pots and they are 8" deep, I measured approximately 48" down from the top of the fence post and added an inch or so. This is where I mount the clamp so I can place all 6 stackers and have an inch or so left sticking out the top. How far down you place the clamp can be adjusted for your style and requirements. I'm tall so I can reach the top planter with no problems. I tightened the bolt using a socket wrench.

Good lookin' setup Qinx. Jaywhacker will be proud, as are we all! And I love the wooden bucket!! Devota

I then placed the stacking pots on the post one at a time. I aligned the tension held guide stubs as I went.

Here's the alignment hole/stub. This is what gave me the most problems.

Here's the rest of the stack

Then I mixed up the Coir, Perlite and Fertilizer. No. I don't have exact measurements of what I mixed. I just poured and mixed :) I did go light on the fertilizer though.

Then fill your pots.

Water everything thing in to clean up any mess and sew your seeds or plant transplants. Remember to not overcrowd your plants.

Here's our 2 completed stackers. By placing the fence pole over the post in the ground I am able to spin the stacks if necessary every week or as needed to ensure they all get a fair share of light. Our area gets sunlight from sun up to sun down so I don't think this is necessary, but I can if needed.

For security purposes I drilled a hole through the tube and fence post and bolted them together. I also placed another clamp on the top so they pots cannot be slipped off the fence post. The clay here is so hard I cannot even pull the fence post out of the ground! When it comes time to move them I'll need a crane or something!

Hope this helps everyone who is interested in setting up their stackers.



This message was edited May 7, 2009 2:38 PM

Very nice and clear explanation of "how to". Thanks for taking the time to post it.

That is neat workmanship and some helpful ideas for others that have been receiving vege stacker's. The fence post sure will make it solid. Being able to spin the pots is real handy. You can stand in one spot and plant seeds or transplants by just spinning the pots. Have the neighbors started asking what the heck you have there?

Thanks for your tutorial, Qinx-I'm headed out to HD tomorrow, determined to get the stuff I need to mount my 12 stackers-I'm thinking 3 stacks of 4 each, w/ a black nursery pot underneath (although your wooden barrel is much better looking).

I'm so happy, I finally got my Sungold tomato seedlings today, so it's full steam ahead, & some things will need to go in the garden beds, rather than containers (I can't help myself when it comes to veggies, & most plants, for that matter).

I work p/t at Holly, Woods, & Vines, a garden center just north of Ft. Belvoir(you can't miss us, there are big neon palm trees outside & a giant watering can)-if you're ever in the area, stop in & say, 'Hi'-we have lots of cool plants. I love working there, although I'm exhausted when I get home to my own garden...

This message was edited May 8, 2009 5:33 PM

Qunx: Nice job, I like the rest of your little garden also, looks like you have some fabulous ideas.
joy

Thanks for all the compliments!

The neighbors have been a little curious. They all "want" to have a garden, but have some reason why they can't... there's the dog... not enough time... kids keep me busy... etc. I hope they can make time when they really want a garden.

We go by Ft. Belvoir a couple times a month. We used to go by there more when we lived in Alexandria, but not as often since we moved to Fredericksburg.

I was going to put together a more detail tutorial on how I built my trellis also. I posted in one of the forms a quick 3-4 step message of what I had done with them. I didn't have a photographer (Wife) available when I was building them so some steps were not photographed as I put them together. I think I can get enough together so I can describe what I did.

BTW, Anyone need some squash? I keep hearing my 23 plants may produce a couple extras! LOL

Qinx -- Nice job! If I may suggest planting some petunias or some low growing flowers in the bottom container to attract bees for maxium pollination plus it would really look beautiful?

(Wife talking here) That's what I was telling Qinx I wanted in the barrels Tplant! Some nice multicolored petunias. It's a plant I have a hard time killing! (I have a brown thumb...)

Our first tomatoes set today, I'm really excited!! I've been reading through some canning books looking for some good recipes.

BTW, if anyone has any good recipes for zukes, please let me know... I hear we're going to have some extras...

My favorite way to eat zucchinis is picked young, sliced & sauteed w/ scallions & maybe some garlic-you can add anything to this-tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms...

They're also good as a stuffing vessel-mix the insides & fill w/ rice, ground beef or lamb, top w/ some cheese...you can shred them & add them to bread or pasta dishes, even my kids, who don't like most vegetables, will eat zucchini...you can put it almost anywhere...

You can make zuccini bread with it.....yummers.

Day 8 and the Bush Beans are breaking the surface! Yay. Hopefully lots of beans in our future.

May 15 update pictures...

May 15 update...

Another view...

One more...

where these stacker pots sold??

. . .are they expensive??

I purchased mine from http://www.instagarden.com


There are other types and other vendors on the web also.

Update June 15... 1 moth and a couple days later... The beans are all flowering and beginning to produce beans!

Another view of the beans...

Here's a closeup. Been battling bugs!

I see you took my suggestion to plant flowers in the base. Looks great.

Yes! The flowers made it look great and attracting more bees to the area.

Hope you recover fully and all is well!

Oh I will!