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Climbers - minimum depth of a pot for a healthy plant in the long term

KmehKmeh Posts: 173
in Plants
I have a few climbers dotted around the perimeter of the house in containers. Relatively new, this coming summer will be their 2nd full summer. They don't seem growing at the pace I would hope. All look ok just not growing much compared to their counterparts in the borders that were planted at similar times. 

The containers I have these in are probably 25cm deep and after the bottom gravel layer even less. 

Is there an ideal depth you would plant a climber? The climbers are solanum, honeysuckle and hydrangea. I think I need to move them to at least 50 cm pots but obviously quite expensive so less depth the better! Any advice?

Many thanks

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Posts

  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I would say minimum 60cm deep for a permanent pot but you also need to feed and water them.  Composts only have food for 90 days so you need to remember to give an annual top dressing of slow release fertiliser in spring and then a weekly feed with something like liquid rose or tomato food from spring to lid summer and frequent watering in hot spells.

    However, hydrangea and honeysuckle are better off in the ground if you can.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    I grow lots in pots but don’t ever do well with climbers Perennial climbing plants always struggle even in half barrels so I think in such small pots you should stick to annual climbing plants. Good luck! 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Honeysuckles ‘in the wild’ are plants of shady hedgerows, ditch-sides and damp woodland fringes ... like their wild cousins our garden honeysuckles need a deep cool and damp root-run, and their heads in the sun. It’s very hard to provide the deep cool conditions needed for the roots in a container above ground, which will always be warmer than below ground. 
    They rarely if ever do well in pots, usually succumbing to powdery mildew as a result of the plant being stressed by its growing conditions. 
    ☹️ 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    @Dovefromabove that’s exactly what happened to my honeysuckle I gave it to my daughter and it’s romping away in her garden bed. There are many pretty annual climbers available I would stick to those. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Over the years we’ve had so many queries asking us to diagnose problems with honeysuckle  .... a huge proportion, a majority, of them have  succumbed to powdery mildew when they’ve been struggling due to inadequate growing conditions. It’s sad. ☹️ 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    @Kmeh -25 cm isn't even enough for sweet peas, let alone Hydrangea or Honeysuckle.
    I'd never try to grow an Hydrangea in a pot anyway, and they need a large expanse of wall to grow on successfully. 
    If you want to grow those, you need purpose built, very large containers. 
    I don't grow solanums, but even those will need large containers.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • KmehKmeh Posts: 173
    Wow this is indeed depressing, the path around the house has been hard cored (think that's what its called). Not my choice but near impossible to dig up and not a nice environment for growing regardless. 
  • BijdezeeBijdezee Posts: 1,484
    edited April 2020
    In my experience most climbers come in very deep pots. I have grown annual climbers from seed and only had success if they are in a large deep pot or trough. Black eye Susan does well like that also canary creeper and ipomea. But shrubs such as you mention really wouldn't survive well in a pot. 

    My advice would be to go as big as you can and be prepared to water a frequently if you want to try some annuals there. 

  • KmehKmeh Posts: 173
    Any perennial (ideally evergreen) climbers that would be ok in a container?
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Clematis - but again, you need a big container   :)

    There are many varieties suitable for pot growing. If you take a look at the specialist online growers, you'll get all the info you need. Taylor's, Thorncroft and Hawthornes. 
    Taylors are definitely operating just now too  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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