Don’t Use Containers to Store Plants until You Move

Q. I’m new to
Nevada and currently renting a house.  I’m looking for plants that can
stay in containers for at least a year, as we plan to take them when and if we
move. I tried to grow some herbs, an eggplant, cacti, flowering plants and they
all died.  

A. If you are renting I would certainly encourage you to
focus on annuals that you can use. I would not encourage you to buy fruit trees
or landscape trees now and keep them in containers for planting later when you
move.

You are better off buying those
plants when you are ready to put them in the ground. There is just much too high
of a risk that you’ll lose them before you plant them.

If you are fond of cooking and
focus on some vegetables and herbs that you would be using for cooking. I would
not use containers smaller than 5 gallon unless they are cacti are succulents.

The small containers just do not
hold enough water for these plants to make it through the summer months. Be
prepared to water them daily. Use a good container soil when planting and avoid
the cheapest soil you can buy.

Fruit trees and landscape trees never do well stored for long periods of time in containers

Most plants usually do better with
an Eastern exposure rather than a southern or Western exposure. In the
wintertime annual plants will frequently do better in the south and west
exposures.

Take a look at my blog and do some reading up on growing
container plants here.