how to plant in baskets?

What is the recommendation for plant pond plants?
I am going to use the "standard" plastic basket type planters, but somebody
told me that I should line it with landscaping fabric in order to keep the
roots under control.
Is this a good idea?
For Lilies?
For cattails?
Other Plants?

TIA
Axo

As Jim said: If it works, it is OK.

This is what has worked for me. I use baskets lined with weed blocking
fabric (no pesticide treated stuff). I use these for lilies and some of my
marginals. I find that the baskets allow for some circulation, because the
sandy soil I use doesn't stink like what comes out of a closed pots. I use
holeless closed pots for cattails as they have sharp runners and it has
been suggested that those runners might go right thru a liner. I imagine
they would if caught in a fold especially. Many of my plants though are
just held in the baskets without lining with big rocks to keep them
upstraight. ~ jan

On Wed, 20 Aug 2003 17:34:51 GMT, Axolotl wrote:

What is the recommendation for plant pond plants?
I am going to use the "standard" plastic basket type planters, but somebody
told me that I should line it with landscaping fabric in order to keep the
roots under control.
Is this a good idea?
For Lilies?
For cattails?
Other Plants?

TIA
Axo


See my ponds and filter design:
http://users.owt.com/jjspond/

~Keep 'em Wet!~
Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a
To e-mail see website

~ jan JJsPond.us wrote:

This is what has worked for me. I use baskets lined with weed blocking
fabric (no pesticide treated stuff). I use these for lilies and some of my
marginals. I find that the baskets allow for some circulation, because the
sandy soil I use doesn't stink like what comes out of a closed pots. I use
holeless closed pots for cattails as they have sharp runners and it has
been suggested that those runners might go right thru a liner. I imagine

I can confirm that cattail roots will penetrate a liner. My pond was
dug 20 years or so ago and is lined with a polyester-reinforced
synthetic rubber material from BF Goodrich. It was typically sold by
the acre for lining retention ponds, etc. and is pretty tough stuff.
Several years ago my wife had thrown a cattail head or two into it.
There was a pretty good stand of them when I decided to have a water
garden instead of a liquid compost pile. I had to patch 2 or 3 holes
where the cattail roots had gone through,

On the original topic, I have trouble understanding why one should use
closed pots. Seems like you would need the circulation to get
nutrients to the plant. Anyway I don't use closed pots and most of my
plants are doing fine.


Roger Grady
To reply by email, remove "qlfit." from address

~ jan JJsPond.us wrote:

This is what has worked for me. I use baskets lined with weed blocking
fabric (no pesticide treated stuff). I use these for lilies and some of my
marginals. I find that the baskets allow for some circulation, because the
sandy soil I use doesn't stink like what comes out of a closed pots. I use
holeless closed pots for cattails as they have sharp runners and it has
been suggested that those runners might go right thru a liner. I imagine

I can confirm that cattail roots will penetrate a liner. My pond was
dug 20 years or so ago and is lined with a polyester-reinforced
synthetic rubber material from BF Goodrich. It was typically sold by
the acre for lining retention ponds, etc. and is pretty tough stuff.
Several years ago my wife had thrown a cattail head or two into it.
There was a pretty good stand of them when I decided to have a water
garden instead of a liquid compost pile. I had to patch 2 or 3 holes
where the cattail roots had gone through,

On the original topic, I have trouble understanding why one should use
closed pots. Seems like you would need the circulation to get
nutrients to the plant. Anyway I don't use closed pots and most of my
plants are doing fine.


Roger Grady
To reply by email, remove "qlfit." from address