I usually do indoors but moving outside this year. Looking for input as to what size holes are the best for transplanting outside. I know the bigger the better but I can't carry a backhoe into the woods. 2ft x 2ft, 3ft x 3ft? Thanks for your advice. BW
This is what TomHill has to say. He uses pots though and doesn't dig into the ground. If you live by clay soil you should consider building above also (the clay can wash down into your hole and sufficate the roots). "Spacing, about 14ft on center will give you 2 ft walkways between 12 ft wide plants. 12 ft wide is about what to shoot for in a 10lb+ plant. A wider base (container etc) will give a wider plant. I like 6 ft minimum containers, 8 ft is better. No need to go any deeper than about 18 inches imo." He seems like the proper gentleman to be taking advice from . People digging holes in clay recommend 3-5ft wide from what I have seen though. Everyone seems to agree the wider the better. Goodluck with your growing and I wish you the best of luck.
this is the same thing i was asking, essentialy. can anyone second this? I was going to go above ground a couple of feet with a cloth/chicken wire barrier and below ground a bit. this is how i've seen 10 pounders come about. I am sortof getting an idea about how these plants like to be treated. Looking at the 300 gal aeropot vs the 200- you would think they would make it deeper and wider, but it is only wider.. and i've seen 3-5 pounders come out of 200 gal and 10pounders out of 300 gal. that makes me think that wide is the way to go. One technique uses 12" deep and tills nutrients in rows and trains the roots out by moving the water source (i'm doing this). I feel like i'm getting the picture. sorry to hijack just trying to solve the same riddle. anyone else with words of wisdom? should i loosen the stuff up beneath with an augur? or does that just harm the soil food web? I am probably sitting on a million bucks worth of earthworm shit.