Remove 'bottom plate' from outdoor container?

[Brian E. Clark]

My wife is going to growing cucumbers in a container. It's a plastic
container with one of those integrated saucer-pan things attached to the
bottom, though the saucer can be popped off if necessary.

My question is: do we keep the pan on the bottom or take it off? With
the pan in place, about 1-1/2" inches of water sits in the pot.

Thanks,

Brian


--
-----------
Brian E. Clark

[Pat Kiewicz]

Brian E. Clark said:
>
>My wife is going to growing cucumbers in a container. It's a plastic
>container with one of those integrated saucer-pan things attached to the
>bottom, though the saucer can be popped off if necessary.
>
>My question is: do we keep the pan on the bottom or take it off? With
>the pan in place, about 1-1/2" inches of water sits in the pot.

I *never* use them on any of the containers I plant outside. You don't want the
plants to be sitting in water. And you don't want to create a reservoir for
mosquitoes to breed in.
--
Pat in Plymouth MI

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

[Doug Kanter]

"Brian E. Clark" > wrote in message
. ..
> My wife is going to growing cucumbers in a container. It's a plastic
> container with one of those integrated saucer-pan things attached to the
> bottom, though the saucer can be popped off if necessary.
>
> My question is: do we keep the pan on the bottom or take it off? With
> the pan in place, about 1-1/2" inches of water sits in the pot.
>

I'd say "it depends". If you were growing a plant that likes wet feet, I'd
leave the tray on. But, cucumbers are susceptible to a variety of
fungus/rotting illnesses, so I'd say remove the tray for those. And, try to
locate the pot in a spot where it gets more, rather than less air
circulation.

[Tom Randy]

On Mon, 02 Jun 2003 23:28:13 -0400, Brian E. Clark wrote:

> My wife is going to growing cucumbers in a container. It's a plastic
> container with one of those integrated saucer-pan things attached to the
> bottom, though the saucer can be popped off if necessary.
>
> My question is: do we keep the pan on the bottom or take it off? With the
> pan in place, about 1-1/2" inches of water sits in the pot.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Brian


I'd remove it to reduce the chances of the plant getting root rot.

[Frogleg]

>On Mon, 02 Jun 2003 23:28:13 -0400, Brian E. Clark wrote:
>
>> My wife is going to growing cucumbers in a container. It's a plastic
>> container with one of those integrated saucer-pan things attached to the
>> bottom, though the saucer can be popped off if necessary.
>>
>> My question is: do we keep the pan on the bottom or take it off? With the
>> pan in place, about 1-1/2" inches of water sits in the pot.

6 of one; half-dozen of the other. Long-term sitting in water promotes
root-rot and disease; no water makes plants die. :-) I have some
(smaller) things in saucer-attached containers, and just tip and empty
them in wet conditions. For larger plantings (and I have no experience
in cucumber-tipping), I'd remove the saucer and water often.