Bottom of containers

Hello - I am a new member of Dave's Garden but already I've been helped by the mail order retailer reviews. Thank you.

But I am confused. I read the explanation about why putting rocks, pieces of pottery, etc., in the bottom of containers is not a good idea and use a wick (which really throws me) but then what can I put in the bottom of my containers to keep the dirt from running out and help drainage? Or do I not need anything unless there seems to be a problem with drainage which shows up as unhappy plants?

We've had so much rain lately that I haven't been able to plant the containers so I'm really looking forward to any assistance.

Gofigrmh

If you need extra drainage in your potting mix, you can put in extra perlite. If the hole in the bottom of the pot is too big you can put a piece of landscaping fabric or even a piece of netting over the hole. This will still allow for drainage and also keep your potting mix from coming out the hole.

I think the caveat about using rocks and such in the bottom of the pot refers to using a couple of inches of rocks. I've not done that so can't comment on whether it's good or bad.

You can get lots of advice about planting in containers on the Container Gardening Forum. Those folks do a beautiful job with their containers. Lots of inspiration there.


Welcome to Dave's Garden!! Hope you enjoy it!!

Karen

Or a piece of screen or some hardware cloth will work too to keep the soil in. Or if you wanted to put a couple pottery shards just across the hole that's not going to significantly change the way the water drains in your containers (as long as you're not completely blocking the hole with them...personally I prefer the screen/hardware cloth approach because it doesn't block the drainage hole at all.) Al's threads about water movement in containers are explaining why you shouldn't have a layer of rocks, styrofoam, whatever in the bottom of the container, but one or two little pottery shards as long as they're not blocking the hole aren't going to significantly change where the perched water table in your container is. Especially if you also use a wick to allow water to drain out of the container.

You don't have to use a wick, what Al outlined in his threads is the absolute best ways to care for container plants--if you use a potting mix like he suggests and use the wicks and don't put a "drainage" layer in your container that gives your plants the absolute chance at being happy and healthy. But many people don't follow all (and some don't follow any) of his suggestions and still manage to keep plants alive. Since it requires zero extra effort on your part, at the very least I'd not use a layer of rocks in the bottom, that is probably the most important thing, then the others are things that if you have time and want to do the best thing for your plants I'd do them, but chances are you can keep your plants alive without it. But if you've got the time to make your own potting mix and do the wicks, I say why not give your plants the best chance possible.

I use coffee filters to keep the soil in.

Do the coffee filters degrade after a while gloria125?
I use a double layer of mesh tape to cover the holes. It's the kind of tape that plasterers use to tape seams on drywall, and it's sticky which is great when the hole is on the side of a pot. Personally, I've always found hardware cloth to keep too much moisture in but then I could be using the wrong kind.

the coffee filters do eventually degrade, but Ive had 5 g roses in pots for 5 years now and the soil does not come through. Eventually small roots form to hold the soil.

ive also used window screen, but the coffee filters are much more available, they are biodegradable, and they work.

You could even recycle used coffee filters if you wanted to be cheap and you drank that much coffee!!

Thanks everyone. Okay so what I've been doing is fine. I've never used a layer of rocks but a couple of years ago I did use those styrofoam things. I don't remember any problems but such a mess when I emptied the pots at the end of the season. And I've used a shard of pottery and landscape mesh. But I really appreciate the responses. And I will check out the Container Forum. You all have a good day and a good gardening season.

I've used those plastic mesh bags that come with certain fruits/vegetables (like onions, for instance) in the bottom of my planting pots. It doesn't deteriorate and has worked thus far to hold the soil in. Just rinse the bag off good, cut it to fit, and away you go. :)