How to create drainage in a plant pot
What do you put in the bottom of a plant pot for drainage?
A drainage layer is created by adding a medium such as pebbles, stones or pumace to the bottom of a pot before adding soil. Soil particles are very small and tightly packed together, which means that water moves through them quite slowly.
How do you make drainage for plant pots?
Placing rocks or gravel at the bottom of your pot is a common practice to create some separation between your plant’s soil and any excess water. However, this does not in a literal sense help with drainage, and as your plant grows, its roots can stretch into this bottom area and be exposed to the sitting water.
How do you get good pot drainage?
This is easily done by putting the rocks into a pot with drainage holes, and using a jet of water under pressure to hose them down. If the drainage holes in the pot are too large, put a piece of shade cloth or flyscreen material inside the pot first to stop the rock washing out.
Should you put rocks at the bottom of a planter?
The myth is, gravel or rocks in the bottom of a plant pot will improve drainage. This is false. Putting gravel, rocks, or other layers of material in your plant pots with drainage holes does NOT improve potting soil drainage, it increases the water saturation level that leads to root rot.