Drainage isn’t sexy, but it is one of the keys to keeping your container garden plants from drowning.
Here’s the Drill - You can put drainage holes in almost anything by using a drill, with the proper bit, or a hammer and large nail. Put in as many holes as possible – it’s ok if the bottom of your container begins to look like Swiss cheese. The more holes the better.
Cover the Holes - Now that you have holes, you have to cover them so your soil won’t leach out. There are several ways to do this. The tricky part is to cover the holes without completely blocking them - to keep the soil in while letting water out.
Packing Peanuts - A lot of people use packing peanuts in the bottom of their pots. They are cheap and do work, but there are some disadvantages. First of all, they make an incredible mess. When you pour them into your pot, they fly all over the place, get static-ky and stick everywhere you don’t want them to. Half of them usually end up in my hair. Also, because people are realizing the environmental impact of plastic peanuts, many peanuts are now made of potato starch. Let me tell you from experience – don’t put them in your containers – when wet, they melt into a slushy soup.
If you do use peanuts, it is a good idea to put a barrier, like plastic window screening, between the soil and the peanuts. If you don’t, the soil and peanuts mix together and at the end of the season, when you go to dump out your pot, you either have to pick out the peanuts or throw all the potting soil in the garbage - an environmental sin.
Coco fiber, Moss or Burlap - These make great pot liners, particularly for wire or hanging baskets. They keep soil in and aid in keeping it moist. These liners can also be used to turn almost anything into a container.
Rocks Alone, don’t Rock - Rocks are cheap, plentiful and work, but you still need drainage holes. Water accumulates quickly in the bottom of containers, either from rain or watering and it needs a way to escape or the roots of your plants will eventually be sitting in water, rotting, which does not make most plants happy.
Better than Rocks You can also buy a product called “Better Than Rocks,” which you put over the drainage holes in the bottom of your pot or window box. It’s made of recycled plastic and you can use it repeatedly. The advantage to this product is that it’s not only great for drainage it helps the air circulation in your container.
Drainage Holes Rule - I’ve read a lot of bad advice about how to keep your container garden plants from drowning. Some people say that you don’t need drainage holes – just put rocks or packing peanuts at the bottom of your container. Not me. I find that without drainage holes my container garden plants inevitably find themselves sitting in a soggy mess.
