Do I need to put gravel for drainage in the bottom of my planters?
by
Urb31808973
Related Discussions
Suggested Project Book
if they already have a hole you don't need to
If your pot has holes in the bottom you don't need to add gravel. Gravel adds unnecessary weight. You soil mix should be able to drain just fine if mixed properly.
Your plants will be happier if you uniformly increase the drainage of the soil itself. Choose high-quality potting soil that is well draining. And if your plants need even more drainage, instead of putting gravel in the bottom of your pot, try mixing in perlite, PermaTill, or organic matter into your potting soil to increase drainage throughout the pot.
I need to be able to move all my planters myself. I line them with landscape fabric and the put recycled packing peanuts in, another layer of landscape fabric and then high quality organic soil. I am using landscape fabric I found in an industrial building garage my husband purchased and the peanuts came from boxes ordered online. Sometimes I put a big rock on the bottom to hold the planter in place. I read that gravel is not good--maybe it absorbs water? I have been thinking of using those "glass "gems" from the dollar store for my smaller planters.