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Is it wise to put stones at the bottom of a plant pot for drainage?

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  • #1

    Is it wise to put stones at the bottom of a plant pot for drainage?

    Evening all,

    I was out attempting to plant my small strawberry plants into bigger containers and, remembering what my nan used to do, I put stones (of various sizes) at the bottom of the pot to help with drainage, then filled the pot with a mix of loam soil (60% approx), vermiculture (30% approx) and multipurpose compost (10% approx). I then preceded to water the pot only to find that drainage was so slow I decided to take the young plant out in fear of causing the roots to rot. The pot had around 4 drainage holes in it (arrange corrisponding to the 12, 3, 6, and 9 on a clock) and the layer of stones was around 5cm approx).

    I was just wondering if the drainage was really poor due to the lack of drainage holes, the layer of stones (I have read both good and bad about stones and drainage) of various sizes or the mix of soil or a combination of both?

    Thank you for your help,

    Samuel
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  • #2
    What size pots were you using Samuel?

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    • #3
      I tend to put a few bigger crocks / broken pot pieces over the holes to leave big gaps between the stones for the water too drain away. If your stones are small they pack together tighter, leaving smaller gaps for the water to run through.

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      • #4
        Do you think it wasn't draining because the compost was still absorbing the water?
        I put broken terracotta flower pot shards over the holes, arched over the hole, so that the hole isn't blocked completely.

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        • #5
          Pot is about 9 inches deep by 11 inches wide.

          p.s I came across this bit of info: ''A layer of gravel on the bottom of the container DOES affect drainage. It has to do with soil interface issues or how water moves through various materials. When you layer various materials of different textures like potting soil on top of gravel or even fresh potting soil on top of old, the difference in textures slows water movement.''

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          • #6
            I left it for about 5 minutes and the plant was deep in water - I expected it to drain away much quicker.

            There was a 2cm puddle at the top, I lift the pot and a tiny tricky was coming it. Perhaps the stones blocked up the small number of holes.

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            • #7
              It all depends on what you mean by 'slow'. Purpose made pots should have the right amount of drainage holes already in them.

              The only thing I can think of you have been unlucky enough to have stones/pebbles the right size to drop into the holes and block them.

              The most common from of drainage layer used to be 'crocks' i.e. broken earthern ware plant pots, now with a lot of pots being plastic that has changed. I use lumps of polystyrene packaging, totally inert and the only way I can think of to recycle it.

              Potty
              Potty by name Potty by nature.

              By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.


              We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.

              Aesop 620BC-560BC

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              • #8
                You wimmen are so damn quick.

                Potty
                Potty by name Potty by nature.

                By appointment of VeggieChicken Member of the Nutters club.


                We hang petty thieves and appoint great ones to public office.

                Aesop 620BC-560BC

                sigpic

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Potstubsdustbins View Post
                  You wimmen are so damn quick.

                  Potty
                  And you men are....................

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                  • #10
                    I use old golf balls. They leave nice regular gaps and once they have been hit a few times they are no longer fit for golf.......

                    Great way to use all the balls I find.......

                    Loving my allotment!

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                    • #11
                      Were you putting 1 plant in this size pot Samuel? If so the pot is far too big for one strawberry plant.

                      As to the drainage, you say you used loam in the potting mix - where did you get this from? If it was ordinary garden soil it is hard to wet evenly and can take ages to soak up water. Five minutes is not long enough to leave it, your plant(s) won't drown that quickly.

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                      • #12
                        I have always put broken pots over the drainage holes. However do remember reading something about they change of texture between compost and stones etc effecting drainage. Having said that I still do it. Could the stones you put in have blocked the drainage holes?

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                        • #13
                          Its always best to just have a free draining compost in a pot, the whole pot should be the same mix top to bottom nothing added at the bottom as it does make it drain slower and also forms a resevoir at the bottom of the pot for roots and water to collect causing root rot , for greater drainage add sosmething like perlite through the mix,

                          Its not the water that is the problem it is lack of air ( caused by too much water ) add air or dissolved oxygen and you can grow in water without problems

                          Adding more holes to a pot is best if you want more drainage, also many pots the holes are moulded over with flash from moulding and need clearing before use, I always add more drainage holes

                          Do a search on the internet for `perched water table ` and there are hundreds of sites showing why adding something like stones or similar at the bottom is a bad idea and how it actually prevents a pot draining
                          Last edited by starloc; 15-04-2013, 09:46 PM.
                          Living off grid and growing my own food in Bulgaria.....

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Potstubsdustbins View Post
                            The most common from of drainage layer used to be 'crocks' i.e. broken earthern ware plant pots, now with a lot of pots being plastic that has changed. I use lumps of polystyrene packaging, totally inert and the only way I can think of to recycle it.

                            Potty
                            Another vote for polystyrene. Good way of recycling and also as it very light my large pots are easier to move around.

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                            • #15
                              You only need drainage crocks (stones/polystyrene/whatever) if it's a big pot. No need at all for something strawberry size, I would say.


                              Samuel, don't worry so much about all the ins-and-outs and maybes of growing. You like to read a lot, which is great, I do too, but don't let it give you hangups and insecurities. Just do it.

                              If you get problems, THEN do the research to find out why. Don't try to get it all dead right from the start. Allow yourself to make mistakes.
                              All gardeners know better than other gardeners." -- Chinese Proverb.

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