Getting the best drainage for your container is critical for plants to look and perform their best. But what we’ve all been told about filling the bottom with rocks or cans, etc. is all wrong. I’ll show you why that doesn’t work and show you how to get the best drainage for your container. Then, watch my Urban Gardening playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMTiIDHkeL0Evc0vb9rkSOOAGJLrVqayk
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36 Comments
how about mixing evenly the rocks with potting media in the pot ? not at the bottom.
elvin
KL
Thank you. You have answered a fundamental question. I will try this today!
Excellent video !!! Thank you so very much. I now know what to do. South Africa calling. It’s night time here right now. I can’t wait for the morning to start on my pots. 🤗
Are u telling me that I need to re pot the 20 plants that I just re potted a month ago!? 🤦
A 34 inch layer of pumice stone isn't going to do any harm!
But didn't you place too much stones in the bottom? More stones than soil? But it would work differently had you used less stones.
I would think larger rocks with more gaps would allow for water to drain?
What about if you have a large pot, that can be costly?
Thank you.
I was surprised by the truth.
i do not agree !
This isn't a realistic experiment because the container traps water. As a result which one is more waterlogged on its upper part depends on how much water was poured into the container. If the containers had even one drainage hole the container on the left would have better drainage than the container on the right.
Just saw this video and read the comments. I'm amazed so many missed this point: if Joe did the test with just a normal thin layer of rocks at the bottom, there wouldn't be enough visible difference in water movement to be obvious right away. As in real life, he'd have to wait for months for the plant to start showing the negative effect on drainage and crapping out … proving his main point that in the LONG run, the rocks on the bottom are bad for the plant.
Love this and loved your show!!! Thank you Thank you Thank you
what if different substrates but no soil, only pumices and leca(in the bottom) or what is one substrate but in different sizes (bigger is in the bottom)
thanks
So counter intuitive! Wow!!!
so this video says don't use crocks…next video says use crocks…next video, don't..etc etc..think I'll just toss a coin🤔
Great video but annoying background music!🙏
To much rock. I don't use rock. I use swimming noodles. Works great and not as heavy.
Can I use woodchips instead of soil or pebbles as filler at the bottom of a pot?
Sorry this is a garbage “test”. The water in the stone container was draining almost IMMEDIATELY. The metric for the test was a visual inspection? Proved noth8ng whatsoever
does the soil you are using there have perlite in it?
Brilliant! Thank you.
Perched water tables work in the ground not in containers. Different environments. Use mesh if your concerned about soil loss.
I can't understand why the water doesn't permeate through the gravel. It goes against the laws of my simple logic.
But how do you fill a huge pot with just soil? I have elephant ears and cactuses that are in HUGE pots. I bring them inside my house when Temps drop to cont. to enjoy them all year. I've done this for years. As some might know. Neither of types of these plants have large roots systems. I can not afford to fill all my pots with just potting soil, not to mention the fact they get way to heavy if I did and wouldn't be able to move them. So if your not supposed to fill with rocks or another type of "filler" substrate, then what is your suggestion please. And thank you!
a friends grandma told me that you need to and enough rock to cover the bottom and then mix rock and soil no more than 1/20 of the container depth or an inch for both layers but she also only used containers that were more than 2ft tall and was definately a witch who could revive any plant
Best thing I know – a piece of vinyl screen to cover the hole(s)
Never had a drainage problem – except when the plant rootball outgrows the pot
It would do that with any medium – stone chards pebbles etc
Just a thought
Thanks for the video
I get the emails
Never knew about utube
Is it possible to put stone on top of the soil of a pot, like mulch?
Id be curious what the results would be over the course of several days, especially if you used a more reasonable amount of rock. You've shown that a layer of rock can raise the level of a perched water table, but I wonder which pot's waterlogged section will dry out first? If you did a larger pot that only had a few inches of rock, you woulnd't waterlog the entire pot like you've shown here.
great video, thanks, pity about the comments, LOL!
I've used gravel, sand, mulch and some plastic milk jugs to help with drainage and weight (with large containers) . I've had mixed results over the years but can see where over watering a container thinking it's draining but becoming saturated is a problem for the roots of some plants. I'll experiment some more this year since I'm planning on repotting everything due a harsh winter.
I think something to be said for soil an inch deep vs 6 to 12 inches deep You can't grow much in an inch of soil. Maybe try 2 fish tanks and you might convince me. 6 inches of soil and 6 inches of gravel would make a better test
In theory would this work well if you layered several inches on the bottom of a raised bed if the bed was 3 feet high? If the roots don't touch the rocks?
You can see water easily draining from the gravel bottom.
And yet another “expert” states that all this drainage material is unnecessary except maybe 2 rocks nears the drainage hole.