Container gardening offers many benefits like mobility, cost-effective gardening methods, and gardening in small spaces. But lots of people struggle to grow plants in containers. Some of them struggle to keep them alive. Behind the issues, there is a common reason, lack of knowledge about how to properly do container gardening. There are factors like choosing the right plants., making a good potting mix., choosing the right pots., using the right tools and watering practices and a lot more.Â
Sounds like a big thing right., but it’s not. You can know all these secret hacks for thriving container gardens in one place ➡️ mypotsgarden.com. You can learn all the hacks in simple blog posts in the specific category and step-by-step guides.
Likewise., one of the main problems in container gardening is poor drainage., that is led by two reasons soil drainage and pots without drainage I already posted about soil drainage and now I gonna reveal the importance of drainage holes., problems and solutions and how to make drainage holes for every specific pot materials were commonly used in container gardening.
WHY DRAINAGE HOLES ARE IMPORTANT IN CONTAINER GARDENING
I’m a decade-experienced gardener with 8 years of experience in Container Gardening. In this process, I learned some of the important things in gardening. You don’t need to worry about 100 small problems in gardening, but you need to care for 10 important areas to avoid 1000+ problems in container gardening. One of the 10 important areas is pot selection, and drainage holes are an important factor when choosing a pot for your plants.
Drainage Holes prevent waterlogging in the potting mix by draining out the excess water in the potting mix through the drainage holes. These simple drainage holes drain out the overwatered quantity of water from the potting mix and prevent waterlogged in potting mix. Now you know why drainage holes are important.
Role of drainage holes in healthy root development
The role of drainage holes is simple, they drain out the excess water from the potting mix to keep the soil well-drained and maintain the structure of the potting mix. The structure keeps the root penetration, air flow and water flow balanced.
This Balance structure of the potting mix keeps the roots healthy by improving oxygen supply, with the help of oxygen and water flow roots have the energy to absorb nutrients from the potting mix. If roots absorb nutrients and pass through the plants the plants thrive better.
How proper drainage prevents root rot and overwatering
Pots with proper drainage holes prevent water logging in the potting mix by allowing excess water to escape from the pot and prevent it from sitting around the roots. This process prevents roots from root rot a fungal infection directly affects the roots, if unnoticed the plant might die.
Drainage holes maintain a balance of moisture in the potting mix that is ideal for root growth and plant health. You can’t measure and water, plants with pots with drainage holes helps to excess water escapes out and won’t cause any damage to plants.
DO ALL POTTED PLANTS NEED DRAINAGE HOLES?
Types of plants that require drainage holes
Most of the plants need drainage holes, but why? Even the moist-loving plants don’t like soggy soil you know why. The soggy or damp soil attracts fungus, bugs and slugs. These are harmful to plants and roots. Fungal infections lead to root rot, slugs eat the plants, bugs lay eggs on leaves and damage the entire plant. Plants like houseplants, succulents, cacti, and drought-tolerant plants need good drainage and well-aerated soil as well. These plants need drainage holes to escape the excess water and keep the soil only hydrated not soggy.
Plants that can tolerate limited drainage
You can grow water plants, aquatic plants or water-loving plants in pots without drainage holes. They are like plants in a mini pond or plants that grow in water they don’t have many issues in water pooling and soggy soil.
How Many Drainage Holes Should a Planter Have?
Ideal Drainage for Small vs. Large Planters
The drainage hole quantity is determined by the size of the pot. Pots with drainage holes are available in the market but you can make extra holes for extra drainage in pots. For smaller pots (e.g. 4 or 6-inch pots) you don’t need much. 3 or 4 holes are enough. For bigger pots, you need at least 7-8 smaller holes instead of making a few bigger holes you can poke 7-8 smaller holes to prevent soil loss as well.Â
Tips for Arranging Drainage Holes in DIY Planters
To poke holes you have to maintain a certain distance between one to another. You can make holes in line with a 1\4 inch radius gap. You can make holes in a circle across the pot bottom for larger pots with a 1\4 inch radius gap. If you want faster drainage you can poke bigger holes., but use mesh pads under the potting mix to prevent soil loss in bigger holes. If possible use stones or pot feet risers to elevate the gap between the bottom of the pot and the bottom tray to avoid water pooling that affects roots. If you don’t want to use mesh pads try to add gravel, stones or leca balls in the bottom of the pot instead of potting mix for better drainage.
Common Mistakes in Container Gardening Drainage
Choosing Pots Without Drainage Holes
Not long ago, I found one set of my pot that has a zz plant, consistently water-pooling because of heavy rain in my area for the last few days. I wondered why it’s happening even with drainage holes, I never saw any waterlogged signs while I watered that plant. The potting mix is well-drained. Then with half mind, I checked the bottom, yes I made that mistake I forgot to make holes in those particular pots. I didn’t do that purposely because I know the importance of drainage holes, but I forgot because of the large quantity of pots I have in my terrace garden.Â
I immediately checked the soil, and thankfully there was not much damage because of the good watering practice and potting mix., but I always felt that zz had stunted growth., and I didn’t think it was the reason. I found some mushy roots, extremely bad-smelling soil, and a few damaged leaves. I repot immediately in pots with drainage holes with a well-drained soil mix. These are the problems with pots without drainage holes, waterlogged, mushy roots, stunted growth, stinky soil and damaged plants. Luckily I saved this plant., but most of the time it is not gonna happen like this.
Using Excessive Drainage Layers Without Proper Hole Placement
Some Gardening beginners or plant enthusiasts make this mistake. They read blogs or saw vlogs about soil drainage and prepare them and they forgot the drainage holes part. , I learnt about the importance of drainage holes even before the soil drainage because of my grandpa (I miss him).
Make your potting mix well-drained with the right amendments, but forgetting drainage holes are not useful to your plant pot’s drainage. Whatever you do for drainage in soil or watering methods becomes useless until you choose pots with proper drainage holes. You need a path to drain out the excess water. Not only making holes enough for good drainage, you need to make proper drainage holes.
Best Ways to Create Drainage FOR Pots Without Holes
Drilling Drainage Holes in different material pots
Plastic pots and Resin pots are easier to drill holes in with a simple tool called a soldering iron. You can heat a little iron stick to make holes but using soldering iron is the safest method. For terracotta/clay pots just soak the pots in warm water for a few minutes and poke the hole using a sharp iron stick keep the pot in sunlight and let them dry completely before use.Â
To drill holes in ceramic pots soak them, and use a less powerful power drill with a masonry small drill at minimum speed to poke holes, ceramic pots are fragile so get some professional help or try to do it slowly (at your own risk). To make a hole in concrete pots you need a power drill with a masonry drill bit smaller needle, soak the pot bottom slowly. The drill hole covers your face with proper glasses to avoid dusting. To make drainage holes in metal pots use a power drill with a metal drill pit, mark the spot drill slowly with safety gloves. If any kids reading this don’t do this alone, ask your parents for help or do this with some adult supervision don’t get hurt by drills. To drill Linea pots (Fiberglass or Composite Material) use a power drill with a regular or masonry drill bit, drill slowly to avoid cracking pots.Â
Alternatives for Pots Without Drainage Holes
For hard-to-drill materials like heavy metal planters, concrete pots or fragile pot materials glass and ceramic you can use the double pot method. Not only these pot materials but sometimes you don’t want to take a risk to crack the pot by drilling. Then you can adopt the double pot method.
It’s not a complicated thing, just use a pot with drainage holes or nursery pot inside the pot without drainage holes. Add a foot riser or stones to elevate the gap between two pots, and pour out the excess water once a week to avoid mosquitoes laying eggs and larvae forming.Â
CONCLUSION
I hope after reading the above blog you will get the importance of drainage holes in pots, and how to make drainage holes in different pot materials. With a proper drainage hole in pots, you prevent overwatering issues, waterlogging, fungal infection, slugs and bug attacks.
Noticing these small gardening steps (pots with drainage holes) you keep the plant healthy and thriving with a green thumb đź’š.
Try to choose pots with drainage holes or make drainage holes or use a double pot method for proper drainage to avoid most of the serious plant issues that might kill the plant. Keeping eyes on small details like these keeps your garden thriving and fulfils your inner gardener. To learn more about container gardening visit my website ➡️mypotsgarden.com.
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