The Most Important Part of Any Grow Container Is The HOLES

[897tgigvib]

Does anyone have any horror stories about growing in a container with no drainage?

Like, the time at the greenhouse nursery I was putting strawberry plants into a bunch of real nice pottery planters. Only after I was done did we notice one was defective and had no drain holes. We decided to save anbd keep it like that through the season just to see if it could be done. Yes, but it was sure tricky, with only the lightest dribbles of water in the afternoons.

Seedlings need superb drainage even more!

 

[ducks4you]

I really like the starter pots I found this year. They are made from recycled paper and resemble pumpy cardboard. Just like peat pots, I can cut out the bottom and plant them in the garden.
I had read recently that you should even put rocks in the bottom of a houseplant pot bc it interferes with rooting. Do you know anything about that?

 

[kathiesgarden]

Ducks4You, I used peat pots this year and am not overly thrilled. Can you let me know how you do with the paper ones? Did you have any problem with mold like I have with my peat pots? I live in a zone that gets freezing winters, so have to keep plants in pots in the greenhouse and inside until about May. I haven't had any damage from the mold on the peat pots, but I sure don't like the looks of it and am interested to know if you had better luck with the paper pulp ones.
Thanks--Kathie

 

[digitS']

Hi Kathie .

I only have a little experience with peat pots: not very favorable. I have seen it said that one should be very attentive in mounding garden soil over the peat pot when transplanting out. An exposed rim of peat surrounding the plant roots allows moisture to be wicked away from the roots. Not good -- and that was my experience when using them for bedding plants. Doing a whole heck of a lot with peat pots when you set the plants out in the garden seems to defeat a lot of the purpose for using them. It isn't too much bother to mound soil over that pot rim, however.

My one ~ no holes ~ story seems to be working out. I built a tiny planter into a brick corner post in my front yard about about 12 years ago. It was one of those inspirational things where I wanted the sturdy post for the picket fence but felt like there was room to make it more attractive. So, I built an oversize foundation for it and lined up some extra bricks to create this little "container."

I couldn't easily think of how to provide for drainage - I'm no mason. What I settled on is to take a plastic tube about the thickness of the mortar I imagined was needed to secure the 1st layer of bricks and just put that inside to out and lay the bricks over it. I have no idea where that tube has gone in the last 12 years! It may have collapsed or just plugged with soil/roots. I can fill the planter with water and come back the next day and the water is still in there. It does seem to drain eventually. Or, it just passes thru the bricks because of their porous nature. I suppose the lesson is to use an unglazed pot if you don't want a drainage hole. I can put something like a single geranium in that planter and it does okay thru the season. I was told to completely remove the soil each year or freezing & thawing thru the winter will break the bricks so I do that & the plant has new soil every time.

Steve

 

[kathiesgarden]

Thanks DigitS for your response to my inquiry about peat pots.

I used them to hold my starts (which I in an over enthusiastic moment ordered too early this year!!) I am in the process now of potting the starts up into larger plastic pots. I am peeling the peat pot off the start as much as I can. I will keep in mind your caution not to expose any of the peat pot above the soil line if the plants are still in them when I can transplant them.

Like you, I live near the ID/WA border and those warm late March/early April days were sure appealing. I am using the greenhouse my husband made for me out of the framework from an old garage tent (like Costco sells) covered with corrugated plastic which is working pretty well right now.

I'm ready for the sun to shine!

Have a good day
Kathie