Container Gardening Complete

Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete

700309 - ContainerGardens_001-272_FINAL.indd 26 5/24/17 10:54 AM
Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete
Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete

700309 - ContainerGardens_001-272_FINAL.indd 27 6/5/17 2:42 PM

26 chapter 1

Drainage

Another necessary quality to look for in a

container is ample drainage. Most commercially

made garden pots have a pre-drilled drainage

hole in the bottom so excess irrigation water can

escape out the bottom of the pot rather than

saturate the soil and cause root rot and other

issues. If you have a container that does not have

a pre-made drainage hole present, you’ll have to

make one yourself.

• If the container is made of terracotta or
  concrete, use a drill fitted with a masonry bit
  to make a drainage hole.


• If the container is made from glazed ceramic
  or glass, use a drill fitted with a tile bit.


• If the container is made of wood, fit your drill
  with a spade or twist bit.


• If the container is made of metal, either
  punch holes through it using a scratch awl
  and a hammer, or drill holes with a high-
  speed steel (HSS) drill bit.


• If the container is made of plastic or resin, use
  a spur-point bit or plastics drill bit.

Use a slow speed and steady, soft pressure

to drill through the bottom of the pot. To avoid

damaging the container, do not push hard or use

the wrong bit. It’s best to make one or two large,

½- to 1-in.-diameter drainage holes in the bottom

of a pot rather than many tiny holes that can

easily become clogged. If you’re using a scratch

awl and hammer to make holes in the bottom of

a metal container, rotate the awl around inside of

each hole to make it larger.

There is no more important trait in a container

than a place for excess water to drain out.

Not only does a proper drainage hole keep the

roots from sitting in water, but it allows excess

fertilizer salts to be flushed out of the soil via the

drainage water. Without proper drainage, the root

and shoot tips of your plants could suffer from

fertilizer salt burn.

If you’re using a saucer beneath your container

to catch the drainage water that exits through

the hole, empty the saucer soon after watering.

Leaving a saucer full of water sitting under the

plant is not much better than a pot with no

drainage hole at all.

If you’re repurposing an item such as a stock tank for

use as a garden container, make sure it has drainage

holes in the bottom. If none are present, you’ll have to

make your own.

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Getting Started 27

Contrary to a long-held popular belief, adding

broken pot chards, rocks, or other materials in the

bottom of a pot with no drainage hole does not

“add drainage,” nor does it improve it. Quite the

contrary, in fact. Adding bulky materials to the

bottom of the pot only serves to raise the water

table inside the container, which floods the roots

even more quickly. Pot shards and rocks are not a

substitute for a proper drainage hole.

Materials

The next factor to consider when selecting

pots for your container garden is the type of

material. There are a nearly infinite number of

commercially made garden pots on the market

and an equal number of repurposed items that

can be made into a growing container. Each

material has its pros and cons, and thought

should be given to each factor before deciding

which kinds of pots are worth the investment.

Here are some of the most popular materials for

garden containers and a list of factors to consider

before making any decisions.

Terracotta/clay. Though it’s inexpensive,

terracotta is heavy, breakable, and not weather

resistant. Clay pots can also develop white salt

stains on their exterior and turn green with moss

The only time you don’t want a drainage hole in the

bottom of a container is when growing aquatic or bog

plants. These carnivorous pitcher plants (Sarracenia

purpurea) love saturated soil, so there’s no drainage

hole in the bottom of their container. You’ll find more

about growing carnivorous plants in containers in

Chapter 6.

Terracotta or clay pots are inexpensive, but they

easily turn green with moss or show white salt stains.

If you don’t like that kind of weathered look, select a

di‚erent material for your containers.

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