Avoid Using These Items To Fill The Bottom Of Your Large Plant Pots At All Costs

Large pots are a great way to add visual interest to your yard, porch, or garden, particularly when stocked with eye-catching plants. But potting soil can be expensive, and it may leave you wondering if you really have to fill that entire container up with store-bought soil. Therefore, you might find other alternatives to fill your pots.

However, some of these alternatives to potting compost can actually do more harm than good. For example, adding non-porous materials, such as solid concrete or plastic, to the bottom of your pots can result in poor drainage for your plants. In a similar vein, while using dirt from your own yard may seem like a good substitute, garden soil is vastly different in texture, density, and nutrients from the kind meant for potting. This can cause your plants to suffer due to the pot's inability to drain water or effectively spread nutrients throughout the dense soil.

Plants need frequent and thorough watering in order to survive, and even the temperature of the water can be an important part of their success. However, it is vital for any vegetation to have a proper system for removing stagnant water. When outdoors, such as in garden beds, plants benefit from the natural drainage of the soil, which draws the water down and away from the plant roots. In pots, though, the soil is not as deep, and therefore outlet holes are required to allow liquid to escape.

When these holes are blocked by non-porous materials or thick garden soil, the roots of the plants may end up sitting in water. This results in what is known as root rot, which occurs when roots are unable to take in air due to being waterlogged. While there are some root rot cures, the disorder can often cause plants to wilt or even die if not caught and remedied early, so this is best avoided whenever possible. So, what should you use to fill up your large plant pots?

As we've seen, the key to packing a deep pot is drainage. Therefore, the ideal materials for padding out the bottom of a container are porous substances that allow the water to pass directly through them. A great example of a cheap and effective porous material is cardboard. This item can be found in ready supply, likely in your own recycling bin, and is perfect for filling out the bottom of a pot without blocking the outlet holes.

Another helpful option is gravel. These small stones are not only an excellent choice for DIY landscaping, but they can also be beneficial under the soil in pots because their texture allows for the water to pass around them. This gives the roots a chance to breathe and provides a way for the liquid to drain out of the bottom of the pot.