Glad you showed me this because I've been hearing that theory ever since I just finished potting something that I don't want to have to pot again ever. It was a medium terra cotta pot with a central drain hole. I put things at the bottom to act as a filter to keep the drain hole clear, mostly. Just to try to ensure it can continue to drain for years to come I put a coffee filter then covered that with a fibrous root mass to be a bit of a tougher/long-term "coffee filter", then I put small rocks about half inch thick and then poured in coarse washed sand on top of that, so the total "filter" is about an inch thick. Then I filled in the rest with potting mix. I figure this will keep things from moving towards, and blocking the drain hole for years. And if it does get clogged, years later, I can just jam a screwdriver in there to open it up again. I will say that it does keep the soil wet for about a week, but since this is a succulent that's probably fine (perhaps ideal) as you basically never water those. Although the winter is coming and that has me nervous...
One flaw you might not have thought of: the soil isn't compacted or rooted. Once the pot gets rooted, the water will have a harder time flowing down the sides of the pot, which would slow it down. Roots would also act as finer particles would when increasing surface tension. This means that even if it turns out that larger rocks are good for drainage, once they are rooted, they will act as smaller rocks would.
cool video! Im thinking that watering a pot from the bottom like we're supposed to do, just put it in water deeper than the rocks? I always have put a big flat rock over the big holes in big planters so the soil doesnt all run out but the excess water can.
I have stopped using pebbles and found cockroaches making babies at the bottom of the pots. I’m going back putting some sharp gravel, not much and maybe a screen may that will keep them out. To bring in a plant for winter with those bugs isn’t what I want.. I’m going to have to repot any I bring in for the winter….😕
Bringing roaches inside definitely doesn't sound good! I think a physical barrier like the screen you mentioned, would be the way to go. Window screen is not too expensive at the hardware stores. Sometimes they even have patches, if you don't want a whole roll.
Glad you showed me this because I've been hearing that theory ever since I just finished potting something that I don't want to have to pot again ever.
It was a medium terra cotta pot with a central drain hole.
I put things at the bottom to act as a filter to keep the drain hole clear, mostly. Just to try to ensure it can continue to drain for years to come
I put a coffee filter then covered that with a fibrous root mass to be a bit of a tougher/long-term "coffee filter", then I put small rocks about half inch thick and then poured in coarse washed sand on top of that, so the total "filter" is about an inch thick. Then I filled in the rest with potting mix.
I figure this will keep things from moving towards, and blocking the drain hole for years. And if it does get clogged, years later, I can just jam a screwdriver in there to open it up again.
I will say that it does keep the soil wet for about a week, but since this is a succulent that's probably fine (perhaps ideal) as you basically never water those. Although the winter is coming and that has me nervous...
Fun experiment! Enjoyed it very much. Happy gardening!
Thank you!
One flaw you might not have thought of: the soil isn't compacted or rooted. Once the pot gets rooted, the water will have a harder time flowing down the sides of the pot, which would slow it down. Roots would also act as finer particles would when increasing surface tension. This means that even if it turns out that larger rocks are good for drainage, once they are rooted, they will act as smaller rocks would.
cool video! Im thinking that watering a pot from the bottom like we're supposed to do, just put it in water deeper than the rocks? I always have put a big flat rock over the big holes in big planters so the soil doesnt all run out but the excess water can.
I have stopped using pebbles and found cockroaches making babies at the bottom of the pots. I’m going back putting some sharp gravel, not much and maybe a screen may that will keep them out. To bring in a plant for winter with those bugs isn’t what I want.. I’m going to have to repot any I bring in for the winter….😕
Bringing roaches inside definitely doesn't sound good! I think a physical barrier like the screen you mentioned, would be the way to go. Window screen is not too expensive at the hardware stores. Sometimes they even have patches, if you don't want a whole roll.
Water finds the lowest point
Darcy's Law, Container Dynamics lol They proved this stuff in the 80's and people cope for 50 years? lmao