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To stone or not to stone
Mynx
Posts: 101
Hi all, I am a tad confused at the moment. I happened to search the web to see how many stones you should put at the bottom of a pot for drainage, and was surprised to see that many advise NOT to put any stones in the bottom as it doesn't do any good at all. Others advise up to one third of drainage material.... can anyone advise me on which is the best course of action. Many thanks.
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Ha Ha Mynx. With a title like that you'll have a queue of aged hippies outside your potting shed. (See what I did there)!
For me it depends on the type of pot, the type of potting medium and the type of plant.
Peace and love
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I now use a piece of weed suppressant fabric in the bottom of pots to stop soil/compost escaping and allow drainage. If it's a large pot with a tall plant, I might add stones at the bottom as they add stability with their weight. If it's a deep pot and not such a deep rooted plant, I'll use wine corks to reduce the compost needed and make the pot lighter to move.
If it's a ceramic pot with just one hole, I still sometimes cover the hole with one or two bits of broken crocks to aid drainage and stop compost escaping.
Rather than wine corks the previous owner of this house used great lumps of polystyrene to cut down on compost but when you come to tip them out they make the damndest mess! I'd stick with wine if I were you.
I've never heard or read not to put stones or crocks in. The membrane is a good touch to. Less mess.
The RHS has been doing some research on container gardening and best techniques and now advises not to crock or stone in layers but just enough to stop compost leaking from the drainage hole(s).
The interesting thing about the wine corks is that they soak up excess moisture and then release it if the compost gets a bit dry - and the collection process is enjoyable too.
Thanks all, Obelixx I really like both your ideas, weed control fabric is good, but the corks idea is even better. Now to sell it to my OH "Well dear, I have to drink the wine to use the cork, it's a hard job, but someone has to do it"
As for plant pauper, I really have no idea what you mean
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I use spent tea bags to cover the holes in the bottom of pots.
Never thought of that iGrow, but another very good idea, after all tea is very good for plants I've been told (my mother always used to throw the tea from the teapot onto the plants). Thanks again
Nothing to do with holes but all to do with tea and gardening... My friend's mum (the original gardening guerilla who mooched her garden out the gate and round the corner on another thread) was making tea for some guests when she did her usual thing and went out to put the old tea leaves on the plants.
When the tea hadn't arrived after quite some time the guests went to check where she was and you've guessed....she'd forgotten all about them and was on her hands and knees down the garden with the tea pot sitting beside her!
True story!
A piece of kitchen towel does the job.