Over the weekend we checked off a few home improvement projects off the to-do list, including this DIY 3-tier planter project that inspired us earlier this summer. In the middle of DIY-ing, we shouted, "Blog idea!" Without further ado: our potted plant tip.
While trying to stretch our one bag of organic potting soil, we remembered a trick we saw a while back on a home and gardening show--pack the planter with something at the bottom to provide drainage and save dirt. We tried using rocks a while back, but they were heavy and not all too easy to come by.
So mid-project, we had the idea to grab stuff from our recycling bin. Beer bottles, yogurt containers, and even a little leftover coconut fiber from another weekend garden project quickly became filler at the bottom of our planters.
The larger items (beer bottles) filled up the bottom six inches or so of our largest pot, and we filled in soil around it. In the smaller pots, we crushed the yogurt containers and then filled in dirt.
Not only did we save our precious potting mix, but we also created better drainage for our plants and reused some of our recyclables!
(Re-edited from a post originally published on 8.17.2010 - CM)
(Images: Amber Byfield)
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I like this idea!
The only problem is you can't water from the bottom (filling a plant saucer with water) because it won't wick the water up.
I learned this the hard way after having the clever idea of filling the bottom of a heavy planter with styrofoam peanuts. I had to water more often because the water ran right through and couldn't be reabsorbed. Finally I emptied the planter and started again with only soil.
I've also seen a guide or two saying that using filler creates a false water line which can be harmful to the plants' root development.
Thank you! This is so timely and sorely needed!