What to Put in the Bottom of Indoor Planter for Drainage

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If you fill a large pot all the way to the top with garden soil, you will end up with a very hefty planter that might also end up being rather pricey.

Empty plastic water bottles with blue caps, highlighting the issue of plastic waste.

In addition to this, the weight of so much soil can end up compressing the soil, which slows the movement of water through the soil, causes the soil to become soggy, and inhibits the establishment of root systems in the plants.

For this reason, it is a bright idea to make a false bottom or place something extremely lightweight in the bottom one-fourth to one-third of the pot.

Alternatively, you may just use a saucer.

This will not only make the container easier to carry, but it will also lower the amount of soil that is required, ensuring the plant’s continued good health.

What Should Be Placed in The Bottom of An Indoor Planter for Drainage?

Empty Water Bottles or Milk Jugs

To keep larger pots (those with a diameter of 24 inches or more) movable, you can try filling them with lighter, bulkier items such as empty water bottles without caps or milk jugs.

They take up room but do not contribute any additional weight. In addition to this, doing this rather than throwing the plastic away is the better option!

Be sure to put on the caps properly so that water can’t get in.

Kitchen Colander

You may either spend less money on a brand-new plastic colander or utilize an older one from the kitchen by doing one of these two things.

These are fantastic planter inserts since they already include a variety of minuscule holes, which are ideal for drainage.

Because of this, they are perfect for containers that hold plants.

Large Rocks

You can layer the bottom of the planter with river rocks that range in inches from one to three inches if you want to decrease the likelihood of the soil being compacted, but you also need to offer additional weight to keep it from tumbling over.

Make use of landscape fabric to retain the potting soil in the correct location while you work on the other tasks.

Bubble Wrap

Close-up of bubble wrap, symbolizing packaging material for delicate items or an indoor planter’s cushioning.

The usage of crumpled-up bubble wrap is recommended by a number of horticulturists due to the fact that it is a lightweight material that is both non-biodegradable and inert.

Check that there is sufficient room on the side for the water to drain.

Pool Noodles

You might be surprised to know how many innovative applications there are for pool noodles. In addition to this, they are able to tailor a potting mix exclusively for your containers.

While using them in smaller pots, slice them very thinly; when using larger pots, slice them into larger pieces.

They are also offered in a range of sizes, which makes additional customization of these items quite simple.

Empty Plastic Pots

You could construct a planter out of one of the old plastic garden pots that you have lying around by flipping it on its side and positioning it so that it is standing upright.

This would be the easiest way to do this. By initially subjecting it to a load of some type, you may verify whether or not it is strong enough to sustain anything you plan to cultivate on top of it.

This is an important step.

Whole or Crushed Soda Cans

You can make use of completely empty soda cans as an additional lightweight choice that will add bulk (place facing down to avoid filling with water); alternatively, you can make use of crushed cans if you have a huge number of cans available to you at this time.

In order to avoid getting an infection from them, make sure to give them a good scrub with soap and water to remove any remnants of food that could still be on them.

Bloem Ups a Daisy Planter Insert

Use soda cans that have been emptied; you can either keep them intact and place them with the open side down to prevent them from becoming filled with water, or you may crush them up if you have a lot of them.

They are lightweight and can add volume.

In order to prevent contamination, you need to make sure that you wash them completely to eliminate any residues of food.

Cheesecloth

You may prevent water from escaping through the drainage planter or flower pot by carefully sliding cheesecloth into those openings.

If you poke the fabric into the holes, it won’t block the holes, but it will stop the soil from washing out through the holes.

If you do this, the cloth won’t block the holes and won’t be able to prevent the holes from being seen.

The perforations in the drain’s bottom, combined with the pores in the cheesecloth, will, in the end, make it possible for water to flow out of the drain in the desired direction.

Plastic Mesh

Rolled white mesh fabric with a perforated pattern, used for drainage in DIY indoor planters.

This is then placed on top of the container before the potting soil is added after the drainage holes have been bored into the bottom of the container.

A sufficiently fine mesh is required for the screen in order to stop the soil from falling through the holes in the screen.

It is really advised that you do not make use of metallic mesh in any of your projects. This will corrode much more quickly than we had anticipated due to the water.

Because of its adaptability, plastic mesh is an excellent option for this application because it can be used for a wide variety of other purposes.

Because of the mesh’s versatility, it is possible to accommodate both the size and structure of the planter or plant pots.

After one planting season has gone, the mesh may be utilized once more in any way that is necessary.

If it is the same planter, then all that needs to be done is to wash it and then return it to the ground.

Weed Barrier

The use of a weed barrier is yet another efficient strategy that may be put to use in order to guarantee appropriate drainage.

Before being positioned at the base of the planter, a layer of weed barrier fabric, sometimes referred to as landscape cloth, is sewn.

This prevents the soil from entering the draining holes and filling them up with debris.

Although the weed barrier does not prevent water from draining through the soil, it does prevent water from pooling on the upper surface of the soil.

This is a fantastic item to use in order to maintain adequate drainage in the potting soil so that the plant can grow to its full potential in the container it is housed in.

Conclusion

A reliable drainage system with the right materials is essential for the planter pots for indoor plants to have in order to meet the requirements.

Because well-drained soil does not retain water, it does not allow for the formation of blocked air gaps, which can be detrimental to the growth of roots.

Roots that are unable to absorb oxygen as a result of congestion will eventually rot, which will result in the death of the plant.

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