Home»Growing Tips
Putting rocks in the bottom of works pots used to be commonplace . It was think that a stratum of rocks in the bottom of a pot would serve with drain .
Current thought process holds that this is not necessary , and for the most part , this is on-key .
It ’s good to put a rock or shard of clayware over the drainage hole in the bottom of a pot to keep soil from fall out or blocking it .
However , most of the clip , a layer of pebble is not necessary .
Why Put Gravel In The Bottom Of A Pot?
Gravel in the bottom of the mickle can cause piddle retention .
Putting gravel in the bottom of a plant pot is base on the notion that you might overwater .
With gravel in the bottom of the pot , spare body of water would ( theoretically ) debilitate out faster thanks to the force of gravity .
This is honest , but it does n’t consider the fact that the soil in the pot will wield an opponent force by wicking the wet up into the ground .
This phenomenon is known as the “ perch water mesa ” because the opposing forces of wicking vs. gravity can cause a layer of water to “ perch ” in the eye , making an excellent environment for fungal and bacterial growth .
For this reason , it can be better just to have soil at the bottom of the pot so that extra piss can just run out out of the pot and aside without getting caught up in a ratter physics experiment . [ source ]
Plants that like juiceless , rocky soil may care rocks in the bottom of the pot .
Succulents and cacti like precipitously drain , gravelly , sandy soil that allows weewee to rain cats and dogs through . Unfortunately , this sort of soil retains very trivial moisture .
Furthermore , some succulents and cacti have very shallow roots and do n’t require deep soil .
When this is the case , a level of gravel at the bottom of the pot , under sharply enfeeble cactus mix , wo n’t spite anything .
If your pot is deep for your plant , those shallow root will never make it to the bottom of the pot .
For this ground , your cactus mix will be rot , so you might as well put a layer of stone in the bottom .
Can Plants With Deep Roots Survive In A Pot With Rocks In The Bottom?
The rock and roll in the bottom wo n’t interfere with the growth of plants with deep root , but they can make repotting difficult .
This is because rich theme will just grow into the rocks and become entangled with them .
You may have to cut them out when you repot the plant .
When Is A Layer Of Rocks Necessary In The Bottom Of A Plant Pot?
In pots without drainage golf hole , rock in the bottom can help oneself with drain in that they may harbour the soil and root of the works above excess urine that collects in the rock .
This is a very bad musical theme for most works because that can lead to root rot .
However , it can be helpful if you force bulbs indoors .
A layer of rock in the bottom of a clear methamphetamine container with the lightbulb held in spot by peat moss or something similar can work very well .
Extra water will settle into the rocks , and as it evaporates , it will keep the moss moist for the bulb . So in the chicken feed , you’re able to keep an eye on it and deflect overwatering .
It ’s also best to recollect that soggy peat moss will rot the medulla .
Try These Simple Soil Retention Alternatives
For many container gardeners , the value of a layer of pebbles to keep the soil from settle through the drainage jam is a important benefit .
Luckily , there are quite a few alternatives to pebbles for this purpose .
Here are a few you’re able to try :
Some the great unwashed use Styrofoam packing peanuts for this intent . However , this can make annoying trouble when it comes time to repot .
Plants quite mirthfully send their roots originate through and into soft , porous bits of loose Styrofoam , and it can be very unmanageable to disengage them .
