I'm new to caring for plants and absolutely love how they transform my living space. Recently, I've been adding more tropical plants to my collection, like Ficus, Aglaonema, Snake Plants, Monstera, and a Money Tree. My main concern is about drainage holes in pots. Are they completely necessary? I've been using a moisture gauge to monitor soil moisture before watering my plants, but most of my pots don't have drainage holes. I've been putting a layer of soil at the bottom when I repot. Any advice on this would be great! Thanks!
4 Answers
Oh wow, there’s so much to unpack here. You definitely want a way for water to drain out of any pot you use. Without drainage, minerals can build up in the soil over time from watering, whether it's tap water or with fertilizer. High mineral levels can make it hard for your plants to take up water because of osmosis issues. If you have pots without drainage holes, you risk nutrient buildup and unhealthy root systems. Seriously, always use pots with drainage holes to avoid these problems. You can also flush out the soil with clean water when needed to maintain salinity levels, which is important for plant health. Looking into getting an EC meter soon could really help with fertilizing your plants properly in the long run!
Just a heads up – if your plants are in their nursery pots with drainage sitting inside a decorative pot, the water can get pulled back up through capillary action, which creates the same salinity issues. Be careful about how you set that up!
Hold on before you grab a drill! I prefer to place a small plastic pot inside non-draining pots. I even do this with pots that have holes, just to prevent clogging. I add some pebbles in the bottom to suspend the plastic pot above the base. This way, if I overwater, it can still drain out into the decorative pot. It's a great method to easily swap out plants as needed.
Oh good thinking thanks!!
Honestly, I don't see why anyone would use a pot without drainage holes. Healthy roots need to be able to flush out excess water instead of sitting in it. If you go without holes, just be super careful with your watering. As a newbie, I really recommend getting pots with drainage holes instead.
In general, having drainage is pretty crucial for plant health. Without it, it's tough to get the watering right because excess water can get trapped, which could lead to root rot. A pot with drainage holes makes it a lot easier to maintain the right moisture level.
Thanks! I think I’m going to drill some drainage holes in the bottom.
Wow super helpful response. Thanks for taking the time to answer and give a detailed breakdown much appreciated!! I'd like to know more about the EC reader and how to properly fertilize. Also, are indoor grow lights effective for winter growth?