Put holes in a pot or not?

[abrogard]

Just scored a couple of excellent heavy black plastic pots. I don't know what they were used for. But they have carrying hand holds around them. About 40 litres I'd say.

I was just about to bore some holes in the bottoms for they don't have any when I thought to ask first. I know virtually nothing about gardening. It could be that watertight pots are advantageous somehow, somewhere. Yes? Or no, go ahead an bore.

And when it comes to boring holes there seems to be an enormous range of proportions: holes/floor area in pots I've acquired. Some are virtually like lacework at the bottom, they have so many holes. Others are great big earthenware pots with one single half inch hole.

Is there any rationale, rules to go by, or just do whatever.. ?

 

[redback]

G'day abrogard - we live in the same state. Apparently we can chat privately under the envelope icon next to our membership tag. I've never done it but locals can compare local notes there.
The question becomes a matter of the wicking beds (go to search). Some people treat these large pots as self-watering and bore holes in the side some way up from the bottom. They fill the portion below the holes with gravel or similar as a reservoir of water for the plants to sink their roots into.
Such a large pot has also got a weight problem when full of soil. Look under 'Vegetables' for the thread "An experiment in Hügelkultur in containers".
I don't grow much in pots so wait for the others to comment.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I have noticed the variation, but never been selective about what I plant in which, and the plants don't seem to mind. The exception is no holes at all, you only need to overwater slightly and in time the bottom of the pot becomes a stinking sludge. Most plants don't like that.

 

[abrogard]

If you noticed the different drainage patterns in terms of holes then that's already a good sign of paying attention to details, nurseries use different style pots for different plants who's roots like different conditions. If you have a local nursery nearby just take a trip by and take a look at the type of plants you want to plant and copy the drainage holes in the pots they use, however if you're gonna take my suggestion for the bottom watering in the thread advised to you by a different user I strongly suggest adding both bottom holes and side holes near the bottom.

Thanks for that. That 'bottom watering' makes me think. One of the pots has one hole at the bottom side with a 10mm black poly elbow in it. Maybe that pot was 'bottom watered' ?
I better go check out that thread recommended by redback.
He made a good point: weight. Honest I hadn't thought about that. It means one has to plan ahead doesn't it? Where it is is where it is going to stay.
I don't know what I'm going to put in it/them.

 

[abrogard]

I've not been able to find that 'experiment in hugelkultur' but I found stuff about wicking beds and all that. Self watering. Very interesting. Might get into it someday.
first thing it brought to my mind was the question of root length/depth. Yep. I never thought of that yet. Such a newbie. But I suppose I could be planting lots of stuff in deep pots that just don't need the depth?
And I'm wasting all that potting mix and added stuffs, not to mention expense of earthenware....
I might need some direction regarding the question of appropriate depths of soil for different things I might plant?
Is that all covered somewhere or is it very basic and sum-uppable in a few words?

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Here you go.

An experiment in Hugelkulture in containers

I desire to garden and specifically raise vegetables for the duration of my life. I recognize that someday I will not be able to do that in my current large garden. Hence, this experiment to determine the feasibility of Hugelkulture in containers. Two control plants and two hugelkulture plants...

www.gardening-forums.com

It is a long thread, 10 pages, but interesting.

 

[Meadowlark]

Here's my experience with large containers (90 to 100l):

I created several Hügelkultur containers using old cattle tubs. The pattern for drainage I used and am still using today is shown below.

In the referenced thread on HK containers, it was suggested to add drainage holes in the side. I tried that on a couple of tubs but found it was a very bad idea...way too much drainage not enough water absorption in the wood.

Next time I make some more of these tubs, I will add considerably fewer bottom holes than shown above.... probably as much as 50% fewer. The advice posted that the tubs would drain poorly was completely erroneous. In fact, they drained too well requiring frequent watering. With Hügelkultur you want the bottom wood to absorb water and give it back gradually to the plants over time.

Side drainage defeats that process and too many bottom holes reduce the effectiveness. You have to find what works for you in your set up but my advice would be to start slowly with the drainage holes and add as necessary. Much easier to add than subtract....and side drainage not good with HK containers.

 

[big rockpile]

My wife got hundreds of nice pots but none have holes.

So I've been putting holes in them for drainage.

My Son stuck some plants in my Greenhouse that don't have holes in the bottom. I water until it is running out the bottom, then I cuss his because they just fill with water.

big rockpile

 

[Esther Knapicius]

In addition to the instructions of the hole positions------As you said---the pots are heavy. For a heavy post I put a few plastic empty garden pots upside down, then put the soil on top. Most plants only need a couple feet, annuals that is. Moving a heavy pot with gravel on bottom and then soil is a real back breaker.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Thanks for that. That 'bottom watering' makes me think. One of the pots has one hole at the bottom side with a 10mm black poly elbow in it. Maybe that pot was 'bottom watered' ?
I better go check out that thread recommended by redback.
He made a good point: weight. Honest I hadn't thought about that. It means one has to plan ahead doesn't it? Where it is is where it is going to stay.
I don't know what I'm going to put in it/them.

The elbow at the bottom suggests it might have had a tap on to me, but who knows.
I move about some fair size pots, I know Sean Regan does too, and neither of us are spring chickens,. but we use simple machines to our advantage, the incline, the lever, rollers, wheels I have a sack barrow, and a 'festival trolley' for things that are more bulky than heavy. I understand Sean has special stands for his pots with retractable wheels. There is no point getting old if you don't get crafty.

 

[big rockpile]

I don't put anything in the bottom because after the soil is old and I repot the gravel or anything is a pain and it drains just fine but it does need drainage.

big rockpile

 

[abrogard]

So I read the 10 page thread about HK. Very entertaining all that backchat there, getting quite heated for a while.
But what does a newbie like me get out of it?

. Apparently growing in pots gives better yields than in the paddock.
. I think he had three layers about a foot each. rotten wood. mulch. garden soil.

That's about all for initial setup data.
Then at the end I find:

. The vegies grow very well.
. Soil at least needs renewing very definitely (apparently lost ALL nutrients !!!)

And that's it.

So what's that to me, here and now, with my black pots?

Well I don't want to grow vegies. I don't eat them and tried it a few years ago when I had a burst of gardening enthusiasm and eventually got beat by the pests after tons and tons of work. I found back then that keeping a kitchen provided with vegies from the garden ain't at all easy. You either have too much or not enough and so on... Yes, very rewarding to eat - even just to view - something good I grew myself but for me not worth the trouble.

I'm kinda an 'opportunistic' gardener, might be worth mentioning here and perhaps to coin a phrase. I move into a new area (like when we moves homes) and I see what's doing and I encourage and help that which seems to like it there and I dispense with those that struggle too much or are too greedy and swamping everything else.

I like this. Gives me a feeling of being part of it all. And it works well with general vegetation. But it's not the way to grow vegies, is it?

So my pots have to fit into that scenario. Suit that kind of 'gardener' if I can dignify myself with the name.

Save for spuds. For some reason I like the humble spud and don't mind chucking it in the ground all about the place, even in my pots.

So back to my pots. What to do with them? I just want to find the best way to use them to plant my kind of plants is all I guess.

I was thinking they were huge and too deep and maybe all this 'three layer' thing might mean I could just 'not use' the bottom part somehow: fill with wood or something and make them lighter. But I took another look and the biggest is only 400mm high. I'm making a mountain out of a molehill.

I'll give you all a clear look into my little scene. You can see what I've currently got and kinda which way I'm going and that might help in giving me advice on what to do how to do.

Right now I've got a fair number of pots with a mix of sand and potting mix: 50:50 but I used the wrong sand. Now I've got the right kind - 'sharp sand'. It was suggested to me as an excellent rooting medium for aloe vera in a YT vid. You reckon I should spill all them out and remix with the right sand and repot?


I'll let the pics speak for themselves:

 

[redback]

Those black pots are not particularly big. I have used mine to grow herbs. The usual thing is to plant basil, oregano, thyme, sage, rosemary, lavender, lemon balm and the other herbs you use regularly. These tend to be hardy, pest free plants that save a lot of money and live in the sun by the kitchen door. Just put sand in the bottom third and potting mix in the top. ... oh yeah ... and drill four eight-millimeter holes in the bottom of each pot.
I would put a table in the shed and buy a couple of large plastic rubbish bins with lids and fill them with the new sand, compost and potting mix 1:1:1 and mix it all with a shovel in a wheelbarrow first. Then settle down to repotting everything over time when you're in the mood.

 

[abrogard]

Right on. Thank you. Yep, I think i mentioned I saw that when I came to take a proper look and measure, they're not much at all.
All those herbs will coexist in the same pot?
Fill the pot with that same mix 1:1:1 ?
And you mean it: repot everything ? I have stuff in 'vegetable loam' (commercial bought), in pure potting mix (always the cheapest) and in potting mix + loam or potting mix + (wrong) sand.
Repot all of them into the new 1:1:1 ?

Your indoors look lovely. I have nothing like that. I had lucky bamboo for a long time but its currently cut into bits and I'm trying to get them to grow. Bought a couple of indoors from Bunnings and they were nice while they flowered but they're outside now, repotted by my well meaning but clumsy fingers and hoping to see them start to flourish again.

 

[redback]

You do whatever you feel is right. I am just saying what I would do in your position, but you are the one who decides.
One pot for each of the herbs. You can just fill the pots two-thirds full like in my photo and come back later with coir or straw mulch to pretty up once they have grown a bit. Maybe rosemary and lavender in the ground. Three basils in one pot are a must and get a pesto recipe if you haven't got one already. It's the best summer taste ever. Thyme is small so use a smaller pot unless you buy lemon thyme as well. Sage and lemon balm are indestructible so you could plant them in the ground. Marjoram and oregano are almost identical so plant them in the same pot with labels.
I don't know how much sand you've got. If you buy one or two bags of compost and same of potting mix, then just use that amount of sand. Use your judgement as to the repotting. I've just spent a day potting up all the root bound pot plants. You will know when they are looking like they need a bit of attention.
Here's another indoor plant - my favorite - I only have these indoor ones.