Herb Garden - Making Sure You Have Adequate Container Drainage

Amy Stewart: Good afternoon! I am Amy Stewart with Project Wellness, and in this segment, were going to learn how to make sure you have adequate drainage in your container garden, and were going to accomplish this in two different ways.

I have already told you, we are going to be doing two different containers, and these two do have somewhat different properties, for example, this one is ceramic, its actually an antique. I think I picked it up at a yard sale or a tag sale, and the way were going to make sure that are roots of our plants dont get overly wet. Once we get everything established in there. I went out in my yard and picked up a lot of rock. So, thats the first way that were going to do it here. The way were going to do it in this pot is actually about drilling holes. We are not however, going to ruin my ceramic pot by doing the same thing. So, the rocks will be adequate to create good drainage because, of course, were also going to use really great potting mix.

So, here we go, were just going to kind of arrange these. I am going to sort of use some of the bigger ones in here, sort of like that principle of big rocks first, small rocks next. It doesnt have to be a scientific or anything, but by the time youre done, it should all pretty much just have an even spread of some pretty reasonably-sized rocks.

So, thats how youre going to prepare a container that does not have drainage holes. For another containers that does not have drainage holes, but where you want them, for example this one, were actually going to drill them ourselves, and what we need for that is a drill with a three-eighth inch bit attached and of course, safety goggles because I think when youre drilling metal, its always a good idea. So, were going to go ahead and do that.

Well just turn the pot over and since the pot is really not that big, I am probably going to do three or four holes, and were going to see how the drill takes to the metal.

Alright, that was one.

Lets do three.

Alright, and that part is done.

So, the next thing were going to also do with this pot is we are going to put some rocks in the bottom. You guys will notice that there are some pretty substantial metal shavings around, so please dont do this without glasses on, and were just going to use up the rest of our rocks, just like so and all the dirt will just go on top of that.

So, that is how you create adequate drainage no matter what kind of container you are using.