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Pot with no drainage hole what the?

Pot with no drainage hole what the?

Pot with no hole?

Why does that even matter?

I really just like the look of this planter but it has no hole in it, should I care?

Some pots have drainage; others do not. It’s a pretty straightforward really and yet that little hole at the bottom of your pot means a world of difference in the potted plant world.

Some plant nerds would say not to do it at all, some would say drill a hole into the bottom of it (yep this is an option) others would suggest planting into a nursery grow pot that fits. But I guess the question is, "is it possible to keep your plant in a pot without drainage holes?"

Our answer is yes, but with a bit of thought and care taken.

Create that drainage - layer it!

Choose your medium such as pebbles, stones or activated charcoal to line the bottom of your pot before adding soil, layer 3cm high from the base of your pot and then position a cut out piece of horticultural fabric on top of your chosen medium to separate from your soil mix - stops the soil falling into the cracks of the charcoal etc.

Adding a drainage layer allows excess water to get out of the soil more quickly and away from roots before they can be damaged. Though the water is still in the pot, a drainage layer can provide a barrier between too much water and your plant. The plant can then take up only the water in which he needs from this watering well you have created.

Now to water - but  just a little bit

Every bit of water you add to the pot is going to stay in there, remember no drainage hole - so water lightly.

And yes this is contrary to what we normally recommend as we normally say fully saturate a plant rather than offering frequent watering. This is when we tend to forget and over water our houseplants "hmm he might like another drink so ill give him one" a watering schedule is always best or a sustee watering device is the best way to set and forget see more.

Apply your water sparingly and slowly, so the water gets evenly distributed through the soil without pooling at the bottom. Less is more. Succulents are a better choice for planting into a pot with no drainage hole as they are more likely to survive long periods without water providing you keep the sun up to them and occasionally water.

Why do we choose to sell the activated charcoal + horticultural fabric options with our pots with no holes (sleeves)

Because we find the charcoal has natural absorption properties. This means that a layer of activated charcoal at the bottom of your pot is actually able to remove some of that excess water, which makes your plant very happy in the case of over-watering.

Plus, another issue that arises from over-watering is fungal and bacterial disease. Activated charcoal has natural microbial properties, and can help deter those harmful bugs.

*Here's a great little tip our staff like to use: Fill a small bowl with apple cider vinegar and leave a few around the house (out of eyesight) and any nasty bugs that tend to gravitate towards wet soils will fall into the cider vinegar instead, great use for fungal nats which can be a common problem with wet soils and it's natural.

Think you over-watered? Tip it over.

Yep – Hold the soil back with your hand, and gently tip your pot to the side to allow the excess water to spill out. You can replace any lost soil later.

Don’t get rained on

If you don’t have a drainage hole in your pot, you probably shouldn’t use it for an outdoor plant, unless the plant will be protected from the rain. You need to be able to manage the amount of water going into your pot; if it's left to sit in a pool of water it will only rot.

If all else fails, drill a small hole into the base of the planter or re-pot into a nursery grow pot that fits inside your sleeve and take outside to water and drain.