HelpfulGardener.com

So this is my first attempt at container gardening....so my question might appear trivial and silly...but here I go. I have a tomato plant in a large 7 gallon glazed pot with a drip tray in the bottom. When I water the plant, it drains well but the water stays in the bottom of the tray. I have another rosemary plant in a smaller container, and the water in that tray evaporates after a few days, but not in the larger pot. The plants, which are transplants, have only been in for a few weeks, but is it bad for the water to stay in the tray or should I drain it out?

From what I know about growing plants in containers, the plant must no be allowed to sit in water, as the plant may suffer root rot or drown. So I would say it would be a good idea to drain it.

I drain the water from the saucers, except on hot days, I.e. over 80º F. On hot days, the water evaporates within a couple of hours, and I feel that it increases the humidity around the plants. My container-grown tomatoes sit on the south side of my house, on white gravel. It gets hot out there, and dry. When it's very hot out, I hose down the gravel a couple of times during the day.