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Can I use anything else besides rock to put in the bottom of my containers? I cannot imagine hauling huge bags of rock upstairs to my apartment but I also don't want to fill 5 gallon buckets as well as other really large containers with mix unless its necessary. Could I just fill the bottom with Pine Bark Nuggets? If so, how much of the bottom would I cover with the nugget?

I personally wouldn't recommend using the pine bark in a container ... for any purpose. It might be useful in some way for a very large outdoor planter, or on the ground, but not in a container. That's my opinion, anyway.

I don't put anything in the bottom of my containers. If the drainage holes are so large that the soil might leak out, I cut a piece of non-metal window screening to fit inside the bottom of the container. Then I just fill the container with my potting mix and plant my plants.

Placing rock or other things in the bottom of a container with the idea of enhancing drainage is unnecessary, IMO, and can even block the drainage holes.

For deeper container, I use the 'cheaper' top soil or potting soil from the box store. That is still 40#, so a heavy lift upstairs! I put this in 1st, 1/3 to 1/2 then put in the good stuff.

I really like the window screen tip, and got more yesterday. I am starting some BIG containers, and used the screen double thick.

I agree, not the pine bark, but pretty much anything inorganic that sheds water. For lightness you could use vermiculite or perlite, lava rocks, pumice. Traditional is all the broken clay flowerpots that usually end up lying around. Plastic would work too, or the packing peanuts. The glass marbles that they sell for flower arranging.... You get the idea. You only need a few inches.

I really wouldn't recommend marbles, or anything with a smooth, regular curved surface. They will sit on/in the drainage holes and create a very effective plug.

Some Bonsai folks use composted pink bark chips in their soil mix for better drainage.

I've recycle old 'body scrub sponges' that I've uncoiled and poke them through the holes of my containers like this:

[img]https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a360/SamhainP8/BucketHolesfilled.jpg[/img]

my mother uses chunks of packing styrofoam like from boxes not the packing peanuts but the stuff that surrounds glass or electronics when you buy them n stores

[img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Styrofoam.jpg[/img]

like this but broken up.... I use rocks in some of my planters.. have tried marbles n stuff...

Before we get too enthused about LIGHT WEIGHT fillers, remember that when the plants get taller, things can get top-heavy, toppling the pot and plant when in need of water and/or under windy conditions, or for no apparent reason whatsoever , damaging or breaking off usually the most important parts of the plant and spilling out the contents of the container. Then you'll be kicking yourself for not using weighty substances in the bottom of the pot.

I use lava rocks(pumace) in the bottom of mine. I find it drains the best, plus water will trap inside them and slowly release into the soil. But I've also used gravel and parts of broken clay pots.

applestar wrote:Before we get too enthused about LIGHT WEIGHT fillers, remember that when the plants get taller, things can get top-heavy, toppling the pot and plant when in need of water and/or under windy conditions, or for no apparent reason whatsoever , damaging or breaking off usually the most important parts of the plant and spilling out the contents of the container. Then you'll be kicking yourself for not using weighty substances in the bottom of the pot.

I grow 6ft+ tomato plants in containers and have never had one tip over yet (touch wood)! Then again they are self-watering containers and probably have a couple of kilos worth of water in the base and not to mention they're on a protected balcony....

>>>Logging off now<<<

crushed pop cans/beer cans is what I put in the bottom of my pots, Works great and makes the pot a little lighter to carry. I have also used packing peanuts in pots...but if you are planting annuals and reuse the dirt next year, it is a bit of a pain to dump the dirt and pick out all the peanuts.

mtmickey wrote:crushed pop cans/beer cans is what I put in the bottom of my pots, Works great and makes the pot a little lighter to carry. I have also used packing peanuts in pots...but if you are planting annuals and reuse the dirt next year, it is a bit of a pain to dump the dirt and pick out all the peanuts.

I like your idea
I usually used crumbled chunks of styrofoam, but when I repot the next year, runaway pieces seem to scatter in the yard. I'm always finding chunks in the yard. Ill try cans this year.