Lining Pots With Pea Gravel

[theroadwarrior]

I bought some pea gravel from home depot to put in the bottom of my pots for drainage. I want to rinse the gravel but should I just use water to rinse, or maybe some bleach and water and then a good rinse? Any suggestions would be helpful.

 

[jtk707]

I just use water , you should put something between your gravel and your dirt because it will eliminate the advantages of using the gravel for better air if you let the dirt get to the rock therefore eliminatin the air gaps in the rock , if you line the pot with gravel then newspaper then soil youll be cool , some people will hate on newspaper , but you could spend more money to get some cocoa mats , . I also put my used rockwool in the bottom of my pots . GOOD LUCK

 

[Maj.PotHead]

2 -3 inch of perlite on bottom is all that really needed

 

[jtk707]

3 inches of perlite would probably give you 2 inches of air after settling from watering , but since you already bought gravel you know what to do

 

[dragunn]

putting gravel,rocks and perlite on the bottom of pots for better drainage is an old wise tale.just doest make a difference.

 

[niacinamide]

I didn't believe it at first since i've always read that adding coarse material to the bottom is a good idea, but this professor explains why it is not a good idea:

http://www.puyallup.wsu.edu/~Linda ...ural Myths_files/Myths/Container drainage.pdf

 

[jtk707]

putting gravel,rocks and perlite on the bottom of pots for better drainage is an old wise tale.just doest make a difference

Its not about drainage if done right , you will see more white roots at the bottom of your pot then ever before . Your comment means you either havnt tryed this tech yet or you try it incorrectly .

PEACE JTK707

 

[magiccannabus]

I tried a lot of things for this, gravel, marble chips, lava rock. All actually made drainage worse, because unlike soil, they are hard and can't breathe, and the aggregate they form with the smaller materials can make it harden up like cement at the bottoms of the pot. It wasn't like it didn't work at all, but a good soil mix with proper perlite should never need this, and won't benefit from it anyway.

anyway I see I've been quoted haha

 

[DeebeeAhhSee]

Perlite.

 

[Pinball Wizard]

I have been putting a 1 inch layer of vermiculite...not directly on the bottom of the pot...but, about 3 inches up. Straight potting soil mixed with 20% perlite everywhere else.
I use a moisture meter probe to tell me when that layer is dry.

Seems to work pretty good...no problems.