Container gardening: ditch the gravel
One of my favorite spring garden chores is lining up my containers, cleaning them and filling them with fresh potting mixture.
I worry about what plants to put in later. Between fresh herbs, a new set of succulents and the annuals that strike my fancy, that usually takes care of itself.
My friend Kerry Michael, who writes about container gardening, is myth-busting again this week, warning us not to fill the bottom of our containers with gravel under the misconception that it will improve drainage.
Read Kerry's post to learn the science behind this, but the fact is, gravel will actually cause your container to hold onto water. She uses coffee filters, paper towels or a bit of window screen to keep the soil from spilling out.
But NO gravel.
Comments
So, Dahlink, have you found this to be the case with ghost poop? (I managed to claim some yesterday, at work, but getting it home might be tricky!)
Posted by: Eve | April 5, 2011 10:12 AM
Hey Susan - Happy Spring! It astonishes me how often I see the advice to put gravel in the bottom of containers.
Can't wait to see what you've got cooking in your garden this summer!
That makes two of us, Kerry!
Posted by: Kerry | April 5, 2011 12:00 PM
Hi, Eve--what a good memory you have!
I'm not sure what to think about the new container soil advice--it goes counter to everything my mother-in-law taught me. I would need bags and bags of potting soil to totally replace what's in my containers. What do you do?
Posted by: Dahlink | April 5, 2011 3:36 PM
This flies in the face of not only my mother-in-law whose very real - while, admittedly, local - fame was for her peonies, irises and roses, although she was no slouch in container planting; but also that of Jerry Baker and Thalassa Cruso, whose credentials are/were well documented.
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Not a fan of using this comment board to promote products, but at least it isn't viagra that is being peddled here. -- Susan
Posted by: Lisa | April 6, 2011 5:54 PM
I want to blame the gravel in my pots for the failure of last year's container garden. It's on the list along with the heat, insects and brown thumbs.
Glad to know that's one less thing to drag up to the roof deck, though ...
Liz, my friend. Don't give up!
Posted by: Liz Kay | April 8, 2011 5:17 PM