Using 5 gallon buckets

[RaelThomas]

Putting rocks at the bottom of pots can actually hinder growth somewhat.

Really?
I do it religiously so I am interested to why it may.

 

[millworkman]

Adding gravel to the bottom only lessens the amount of good, usable mix available. The area that would normally be saturated with water is now higher up in the container and thus you have less optimal mix that the plant can use. Now a stone to block drainage holes somewhat to keep potting mix from flowing out is a good idea, but a couple inches in the bottom of the pot is a bad one.

 

[jessxcr]

Adding gravel to the bottom only lessens the amount of good, usable mix available. The area that would normally be saturated with water is now higher up in the container and thus you have less optimal mix that the plant can use. Now a stone to block drainage holes somewhat to keep potting mix from flowing out is a good idea, but a couple inches in the bottom of the pot is a bad one.

+1

Yeah. From what I've read on this subject it just doesn't make sense to add any gravel to the bottom.

 

[Tkromer]

Granted I'm a bit new to this, but I fill the bottom 3-4" with perlite, and don't do holes in the very bottom at all.

 

[millworkman]

Granted I'm a bit new to this, but I fill the bottom 3-4" with perlite, and don't do holes in the very bottom at all.

Do you have holes on the sides near the bottom?

 

[Tkromer]

Do you have holes on the sides near the bottom?

Yeah, an inch or so off the bottom.

 

[millworkman]

Then thats all you need.