Help MBE grow his dinner 2012

aliasojo

mrbadexample wrote: »

I don't bother putting anything in the bottom of mine for drainage. Doesn't seem to make any significant difference.

Does anyone else not bother either? Just wondering if I'm giving myself more work/cost unnecessarily.

The book I read was very convincing......:rotfl:

lolly5648

aliasojo wrote: »

Does anyone else not bother either? Just wondering if I'm giving myself more work/cost unnecessarily.

The book I read was very convincing......:rotfl:

No, I don't bother either. I have never had problems with the holes being blocked and the water not draining out. In fact I wish it drained a bit slower!

mrbadexample

aliasojo wrote: »

Does anyone else not bother either? Just wondering if I'm giving myself more work/cost unnecessarily.

The book I read was very convincing......:rotfl:

I think I used pebbles the first year, sharp sand the next, then nothing. So yeah, it may well be unnecessary.

What about everyone else?

Little_Vics

I hope you've all cottened on by now that my lack of planting activity was amazing weather-related forecasting and foresight, rather than apathy and distraction by sport.

*smug face*

djohn2002uk

mrbadexample wrote: »

I think I used pebbles the first year, sharp sand the next, then nothing. So yeah, it may well be unnecessary.
What about everyone else?

Well, I'm not everyone else but I only bother putting crocks or polystyrene in pots of 10" and above. Potted my Toms and Sweet Peppers first in 3.5" pots and potted them on today into (I think) 5" pots and not covered the holes. They wont get moved for the compost to fall out untill they go into my freebees from Llidl. (21 pots for 0p) :cool:

djohn2002uk

Little_Vics wrote: »

I hope you've all cottened on by now that my lack of planting activity was amazing weather-related forecasting and foresight, rather than apathy and distraction by sport.
*smug face*

That's another one of MBEs rules broken. No barefaced lies in this thread.

aliasojo

djohn2002uk wrote: »

Well, I'm not everyone else but I only bother putting crocks or polystyrene in pots of 10" and above.

I was thinking about my big planters when I said that. I don't put grit or stones in small pots.

Just to clarify.

pink_poppy

aliasojo wrote: »

2mm seems a bit small to me, 4mm or 5mm would have been better I think?

If they are too small they may clog with bits of earth, even if you put stones in the bottom to help with the drainage.

mrbadexample wrote: »

I think I use a 10mm drill bit.

lemonjelly wrote: »

As long as the tub has holes in for water to drain, its likely to be ok...

After alias' post I thought I should maybe try & make the holes a bit bigger :think:

After mbe's post I thought I should maybe try & make the holes a lot bigger :think:

After lemon's post I thought b*gger it I'll just leave them as they are & hope for the best!! :rotfl:

I hadn't thought about putting grit or gravel in the bottom of the pots ~ I could use some of the red gravel I'm wanting to get rid of. Even if it doesn't make much difference drainage-wise it'll add a bit of weight to the pots for my windy conditions. I think I'll do a test pot & pour a watering can over it, see if it works.

Another question ~ does everyone stand their pots in 'saucers' to water plants from the bottom or is that just not feasible??

TallGirl

I used to put stones in my planter big ones but not any more. In actual fact I put saucers underneath the flower pots out the front as it gets quite dry there.

Hope your liner is ok MBE would be a shame after all that work.

Had sleath driving a long the M4 today near Swindon, the road was white. How horrid rain please go away. I'm golfing in Wales this weekend so fingers crossed this rain stops at some point.

mrbadexample

djohn2002uk wrote: »

That's another one of MBEs rules broken. No barefaced lies in this thread.

Caveat: Unless it's me.