by Jan Lazor

Created on: August 11, 2011   Last Updated: August 12, 2011

Flower pots can enhance the appearance of your favorite house plants and flowering displays. Unless the pot is molded with a drain hole in the bottom, ceramic planters and terra cotta pots can spell doom for your favorite blooms.

Potted plants need to be showcased in containers equipped with a good drainage system in the event of over watering, whether from natural rainfall or over watering by an eager gardener. Unless excess water can filter through the soil and drain away from the roots of your  potted plants, the roots may develop root rot if they are exposed to standing water for an extended period of time. Root rot will eventually cause your potted plant to whither and die since it will rob the plant of the ability to draw moisture and nutrients from the soil.

No, that doesn’t mean you have to discard the ceramic planter you inherited from your grandmother because it was manufactured without the requisite drain hole in the bottom. Don’t reach for the drill either. Instead there are some simple things you can do to insure your plants stayhealthy and still display your family heirloom.

Before you pot your plants in a closed container, build a layer of small rocks and gravel in the bottom of the pot. If you have broken or chippedterra cotta pots that you intend to throw away, you can recycle them. Put the chipped or broken pottery in a heavy bag, such as the double walled bags from fertilizer or lime. Use a hammer and break-up any excessively large pieces so they will fit into your closed flowerpot.

Using cracked and broken pots is an excellent way to create drainage in a container. Terra cotta is a very porous material that readily absorbs water. It also acts as a time release tool to keep your potted soil moist during droughts or periods when you forget to water your container plants or you have to be away from them for a short  period of time.

The type of soil mixture is also key to providing good drainage for your potted plants. The soil mix should be  a mix of  loam and vermiculite that will keep the soil from becoming compressed over time.

If  you don’t have gravel or broken pottery pieces, styrofoam packing pieces also work well to add  a layer for a water reservoir at the bottom of a closed planter. Another method that will let you use grandma’s favorite flowerpot even though it does not have a drainage hole. According to www.urbanext.Illinois.edu double potting is also an option. This method involves potting your plants in a plain plastic planter that will fit inside your closed flower pot. This method provides the best of both worlds, healthy roots for your plants and  a pretty container to  display your  prized plants.

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