Container drainage clogged by soil

[CrazyConure]

I dug up one of my full containers and the soil was VERY compacted. It has little sifter-like drainage holes in the bottom, but they were clogged by the soil.

I have 3 of the same containers which I want to add holes to, but the are full of soil and plants. I don't want to remove both the soil and plants just to add holes to the bottom. Can I add holes on the sides of the container or does it have to be on the bottom? How can I prevent soil compaction?

 

[SydneyGee]

Styrofoam packing peanuts! They are light, and never breakdown, and are completely harmless. Also broken up pieces of Styrofoam can also work, and be found for free near dumpsters of businesses or grocery stores.

 

[Beverly]

I put a layer of coco fiber at the bottom of a container before adding soil. I also use substratum soil (soil designed for good drainage) on top of the coco fiber layer before adding the regular soil mix i have for containers. Eventually the coco fiber will break down, but even broken down, it remains at the bottom of the container and continues to provide good drainage. Some people use a layer of gravel or lava rock at the bottom of the container before adding soil. I use coco fiber because it is plentiful and inexpensive where i live, but it is not the only option

 

[AntonioCalcano]

Norm

I use a healthy layer of coco fiber at the bottom of containers (and also when i plant or transplant in the garden soil). On top of the coco fiber i add a healthy layer of substratum soil (designed for good drainage), and then i add my regular soil mix. Coco fiber eventually will break down, but continues to provide good drainage. I use coco fiber because it is plentiful and inexpensive where i live. Some people use gravel or lava rock in the same way.

What could also work is water, i just let it flow for an hour or so and it works, just in case you don't have fiber you can try water with some solvent if it's too clogged.

 

[CrazyConure]

I read online that putting pebbles on the bottom for drainage is a myth. Is that true?

Will adding more drainage holes to the sides help get some air flow? I really don't want to dig anything up. My plants are all settled it.

 

[Beverly]

Pebbles work like gravel, but you would need a triple layer so that the soil does not incorporate the pebbles. And, you would need tiny pebbles. A few pebbles are not going to help and the fact that pebbles are rounded allows the soil to fill in the empty spaces. I don't know about drainage holes on the sides. Are you getting any drainage at all? That is, is any water coming out the bottom? Air flow? I wouldn't think so. Water flow? if you are getting some water flow out the bottom, some holes at the base of the container on the sides may help. But really, it must be mud down there so i doubt it. You can experiment (as all we gardeners do), but in the end you will probably have to re pot your plants if you want to save the roots from rotting.

 

[Corzhens]

For clay soil, we use coconut coir (the dried fiber that covers the shell) as additive to the planting medium so the soil will not toughen. If we can get rice husk, it is also a good additive to the soil.

PS. We actually have a problem with our star fruit which is planted in a big rubber pot. The soil may have compacted that when it rains, the water stays and mosquitoes even breed. We had tried using ice pick and a long steel rod to make some holes (from top to bottom) but the water still stays. We suspect that it's not the soil but the roots of the star fruit that has been clogging the drainage of the rubber pot.

 

[MaryMary]

Will adding more drainage holes to the sides help get some air flow?

I watched several YouTube videos for making a DIY compost bin out of a garbage can. The only thing that remained the same of all the directions was to drill some holes in the sides to allow air flow, and to allow excess moisture to drain out. I'd make sure to have the holes line up on opposite sides to ensure air flow... but it doesn't have to be perfect!!

If, as @Beverly said, the bottom is mud, it might not help, but I also agree that experimenting can't hurt!

I don't know how to fix soil that's already compacted.

You may want to do additional googling for "how-to" but if you don't want to use coconut fiber/coconut coir, you could probably use dried Spanish moss.

I'm pretty sure that's available in Florida.

 

[CrazyConure]

I dumped out the soil that was compacted. It was muddy for a long time before I even used it. I think that caused the soil to get messed up. I'll just buy some quality soil next time.

 

[Beverly]

@MaryMary Oh good idea! Spanish moss should be nicely available in Florida and also should work well for drainage and also mulch. Spanish moss will break down faster than coco fiber though. I have used both and have had better results with coco fiber.

@CrazyConure what you want is soil that is mixed to provide good drainage, but something to put at the bottom of the container is equally important. Even good quality soil can clog the holes on the bottom so you need the layer at the bottom (between the soil and the holes) to prevent clogs from happening.

 

[MaryMary]

@MaryMary Oh good idea! Spanish moss should be nicely available in Florida and also should work well for drainage and also mulch. Spanish moss will break down faster than coco fiber though. I have used both and have had better results with coco fiber.

Last time I was in Florida, Spanish moss was everywhere !! Knowing she's a young'un, I figure she's probably on a budget... people would probably pay her to help get rid of it!!

CrazyConure, are these vegetables or annuals? I guess what I'm really asking is... how long do you intend to leave the same plant in the same pot? Various options for drainage will depend on how long it needs to last. I tend to strive for biodegradable things, but if you want to help keep the dirt from sifting down through your gravel, you could also put a mesh bag, (like an onion bag...) on top of the first layer of gravel, then put another layer of gravel over top of that. It would hold up the dirt while allowing water to pass. Just be careful not to let it get root-bound, the roots will wrap around the bag, then tear when you do re-pot it...

 

[Dinu]

In case of the Anthurium in a 9-inch pot I had it was the thick roots that had overgrown and was clogging. I checked at the drain hole but it was fine. So there was re-potting. I use broken pieces of clay pots around the hole [our clay pots have one hole at the side edge of the bottom]. I also add some rough stones [not rounded ones] at the bottom, some twigs also.
In 2-3 pots which had seedlings also clogged. I found out that the culprit to this [though a friend] came from the vermicompost [earthworm]. Earthworms were active inside and their continuous churning the earth in the pot had made the soil to compact and clog. The clog had also gone down to the drainage hole. I was forced to change the soil/mix in the pot.
River sand is mixed in a 50-50 ratio to the 'red earth' we get here to prevent clay from hardening and to aid drainage. Red earth is 'virgin mud' and most likely from a very large anthill site.