Do-it-yourself drainage for indoor plants

For a healthy appearance and chic flowering, it is necessary to take care of the plants. When planting flowers in pots, it is important to take care of the drainage layer so that the plants grow actively and are not susceptible to diseases.

Why do you need drainage for indoor plants

Thanks to the presence of a drainage layer, indoor plants can develop much more actively. There are two types of drainage:

• moderate;
• fast.

Drainage system

When growing orchids and succulents, small pots with 5-6 holes can be preferred. The substrate is poured into the container, mixed with river sand and crushed brick. Plants requiring moist soil should be planted in containers with 1-2 holes. At the same time, peat substrate is poured into the container.

Ornamental crops, the root system of which is quite well developed, fill almost the entire volume of the container. In this case, you will need a pot with a minimum number of holes. As a drainage system, pebbles poured into container pallets are perfect.

The presence of a drainage layer in pots allows:

• abandon daily watering of plantings;
• facilitate the transplant process;
• prevent stagnation of moisture in the soil, acidification of the soil and rotting of the root system.

Other elements of the drainage system

In addition to bulk materials, the drainage system includes:

• the presence of drainage holes on the pot;
• loosening additives to the soil mixture, giving lightness and looseness to the soil.

Using hydroponics means replacing the drainage with a substrate. In this case, all pots should have drainage holes. It is advisable to select the dimensional characteristics and the number of holes individually for each decorative culture.

The presence of a plastic and polymer container makes it possible to independently adjust the number of drainage holes. When buying a ceramic or terracotta pot, it is important to initially assess the drainage capacity, because holes can no longer be added.

Which drainage is best for indoor flowers

The most popular drainage system materials are described below.

Crushed stone, pebbles and gravel

The use of a medium-sized fraction of pebbles, crushed stone or gravel allows you to get an excellent drainage system for ornamental crops. The listed materials are ideal for small planters in which plants are grown that do not need to be repotted frequently. The disadvantages of these materials include their large mass.

Drainage for ornamental crops

Vermiculite and perlite

Perlite, along with vermiculite, has a number of positive properties, namely:

• sterility;
• low thermal conductivity;
• resistance to infection.

Due to the listed positive characteristics, vermiculite and perlite are often used by flower growers to create a drainage layer.Due to the presence of materials in the soil, it can be noted that there are no signs of soil acidification and the growth of mold with fungus.

Drainage materials

What other materials can be used in the process of creating a drainage system? What can replace the drainage for flowers at home? This question often worries flower growers. The information below will help you choose the most suitable material to create a drainage layer.

Expanded clay

Lightweight porous building products are among the most popular drainage materials available at any supermarket. To create a drainage layer, it is recommended to use the middle fraction of foamed and fired clay particles. The size of the middle fraction is in the range of 5-20 mm.

The main advantage of expanded clay is the ability to accumulate moisture and the ability to return it as needed. The presence of expanded clay in the soil allows you not to worry about maintaining an optimal water balance. In addition, experienced florists highlight such advantages of drainage material as:

• low cost;
• small weight;
• long service life.

Agronomists advise filling the soil surface with a small layer of expanded clay in order to eliminate overheating of the earth and prevent excess evaporation. At the same time, it is important not to cover the surface of the earth with a large layer of expanded clay, so as not to disrupt air exchange and not to provoke the appearance of mold.

Broken brick

Clay is a part of red brick. That is why such a material will be an excellent analogue of expanded clay. Most often, finding a red brick in a private yard is not difficult. Florists often use it to create a drainage system for indoor plants.

Drainage

Ceramic shards

Ceramic shards, along with shards of dishes, are the most affordable material for creating a drainage system. The main advantages of broken dishes include:

• small mass;
• lack of the ability to absorb and retain moisture.

How to drain houseplants

As soon as the florist has decided which drainage is best for indoor flowers, you can start preparing the planting containers and laying the drainage layer.

Step-by-step installation process

Before starting work, all the tools that will be used in the process of laying drainage for indoor plants with your own hands must be disinfected.

Then they act in the following sequence:

1. Containers for planting flowers are wiped with a dry towel.
2. In the case of using crushed stone or expanded clay, it is worth washing the material under running water, disinfecting it and, after covering it with a small layer on paper, dry it outside.
3. The dried material is spread in a small layer into the planting containers. When choosing the thickness of the drainage layer, it is worth considering the type of plants that you plan to grow. With a large number of drainage holes at the bottom of the tank, you can limit yourself to 1-1.5 cm of the drainage layer. If only 1 hole is made on the pots, it is recommended to increase the thickness of the bedding to 3 cm.
4. The draining material is evenly distributed in the container.
5. When using fines drainage, 15 mm of soil is poured over the material.Drainage for indoor plants of a coarse fraction, implies adding a small amount of coarse sand.

At the end, soil is poured into the pots and seeds / seedlings are sown.

What should not be used as drainage?

Not every material can be used to create a drainage layer. It is unacceptable to use as drainage:

• nutshells;
• bark of trees;
• eggshells.

Organic materials contribute to the formation of mold plaque in the pot. The material has a negative effect on the acidic composition of the soil, which can provoke the development of various diseases.

No less dangerous for plants is marble chips, which, in the process of interacting with water, contribute to a change in the acid composition and an increase in alkalinity in the soil.

Nut crumb - not used in the drainage system

Errors in the manufacture of drainage

Flower growers deprived of experience often make mistakes when creating a drainage layer. Below are the main mistakes that should be avoided when laying drainage:

1. Ignoring the advice not to use river sand leads to clogging of the drain holes with grains of sand.
2. The use of too coarse fractions of the material at hand does not help retain moisture. The liquid flows into the trays.
3. The use of natural materials as drainage leads to rotting of the root system of plants.
4. The well-being of green spaces may deteriorate if foam is used as drainage.

Drainage stones for indoor plants

Instead of crushed stone and gravel, you can use small sea and aquarium stones when laying the drainage layer. The materials are able to perform the function of drainage and effectively decorate the surface of the soil in containers. The disadvantage of such materials will be the high cost.

Taking proper care of indoor flowers will help you grow healthy plants that will delight you with lush flowering every year. Such flowers will decorate any interior and create comfort in the apartment.