How to Plant in Pots Without Drainage Holes – 4 Simple Solutions
I love plants, we all know that!
But do you know what I love even more?
Improving the quality of my living space with plants!
How do I improve the quality of my living space with plants?
I choose the plants with certain benefits that suit specific areas around the house and I dress them up in pots that fit both the plant and its surrounding space.
Most of the times, the decorative pots and containers I choose for my plants and home, come with no drainage holes. Sometime, these containers are meant for other functions but I still like to use them as planters.
Sometime, they are baskets that would leak water everywhere if I were to simply drop a plant in it. And sometime, they are just pots without drainage holes!
I still use them and my plants still thrive in them!
How?
I’ve got tricks! And I am going to share these tricks with you.
I should call these tricks solutions, as they are simple solutions around those beautiful and perfect pots without drainage holes.
Poor drainage is one of the biggest causes of house plants damage and even death.
We’ve all experienced the consequences of poor drainage in our pots. The most common and apparent symptom of poor drainage is the browning of the leaves tips, followed by Soprophytic Fungus, (white and fluffy mould), appearance on the surface soil.
Over watering a plant in a pot with poor or no drainage at all, will kill your plant!
Why is it so important to provide plants with proper drainage?
Drainage holes allow water to drain from the soil promoting good air flow through the roots and flushing out the excessive salts that have built up in the soil.
If water does not have a way to drain freely, it gets trapped inside the pot and eventually deprives the roots of oxygen, creating root rot, which is fatal to plants.
So, before you go ahead and read the solutions to planting in a pot without drainage holes, I want you to keep in mind these two fundamental aspects of plant care;
- Research your plant’s needs for light, water and fertilization. Solving drainage problems is not the only way to keep your plant healthy! You may have the best draining system in place but if you don’t place your plant in the right location and don’t water it properly, you will still have issues with it.
- Make sure your plant has the proper soil! Some plants require more draining soil than others. Cactus and succulents require specific soil as well as orchids and tropicals. Having the correct soil for your plant will insure the proper drainage as well. If the soil is not draining water well in the first place, there is almost no point in providing the right draining system around it.
Here we go!
Solution 1 - place PLant inside non draining pot
This is the most basic solution, to the point I even questioned the need to actually list it in this article!
However, even though you have your plant’s draining pot inside your beautiful non draining pot, it is critical that you check for excess water at the bottom of the non draining pot a few hours after watering your plant. This solution is not a draining solution! This is a way to avoid repotting your plant inside this container. You will still need to remove the excess water from the pot to avoid water logging of the roots.
Step 1.
Here’s your beautiful decorative pot without drainage holes. This pot is clearly bigger in diameter than your plant’s original draining pot.
Step. 2
Here’s your plant. It clearly needs to be dressed up with a nicer container. However, the container you have chosen, doesn’t have drainage holes…
step 3.
Simply place your plant in its original draining pot inside the decorative container without drainage holes.
step 4.
And here it is! Problem solved! Now make sure you discard the excess water at the bottom of the decorative pot.
Here’s another example of a cachepot. A cachepot is basically an overpot without drainage. This term is mostly used for baskets and fabric containers but it can apply to integrated stands like this one.
I would never place a cactus inside a pot without drainage holes, so I simply placed its original draining pot inside this gorgeous stand. (Notice how the stand materials and white and beige colours flow with the surrounding space finishes and colours and at the same time contrast the cactus green tone?).
Solution 2 - Place Plant & Saucer inside cachepot
This is another very easy solution that can be mostly used to adapt containers meant for a different function to be planters. This solution can be used for baskets, fabric containers and other types of containers that would otherwise leak or absorb water.
Step 1.
Place a saucer inside your cachepot making sure it’s levelled.
Step. 2
Make sure the plant you are transferring inside the cachepot has drainage holes.
step 3.
Place the plant inside the cachepot and adjust it to sit right on the saucer.
step 4.
And here you have it! A big and tall Snake Plant inside a basket. The basket colour and material matches the colour and material of the peacock chair on which it is sitting on.
This basket is available on Amazon.
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Solution 3 - PLACE PLANT & DRAINING ROCKS INSIDE NON DRAINING POT
In this solution you are still placing your plant in its original draining pot inside a pot without drainage holes.
This is by far my favourite solution! It kills three birds with one stone! How?
- 1) By adding a layer of draining rocks to the bottom of a pot without drainage holes, you can prop the plant higher, which helps prevent plant suffocation. (If the space between the draining pot and non draining pot is minimal there is a risk of “sealing” the plant pot. Not enough air circulation around the pot, will kill the roots).
This picture shows what you want to avoid; when the plant’s original draining pot is placed inside a pot without drainage holes and it is so tight that there isn’t even a gap in between the pots, it creates a sealed effect. This way, the air can’t circulate near the roots of the plant, which will eventually die.
- 2) The layer of draining rocks will prevent excess water coming from the draining pot sitting on top of it, to pool around it.
- 3) The combination of water pooling at the bottom of the draining rocks layer with the rocks themselves, creates a pebble tray that provides humidity to those house plants that thrive on higher levels of humidity, such as tropicals and ferns.
Step 1.
Always make sure the plant you are placing inside a pot without drainage holes has a pot with drainage holes.
Step. 2
Depending on the size of your plant and its pots, add a good layer of draining rocks to the bottom of the pot without drainage holes. Add enough rocks so that your plant’s original pot can stick out of the decorative pot.
step 3.
Place your plant and its draining pot inside the decorative pot.
step 4.
Notice how the original pot sticks out from the decorative pot? This way you allow air to circulate in between the pots and excess moisture from watering to evaporate.
Here is your plant inside a decorative pot without drainage holes.
Notice how the original container is sticking out of the decorative one? In situations in which you really want your plant in a tight decorative container, you need to make sure the colour of its original pot is matching the decorative pot.
Solution 4 - create draining layers inside your non draining pot
This is when you actually take your plant’s original pot with drainage holes off and place the plant inside a pot without drainage holes.
I call this solution the layering method as you basically need to create draining layers inside the pot without drainage holes.
There are several skeptics on this method, claiming that water does not travel well from one medium to another, (from soil to rocks), and for this reason, water or the excess of it, will remain within the soil, instead of draining down into the rocks.
This method has been a solution for me with certain plants. I have several thriving plants planted inside pots without drainage holes that have the draining layers at the bottom, including terrariums. This is in-fact the same layering I use to assemble terrariums, with the exception of extra layers of decorative rocks or shells!
I would avoid this method for Ferns and certain tropical plants that are prone to brown tips. I have been successful with Spider Plants, Rubber Plants, Snake Plants and even Pileas. The trick is to not over water them!
Step 1.
Prepare all your layers and required tools depending on the size of plant you are repotting.
Step. 2
Add a first layer of drainage rocks. The thickness really depends on the size of pot you are using. I generally use a minimum 1″ of rocks for pots between 4″-12″ in diameter.
step 3.
Add a layer of Activated Charcoal to further prevent roots rot. This layer is generally thinner than the drainage rocks layer.
You can find activated charcoal on Amazon.
step 4.
Add a layer of soil that is appropriate for the plant species you are planting. Generally speaking, you want to use a good draining mix when working with a pot without drainage holes.
Step 5.
Place your plant on top of the soil layer and add soil all around to fill the pot.
Step 6.
Here is your plant inside a pot without drainage holes. In this particular case, you need to be extra cautious when watering your plant. Too much water will still drown your plant!. Always use your finger to determine if your plant needs water!
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Hey you! Are you a middle-aged mother of tweens and/or teens?
- Do you feel like you are constantly running around, taking care of everyone else’s needs but your own? It’s all schedules, appointments, and endless to-do lists. There is just no time for you, and it feels like what you do is never really acknowledged.
- You are always exhausted because you are dealing at the same time with tweens and teens kids that are emotionally evolving, aging parents needing more help and support, as well as your perimenopausal symptoms.
- You often feel guilty for dedicating some time to yourself instead of prioritizing your children’s healthy dinner, a phone call to your parents, or dusting the living room shelves.
- Despite your best efforts, you constantly feel inadequate and ‘not enough’.
If you relate to this, click the link below to get my FREE ‘Reclaim 10 Hours in Your Day With My 5 Day E-Mail Guide Without Sacrificing Family Time, Even If You Are Already Multitasking From 5 am Till Midnight’.
Are you ready to reclaim your energy and find your purpose beyond motherhood? Click the link to Start
Hey Midlife Mom!
Reclaim 10 Hours in Your Day With My 5 Day E-Mail Guide Without Sacrificing Family Time, Even If You Are Already Multitasking From 5 am Till Midnight
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Thank you, that was great.
I LOVE the “Let’s Run Away” artwork in the background of the first picture !!! Can you possibly tell me if it’s for sale ? Or where I might find it ? It’s the perfect gift for my husband !!
Thank you so much ! Barbara S.
BTW- love your article telling me how to plant my little fiddle leaf into a basket. I’m going to follow you,for sure
Hi Barbara! Unfortunately that sign is not for sale…I bought it many years ago somewhere in the States but I cannot remember where, sorry!
Glad you enjoyed my article though! Thanks.
Hello, this is where you can buy the art piece! https://society6.com/product/lets-run-away_print
Here is where you can find the print! https://society6.com/product/lets-run-away_print