Watering potted plants — why drainage is absolutely essential

Drainage in pots — every hole matters

You water your pot thoroughly, water flows through the drain — everything's fine. But the saucer under the pot has been standing full of water for three days. And that's a problem.

Standing water in the saucer = roots constantly soaked in oxygen-free conditions. Most plants lose their roots in such conditions — and wilt even though the soil is wet.

Basic rules:

1. Every pot must have holes in the bottom — minimum one, preferably several
2. The saucer serves to collect excess water when watering — empty it 30 minutes after watering
3. A drainage layer (expanded clay, gravel, ceramic shards) at the bottom improves drainage in pots with small holes

   Symptoms of poor drainage:

   • Lower leaves yellow for no apparent reason
   • Substrate wet for a week without watering
   • Plant wilts despite clearly wet substrate (rotted roots can't absorb water)

     Decorative pots without holes:
     Use a plastic pot with holes inside a decorative ceramic one. Outer vase, functional pot inside.

     When expanded clay makes sense:
     In plastic pots with a single small hole — a 2–3 cm layer at the bottom significantly improves the situation.

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