Selecting Suitable Soil for Your Planter Box
Fillin' a planter doesn't gotta break the bank or your back! Want to skip the heavy soil loads? Filler materials to the rescue!
Whether your planter's outdoors or indoors, drainage is key to keep roots happy and healthy. Outdoor planters need drainage holes, while indoor ones can benefit from the cache pot method to stop spills. If your planter's a permanent fixture, heavy filler materials like broken pottery or tiles, logs, or upside-down terracotta pots provide stability. But if it's movable or hanging, lightweight choices like plastic bottles, packing peanuts, foam takeaway containers, or styrofoam are the way to go!
What's more, organic materials such as sticks, pinecones, or other natural fillers are great for edible plants.
So, what's a filler's purpose? Well, it's to support the plant, elevate it to just the right height, improve drainage, save you a few bucks, and make your planter either heavy or lightweight as needed.
Here's what you'll learn: how much soil you'll need, what filler materials you can use, their pros and cons, how to layer your planter, and the effect different fillers have on drainage.
First things first: how much soil do you really need? Depends on the size of your planter and the type of plants you're growin'. For flowers or annuals with shallow root systems, you'll need about 6-8 inches of soil. Deeper-rooted plants like tomatoes, basil, parsley, black-eyed Susans, or purple coneflowers need at least 12-18 inches.
Purpose
Large planters? Save on soil by using inorganic materials like empty plastic bottles or milk jugs. Just make sure they're not blocked by the soil and that the drainage is still good.
Support the plant, elevate the plant to the right height, improve drainage, save money, make the planter heavy or lightweight
What filler materials can you use, ya ask? Lots! Here's a quick rundown on lightweight options:
- Plastic water and soda bottles
- Foam takeaway containers
- Styrofoam packing materials
- Crushed aluminium cans
- Expanded clay pellets
- Wood chips
- Bricks
- Pebbles
- Gravel
- Sand
- Logs
- Rocks
- Pine cones
- Sticks
Amount
Heavy duty filler materials:
Enough to elevate the plant to the right height, but not so much that it spills out when watered
- Broken pottery or tiles
- Large logs and branches
- Up-turned terracotta pots
- Clay balls
- Broken pieces of concrete
- Empty beer or wine bottles
- Recycled cardboard pieces
- Coconut coir
Pro tip: Some filler materials might affect drainage or leach chemicals into the soil, so choose wisely! Plus, lighter fillers are great if you're planter's movable, while heavier options provide stability for bigger, permanent planters.
Type
Now, let's talk layers! Start by choosing a suitable filler material. Fill the bottom, then layer it with permeable landscape fabric or newspaper. This will keep the filler and soil separate, and help with future transplants if needed. Finally, add your soil, leaving a few inches from the rim for watering. Plant your baby, water it well, and watch it thrive!
Potting soil or compost, not regular garden soil
Just a heads up: the drainage abilities of different fillers can impact your plants. Gravel and rocks improve drainage, while rocks at the bottom can actually slow it down due to surface tension. Sand mixed into the soil can help, and upside-down terracotta pots at the bottom of your planter will pull moisture away and create drainage spaces.
Gravel, clay balls, pine cones, plastic bottles, styrofoam, broken pottery or tiles, large logs and branches, sand, moss, etc.
So, which filler's right for you? It depends on your plant's needs, planter's location, and your personal preference. Don't be afraid to experiment and have fun! Happy gardening!
Filler materials
