Container plants

Tina.vincent

Hi should all container plants kept outside have a tray/base underneath the pot? I have made sure all pots have holes in the bottom but most of mine are just sitting on the ground. If they are meant to have a tray underneath should I put water in there or in the top? 

Borderline

It's more to do with the type of plants you have. Some plants need very free draining soil, whilst others not so. In summer, to conserve water, it's always better to have a pot underneath to hold onto water that escapes.

Also, pots can become clogged up over time without a pot underneath causing waterlogging. You can use pot feet or similar to keep the pot slightly raised off the floor to stop this from happening. Ideal for heavier pots over the winter months.

If the pots are small, you can water into the pot from underneath, but generally, you should water from soil level down, and water slowly and repeat a few times over to make sure the water gets all the way through the soil.

Tina.vincent

Thank you I have pot feet on 2 of the bigger ones. May need pots underneath for some of the smaller ones.