What do you use for drainage?

Irina

I recently heard that expanded clay is very harmful due to chemicals. Tell me, what can replace it? Will ordinary sea pebbles work? If so, does it need to be treated in any way before use?

You know, I didn’t recognize or read anything anywhere, but I myself put a layer of sand at the bottom of the pot, and on top I have sea pebbles... The flowers grow and rejoice.

I also used polystyrene foam as drainage: I crushed it into small pieces and placed it on the bottom of the pots. But what I don’t like is that in small pots, when using immersion watering, the foam can float to the surface of the ground.

I have the opportunity to collect broken red brick from an old building, this is environmentally friendly and convenient drainage, because bricks were previously made from natural materials, and I also collect pebbles from river sand.

I use stones for drainage. Unlike foam, stones seem more natural to me. You can also use gravel, crushed stone, expanded clay, and broken bricks as drainage. My mother-in-law uses foam. Although polystyrene foam is a synthetic material, its flowers grow beautifully.

And I use expanded clay as drainage in flower pots - it is light, natural, cheap, and is sold in flower shops. It is very convenient to use - plants with such drainage feel good.

I use pebbles, but in general, it’s easier to make a hole in the bottom. Once upon a time I came across a pile of broken bricks - they were like flat plates. With the stones there was generally excellent drainage.

various pebbles

I was surprised about polystyrene foam, I googled it, they actually use it a lot

but it’s easier with a stand and a hole in the pot, but you need to water it more often

various pebbles

I was surprised about polystyrene foam, I googled it, they actually use it a lot

but it’s easier with a stand and a hole in the pot, but you need to water it more often

various pebbles

I was surprised about polystyrene foam, I googled it, they actually use it a lot

but it’s easier with a stand and a hole in the pot, but you need to water it more often

I use walnut shells or regular crushed stone. Polystyrene foam is also possible, I tried it, but for some reason it seems to me that it does not allow water to pass through well and it stagnates, which has a bad effect on the root system of the flower.

Yes, any small pebbles are quite suitable, and even more so marine ones. You can also use polystyrene foam. True, it has its drawback: the roots can grow through it and then it will be more difficult to replant the plant.

Pebbles from river or sea. I only use natural drainage. Previously, nut shells were used as polystyrene foam, is it an environmentally friendly material?