What should you put in the bottom of a planter box?
Adding rocks can actually trap water, harm your plants’ roots, and even damage your container over time. So, what really belongs in the bottom of your planter? High-quality potting soil—nothing else. One such debunked garden habit is adding rocks or gravel to the bottoms of pots and planters in an effort to improve drainage. However, this practice has been shown to be more problematic because of the collection of stagnant water and pushes the saturated water table layer up; increasing the risk of root rot.Place gravel in the bottom of the outer pot if the decorative pot is deep enough. A little excess water can accumulate in the gravel without the plant roots having to stand in water.Adding rocks can actually trap water, harm your plants’ roots, and even damage your container over time. So, what really belongs in the bottom of your planter? High-quality potting soil—nothing else.