Plant roots don’t do well sitting in wet soil, so drainage is key to healthy plants. Many books and web sites recommend the addition of stones, pebbles, or pot chards in the bottom of pots to increase drainage. This makes so much common sense that many gardeners believe it.
It is a myth. Adding stones or other bulky material in the bottom of a pot does NOT increase drainage. Scientists have known this for 100 years or more.
In this post I will explain why this does not work, I’ll discuss some other common myths related to drainage and I’ll show you how to increase drainage in ways that work.
