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Drainage Holes for Bottom Watering? On this Pot?

I just went to Lowe's and Home Depot looking for something to put my D. adelae in so it can fill a bigger pot. Well, I went to Walmart first, because I knew they had the planter I wanted before, but now it's all Christmas junk. So I bought this pot, with hopes of being able to use the drainage holes for bottom watering. Its shape makes me worry a little.

IMG_4032.JPG


IMG_4033.JPG

there are small circles within those two big circles you see there, and they punch out. Should I drill more holes near the edges, or should this be good? Or will the middle of the pot always be wetter than the outside with this pot design, since I obviously can't have holes underneath the edges like with the traditional flower pot shape?


I plan to water it with this, after I trim down the sides a little so that it can can reach the bottom:
IMG_4035.JPG



Thanks
 
I think that the drainage that it already has are fine.
 
I agree, looks fine.
 
In case I wasn't clear, because I reread, I wasn't very clear, I want to use these holes to water from the bottom, not as drainage for top watering.

So you guys think this is fine for watering the pot from the bottom with the outer water tray? Okay. I punched those two holes out with scissors.

I realized I'm low on LFS, and I don't know if I can still find it anywhere this time of year.
 
Yep, that's fine.
 
Yes, I understood what you meant, so yes, I believe it's fine for a water tray.
 
Yes, I understood what you meant, so yes, I believe it's fine for a water tray.

Thank you. Now, to procure some more LFS. I might have gotten mine from Walmart, which doesn't have a garden section this time of year. I may have to turn to the internet.

Thanks again for letting me know this pot is fine. I'm excited to put my adelae in here.
 
I see a death cube in the first and last pictures. *chuckles*

Going to a home improvement store is dangerous business, the CP stands are hard to resist.
 
I see a death cube in the first and last pictures. *chuckles*

Going to a home improvement store is dangerous business, the CP stands are hard to resist.

Yup. I addressed it here. I think I'm glad I got it, though.
 
  • #10
The Lowe's on the West Coast almost always has long fiber sphagnum moss, both the domestic Mosser-Lee and Chilean. The Chilean are in bricks labeled "Orchid Moss".

And I've notice Home Depot has been carrying Mosser-Lee since the summer of last year.

The quality of the domestic stuff has been pretty poor compared to three years ago but if you hunt through the bags you can find one or two of passable quality. Just resurrect some and make your own long fiber sphagnum.
 
  • #11
So that's the infamous death cube...
 
  • #12
The Lowe's on the West Coast almost always has long fiber sphagnum moss, both the domestic Mosser-Lee and Chilean. The Chilean are in bricks labeled "Orchid Moss".

And I've notice Home Depot has been carrying Mosser-Lee since the summer of last year.

The quality of the domestic stuff has been pretty poor compared to three years ago but if you hunt through the bags you can find one or two of passable quality. Just resurrect some and make your own long fiber sphagnum.

I found two bags of Mosser Lee at Lowe's yesterday, so I got that. I guess I got the domestic, because I didn't get the "Orchid Moss." Maybe I should have?

I picked out a whole lot of the sticks I came across when filling my new pot.
 
  • #13
It's a horrible waste of the Chilean moss if you're just using it to line the bottom pots if you ask me.

You can also buy a small roll of fiberglass screen and use that on the bottom of pots. It lasts longer the most plastic pots and is reusable.
 
  • #14
It's a horrible waste of the Chilean moss if you're just using it to line the bottom pots if you ask me.

You can also buy a small roll of fiberglass screen and use that on the bottom of pots. It lasts longer the most plastic pots and is reusable.

I'm not lining a pot; I'm filling it completely with LFS. So that D. adelae can grow in it, and spread. :)
 
  • #15
Why Just Use LFS?
I have several pots like that an i used pealite an gravel (fine) as well as some peat an LFS an about half way or in the middle of the pot i drilled a few holes to let the water drain . An just a 2 cents worth i wouldnt try hanging that thing , i notice that there is a loop with sting bad idea. IMHO . i did this over the summer an the sunny an heat weakened the edges an on side broke . i had plants all over the ground .

daren
 
  • #16
Why Just Use LFS?
I have several pots like that an i used pealite an gravel (fine) as well as some peat an LFS an about half way or in the middle of the pot i drilled a few holes to let the water drain . An just a 2 cents worth i wouldnt try hanging that thing , i notice that there is a loop with sting bad idea. IMHO . i did this over the summer an the sunny an heat weakened the edges an on side broke . i had plants all over the ground .

daren

I read that adelae is good in 100% LFS. I don't plan on hanging the pot, as I'm using the holes for bottom-watering, and it's sitting in a water tray. It's sitting on my dresser right now in a container with a little water in it.

Thanks for the into about the hanging part, though. I'd considered getting another one for my Nep, but I won't.
 
  • #17
Ah, well if it was me I would have left the leaves and twigs in since they grow with a lot of leaf litter in the natural habitat. Not that it seems to make a difference.
 
  • #18
It took less than a week for mold to start growing on the top of the LFS. Ugh. Maybe I really should have microwaved it. I guess I'll just keep picking it off.

:(
 
  • #19
It's not uncommon for dried long fiber sphagnum to grow a white fuzz when re-wet. This usually goes away within a week or two with no harmful effects.

Cooking your sphagnum in the microwave achieves little except causing it to break down more rapidly. If you want to sterilize your peat moss or long fiber sphagnum moss rinse it with a 10% bleach solution and then rinse well with water after a few minutes or so. Of course you lessen the chances of live Sphagnum germinating from spores that way.
 
  • #20
It took less than a week for mold to start growing on the top of the LFS. Ugh. Maybe I really should have microwaved it. I guess I'll just keep picking it off.

:(

Mold is usually the first sign of lack of air circulation. Try placing a small fan on your grow rack. You can find some for less than $10 at Wal-mart. I have one medium size one blowing pretty strongly throughout the room and one small one for the rack that requires a bit more air circulation.
 
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