Soil on top of pebbles

I have a very tall pot which I have to fill up so I am going to fill the bottom third with river pebbles and then put the compost on top. Now the thought has just occured to me, will the soil stay on top or will it slowly trickle down between the pebbles?

Val

 

Anybody done this?

Val

 

I haven't done it but I don't think all of the compost will trickle between the pebbles. Even if it does it will only be a little bit.

What you could do is fill the pot with pebbles then the compost as you said and leave it for a few days before planting it up to see if the compost level drops then you could top it up if it does.

 

I've been known to fill the bottom of large pots with ballast from the builders merchant.

Its good for overwintering bulbs which need good drainage and are usually discarded the following summer.

 

Yes, I meant tall pot I have one of those trailing polyantha roses and I want it to trail down the sides of the pot, but I agree that the soil will get washed down when I water it so I shall just have to fill it up with compost, sure is gonna take a lot!! It is one of these and it's 2' high.


Val

 

Val....if you fill it with pebbles it'll be heavy to lift and move. You could put polystyrene in the bottom and then line the rest with membrane and fill with compost.

 

thats exactly what i used to do with all my large-ish pots @Sheal a layer of polystyrene (the peanut kind) in the bottom to aid drainage & i'd cut a circle of 'weed control' membrane to put on top to stop the compost from drifting down...i also used to put a little of the membrane over the drainage holes...not anymore though im far too lazy for all that faffing about these days

 

I use polystyrene as well on large pots to save on the weight . I use the big bits of packing from cartons and just break it up a bit . I found the soil/compost doesn't wash through it too much.