If you only do one job in your garden this weekend, raise patio planters on pot risers so roots don’t sit in wet soil and rot in this wetter weather. Sliding risers underneath pots only takes a few minutes yet it drastically improves drainage to stop soil from sitting soggy. And it’s waterlogged soil – not the cold weather – that’s the number one reason potted plants die over winter. So, this quick container gardening trick to keep soil well-drained will have a huge impact on your plants’ health, and whether or not they survive into spring.
You see, roots need to breathe: just like we humans, they take in oxygen and release carbon dioxide. In saturated soil, water displaces air and roots suffocate. Some plants can cope longer than others but the wet, oxygen-depleted soil also creates the perfect environment for fungus and bacteria to thrive, leading to rotting roots. The more roots are compromised, the less able a plant is able to fight the attack, and a vicious cycle begins. And this is such a common problem in fall, making this task one of the most vital October gardening jobs.
Take a closer look at your patio planters and you’ll find there’s very little room for water to escape from the drainage hole of a pot sitting directly on paving or decking, even if it’s not set in a saucer. Now that’s fine in summer with low rainfall and high evaporation rates, but once fall clouds roll in, higher rainfall quickly causes water to permanently pool in pot bases.
What’s more, when winter arrives and that water freezes and expands, ice can rupture root cells, causing severe and often fatal damage. So, even when plants are plenty hardy enough to cope with the chill of winter, they kick the bucket because they simply can’t survive with their roots in permanently saturated soil.
How to Keep Potted Plants Alive Through Winter
The good news is that there’s a super-simple solution to this widespread problem, and it’s one of the most fundamental of container gardening ideas you can DIY on a budget. First of all, get rid of any plant saucers as they hold water around the roots. Then raise your pots up off the ground – just an inch is plenty – to free that all-important drainage hole and allow rainfall to pass right through the soil. You can buy pot toes, pot risers or plant stands, and there are options for every budget and garden style, or simply use whatever you’ve already got such as flat pebbles or old bricks.
All plants will benefit from their pots being raised through fall and winter, but especially plants that need great drainage like lavender and santolina.
Raising pots in fall will also protect your paving or deck from becoming marked with pot rings or algae, saving you the time and expense of scrubbing these off in spring. An essential step in winterizing your garden, raising pots will also help to protect containers from cracking, particularly terracotta. Part of the Weekend Win series, raising pots to keep roots safe from rot is one of those easy jobs that brings a big reward.
Which Pot Riser Option Suits Your Garden Best?
1. Pot Toes or Feet
Let’s start with the simplest, cheapest option for this essential part of fall gardening. Pot toes, also called pot feet, sit under the base of a planter with a raised section jutting out to hold it steady against the container’s outer wall. You need at least three toes for each pot, and more for larger planters. As well as being practical, some pot toes can add a decorative touch.
Plastic triangle pot toes typically come in bulk packs, and look for designs like this that can be vertically stacked to create sharper drainage if required. They’re cheap and effective, and work well on uneven decking and paving.
For bigger pots, you need more robust pot toes, and although they’re more expensive, they’re also more durable. Do check the size as some are uselessly small – these measure 3.1” x 1.6” so will support planters up to 20” in diameter.
Decorative pot toes, typically made of resin, may be adorable but are only suitable for very small pots as the surface area the planter will sit on is often tiny. Keep these for that little pot of pansies on your patio table.
2. Pot Risers
Pot risers differ from pot toes because they’re designed to sit under the planter, often out of sight. Because most offer more surface area for pot bases to sit on, they’re a good bet for bigger, heavier planters or more fragile materials like terracotta. You’ll also find them a stable option for bowl planters and pots with sides that slope sharply outwards.
These solid rubber pot risers are textured for grip so stay in place. They’re a practical solution for bigger planters of all shapes as you can use as many as you need, and with 24 in a pack, they’re great value.
This purpose-made plastic plant stand carries up to 500lbs so supports the weight of bigger containers well. Suitable for pots with a base of up to 16” diameter, it can easily be cut to size to sit under smaller planters.
Bulk packs of plastic plant-riser discs are a cheap solution but check they’re made of durable material designed for outdoors, and only use for small pots. Many pot inserts are sold as plant risers and aren’t strong enough for this job.
Plant Stand
Of course, another option to keep that all-important drainage hole free is to pop pots on a plant stand. This adds style to your patio and it’s quick and easy if you want to rearrange pots. Be sure to look for rust-resistant powder-coated metal which won’t create lasting stains on your paving or decking.
Equipping your patio pots with plant stands needn’t be expensive as this 5-pack of metal designs proves. Heights range from 3.4″ to 7.28″ and diameters from 7.97″ to 11.42′ to accommodate plenty of pots.
If aesthetics are high on your garden list, Target has a great range of architectural plant stands from Achla Designs such as this contemporary beauty. It’s made from wrought iron with a powder-coated finish and striking good looks.
A single plant stand that can accommodate all your smaller pots is often a cheaper option than buying lots of individual risers, and this handy corner design is also available in white, with each shelf supporting 50lbs.
More Weekend Wins
This feature is part of the Weekend Wins series, packed with quick and easy 10-minute tasks and gardening tips and tricks that bring a big reward.
Aerate Grass
This great-value gardening tool transforms lawns in fall, fast, if you want lush grass next year for next-to-no effort.
Ripen Tomatoes
There’s an easy way to trick tomato plants into speeding still-green fruit straight to red, and it doesn’t cost a dime.
Get Xmas Blooms
Christmas cactus blooms are a delightful part of holiday decor when you trick plants into flowering on time.
Plant Pansies
Tuck cold-hardy pansies into pots and hanging baskets for months of easy-breezy fall-to-winter blooms.
Add lawn bulbs
Plant fast-growing bulbs in your lawn and enjoy drifts of these pretty lavender-hued blooms in a few weeks.
Revive Pots
Treat tired flowering plants in pots to some tomato feed and fuel another flush of fresh growth.
