What are the holes on the bottom of the pot

Potted plants, whether flowers, cacti or edible crops grown in pots.

If they are not on the balcony and inside the apartment, in contrast to their vegetable counterparts, have a constant temperature of the medium and the lack of direct sunlight.

In short, the life of plants in pots is very different from the lives of those that grow in the ground under the open sky. One significant difference is the need for artificial abduction of excess water, or - in the drainage.

When watering the root water infiltrates the ground and goes down to the bottom of the pot. If the bottom is solid, then excessive watering will cause that builds up at the bottom of the moisture and the roots of plants simply suffocate from loss of access to oxygen.

Some owners of these pots are sure that if a slightly reduce the amount of water, it will not accumulate and will be all right. Actually this is not true.

Indeed, limiting the watering can to ensure that water will not stagnate. But at the same time there are two problems. The first - is the risk of elementary plant retain moisture.

Fearing the "overflow", the owners can forget about the rate of water consumption. The second problem is more insidious because it is not immediately. It is linked to the development of fungal infections.

If the owner of the well pick up water rate, so that the plant will not have to dry up or drowned, it really is quite well to grow for some time.

But due to the fact that the bottom of the pot does not have access to the air, damp earth begins to turn sour, covered with mold. In a moist environment it is very active breed pathogens, and plant roots sooner or later they will be amazed.

In the early stages of the disease may help transplant into a pot with drainage (always with fresh soil). If the disease is started, the plant will die.

To avoid all these hassles, you just have to buy the pots with drainage holes, or drill them yourself in continuous pots. This simple measure would be sufficient to remove excess moisture.

An additional layer of expanded clay or stones actually is not mandatory - the main thing that was out of water. Usually pots with drainage are on the outside at the bottom of the projections, which lift it above the tray.

If the pot tight to the bottom of it, it is necessary to make a stand (suitable even a pair of folded pieces of paper) that the holes were opened.

In addition to aeration holes on the bottom of the pot and serve a different purpose. These are used in so-called "bottom watering" when instead of pouring water from the top, it is poured into a small amount in the pot tray.

This method is used only for plants with a well developed root system, so they were able to pull water from the soil. Seedlings and seeds were sown only in this way do not water.

Summarizing, we can say that the house plants really need to be potted with holes. This small detail helps prevent major problems.