To crock or not to crock

[Skyedriver]

In house battle, for the last 50+ years I've always put a few bits of broken pot in the bottom of any pot I'm planting up as drainage.
Now Monty Bleeding Don has said you shouldn't put anything in the bottom of the pot, wife watched this and now I'm in the wrong,
Am I?

[paulw123]

I was always under the impression that a crock was used to cover the drainage hole of the pot to stop the compost seeping out whilst allowing the water to also drain through. Hence using bits of old terracotta pot as they are slightly concave so form a bridge over the drainage hole.
Well, that's how I use them anyway

[Skyedriver]

Thank you, that's 1-0 to me

[billbring]

Crocks for me. In fact, just today I've emptied out a large pot that was waterlogged, found it had no crocks in, added some and refilled it.

Every time I've watched Gardener's World, Monty has used crocks, where's the latest advice come from?

[Promised Land]

paulw123 said:

I was always under the impression that a crock was used to cover the drainage hole of the pot to stop the compost seeping out whilst allowing the water to also drain through. Hence using bits of old terracotta pot as they are slightly concave so form a bridge over the drainage hole.
Well, that's how I use them anyway

The actual point is not to stop the compost seeping out but to stop the compost blocking the hole and not allowing drainage which is the most important part of a pot, a blocked hole and no drainage results in roots rotting and the plant dieing.

2 pieces of crock, one at side of hole, the one over hole so it’s on the angle to allow water to get under and out.

It’s also wise to raise your pots on feet or blocks etc, so when it rains heavily the pot is not sitting in standing water.

[Arrivalist]

paulw123 said:

I was always under the impression that a crock was used to cover the drainage hole of the pot to stop the compost seeping out whilst allowing the water to also drain through. Hence using bits of old terracotta pot as they are slightly concave so form a bridge over the drainage hole.
Well, that's how I use them anyway

Correct!

[FMOB]

I have seen MD on the telly putting crocks in the bottom of a pot he was planting up, then additionally raising the pot up off the ground a bit so it didn't get waterlogged.

[LR90]

Promised Land said:

The actual point is not to stop the compost seeping out but to stop the compost blocking the hole and not allowing drainage

This is what I’ve always been led to believe (I’m pro crock btw) but actually, it doesn’t make any sense, does it? The compost can’t block drainage because it’s permeable. Water drains through it. If that wasn’t the case, the roots would rot regardless of what you put in the bottom of the pot.

Unless I’m missing something!

[Skyedriver]

Don't watch him anymore but it must be a recent thing as wife has only recently started watching GW & Mr Don.

[dhutch]

Promised Land said:

The actual point is not to stop the compost seeping out but to stop the compost blocking the hole and not allowing drainage which is the most important part of a pot, a blocked hole and no drainage results in roots rotting and the plant dieing.

Yeah, this.

I had one a while ago which blocked, full to the brim after rain, sorted it an large drill bit in the the cordless, through the hole and wangled it around a bit to remove the offending root mass.