Are Plant pot saucers necessary?

10 years ago

last modified: 10 years ago

I attended a herb planting meeting last weekend. We were told not to use "water catcher" while the presentation slide showed photos of plant pot saucers.

Is it true? Or is it only applicable to Herbs instead of all other plants?

Many thanks in advance for you inputs.

Featured Answer

Jeannie Cochell

10 years ago

My experience with using the saucers has more to do with drainage and staining. Fertilizers and amendments can stain cool decks and patios so any containers standing on cement will have a saucer or some type of catch basin... even if the catch basin is another plant. I'm a big fan of watering-thru. Some plants are on stands and as they drain the water drips onto another plant below. Most of my roses are in containers and they're placed over the root zones for trees so the water drains from the roses to the shrub or tree roots below. During summer I move the containers to the in-ground rose beds and the water from the containers supplements the irrigation system and they all provide some shade and additional moisture retention for each other. The biggest issue I have with using saucers is the mosquito breeding ground the can develop. All of my containers are planted with a layer of weedcloth over the drainage holes then 2-4 inches of loose drainage material, such as redwood bark, pine needles, charcoal or gravel. This allows the soil to stay in, the water to drain out and keeps grubs, cockroaches or whatever other critter to stay out.

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Comments (10)

iandyaz
10 years ago
Necessary for the plants to stay alive? Not really, in fact I've read they can be bad for the plants if the water never dries out. I think it causes root rot, but I've never seen it first hand (maybe in Arizona it's different). I don't use them myself, I prefer drip watering to anything I've tried in the past.

Although, I know a lot of herbs will die here as soon as the soil dries out so if a water tray is the best way you can keep the soil moist, I'd say go for it.
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grant_in_arizona
10 years ago
I think it really depends. I don't use them at all on plants that would rot/get annoyed by sitting in water (cacti, succulents (aloes, haworthias, etc), plumerias, and some others) but I DO use them for the few moisture loving plants that I grow. In general though, I'm not a fan of them except for very leafy plants that will be very cranky if allowed to dry out. Great, fun question!
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User
Original Author
10 years ago
Landy and Grant,

It seems I have better remove most of plant saucers to protect my plants.

I am surprised plumerias do not like sitting in water, I thought they like being "wet" all the time. Thank you for the advice.
Pumpkin (zone 10A)
10 years ago
I have some with & some without and have found no difference. None of my peppers in pots have them and they do ok. A pot of basil sits in a deep saucer and it's happy as can be. So, I think it doesn't matter. Do an experiment and see what works best for your gardening style!
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User
Original Author
10 years ago
Marianne,

Where did you get Basil? Is it hard to grow? it is THE herb I want to grow, I am tired of paying $4.00 a pop at grocery stores.
nmfruit
10 years ago
Another thing not mentioned is that if your tray-less pot is sitting over soil in a bed the roots will grow right through the drainage holes into the ground. With vigorous plants this can be to the point that moving the potted plant requires major destructive cutting of the roots, very annoying!
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User
10 years ago
I use them to prevent puddles and staining, but they don't retain water.

I usually dunk the plant to water and put it in the saucer after it has drained.
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Alma Williams
10 years ago
Draining the plant before you put it back in a saucer is a good idea. Otherwise, you can farm your own mosquitoes!
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chiveinc
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
these are probably the most uneducated comments i have read in a long time. plants need pots with saucers or they will die, end of story. not open for discussion. plants need pots with drainage holes.