Put the pot in a bucket and fill it with water to the soil line. Let it sit for 30 minutes and drain,

tj

@tsugajunkie The pots weigh more than 150 pounds, so short of buying a crane lifting them into a tub of water would be problematic. That would definitely be the most effective solution if I could do it.

Is there anything growing in the pot? If not rollup your sleeves, set the hose running gently into the pot and proceed to mix, knead and squish.

So I had an interesting experience yesterday. I had some gritty mix in storage for a year and put that into a large container. I watered it down for about 45 seconds, and then discovered that only three inches down the soil was bone dry. So the same kind of hydrophobic effect that happens to peat moss can happen to bark and gritty mix.

Can someone think of a soft, thick rubber mat and I could slide under a huge pot's drain hole and have it fill the hole and block the release of water? Then I could fill the pot, let it hydrate all parts of the soil, and then slide the mat out to let the pot drain.

Can you tilt the pot enough to get at the drain hole? If so, either cork it or jam as much of a rubber glove as you can in the hole to at least slow the drain to a trickle.

tj

@tsugajunkie So I can lift the pot up just enough to slide something under it. I do not think I can safely play with the drain hole. I was thinking a soft rubber mat that is thick and would conform to the shape of any heavy object on which it was place. The rubber would fill out any drainage and block it.

They do make spongy rubber mats for work areas/kitchen sink areas. What are the dimensions and construct of the bottom?

tj

My Pillow?

@rmontcal If your pillow is made of spongy silicone, let me know the brand. :)

@tsugajunkie The ones for kitchen sinks and countertops are paper thin. Those are more surface protection. The ones for work areas are more comfort pads for feet, and they are really expensive too. If I trash one of those under a 150-pound planter, that could get to be an expensive thing to keep replacing.

Maybe I should be looking for some kind of flexible packing foam.

The ‘method’ I described involves only slow drainage from the pot because you’re squidging the peat all the time and the hose is only running gently. Where is the pot situated that a bit of water running out is a problem? It happens when you water anyway.

Research into soil surfactants. It is used in the industry to improve soil water retention properties. I have not used one and so I do not know anything specific. Soap is a surfactant too. However, it can potentially damage roots and plants. I have not used soap for this purpose either but you can all kinds of recipes through google.

How well do watering stakes like these work to rehydrate peat moss in a container?

Okay, I more or less validated my idea to put a soft rubber-like pad under the pot as a way to block the drain holes. I took an old camping ground mat and slid that under the pot. After loading it with water, there was a lake on top of the soil surface that did not drain. You can see the reflection off the top of that water in the first photo below. Lots of bubbles coming out for 10 minutes, which certainly confirms that there were areas of the peat that needed to be rehydrated.

After being loaded with water, the pot is far too heavy to lift (the clay pot it is in might shatter under the load as well). So I had to roll it off the pad, at which point it drains.

This procedure is definitely a pain, but if it only needed to be done occasionally at least it gets the job done.

A few ideas...1) Check the rug departments of box hardware stores for the type of rubber mat meant to stand near a door entrance upon which to place muddy boots, etc. They usually are displayed on a rack along with door mats.

Yes, you need a non-ionic surfactant. I have worked with surfactants for years in many ways. My favorite manufacturer went out of business last year. Do a search for non-ionic commercial surfactants. There you will note a 5 star rated Surfactant for Herbicides manufactured by Southern Ag that I find does the job well.

And, don't jam a lot of dry peat moss and soil in a pot all at once. Allow half a pot to hydrate and keep adding to the mix. As with all things in the gardening world......patience!

@nandina This is the product you are referencing. How would you use that? How much volume per gallon of water? Once you have it mixed, would you just water once as normal, and somehow that helps to spread water to dry peat? What would be the full procedure if you are facing a totally dry pot of peat? And it gets used once, or do you have to apply several times over the course of a month?