How to fill the bottom of a large planter – 4 household items garden experts use to save time, money and effort

A large planter can add a dramatic effect to your garden, showing off your finest blooms in all their glory. It’s easy to think that these types of containers require large amounts of soil, making them awkward and heavy in the process, but you’d be mistaken. Garden experts have revealed exactly what you should be using to fill the bottom of a large planter.

Large planters and container garden ideas in general allow you to enjoy an abundance of colour and different flowers regardless of your garden’s size. It also means the best plants to grow in pots have an opportunity to thrive, too.

Large planters are always a popular choice for gardens, the corten steel planter trend is proof of that, but you don’t need to fill them to the brim with potting soil to use them. Instead, save yourself some compost and money by considering these four expert-approved alternatives.

1. Broken pots

If you’ve found a few broken pots whilst completing your garden decluttering, it can be tempting to throw them away. But you shouldn’t, as broken pots are an excellent choice for filling the bottom of a large planter.

‘The most important thing you are looking for here is something that will give adequate drainage, as waterlogged roots can cause problems,’ says Hayden Salt, head gardener at Jacksons Nurseries.

‘I like to go for pieces of broken pots that you may already have in the garden. It’s an efficient way to use something that might otherwise be thrown away, and they can be used to stop compost being lost through large drainage holes.’

2. Aluminium cans

It’s always a good thing to find a new recycling method to adopt at you household and keeping hold of your aluminium cans for your large planter is great way to reuse household waste at home.

‘You can upcycle food tins by cleaning them out and then crushing them to fill the bottom of a large planter. Cans can provide great drainage for planters and prevent the roots of plants from sitting in water,’ says Graham Smith MCIHort, a gardening expert from LBS Horticulture.

‘The cans should be placed upside down or laid on their side, as this will stop them from filling up with water. Unlike other materials, the cans will not decompose, so they will maintain their structure over time. Take care when using crushed cans, as they may have sharp edges that can cause injuries when handling.’

3. Gravel or rocks

‘If you are filling a particularly large planter, then rocks or gravel are a good choice. They improve drainage and are heavy, preventing your plant pot from blowing over,’ says Hayden.

‘You may already have some lying around your garden, and if not, they can be picked up for a reasonable price in many local garden centres.’

If you’ve been in the process of cultivating your garden landscaping ideas, then why not save some of the leftover rocks and gravel? After all, large container displays can add an extra flourish to your garden.

4. Plastic bottles

Keeping the spirit of recycling strong, plastic bottles are another great choice to fill the bottom of a large planter.

‘Tightly capped, empty plastic water bottles can be used in a planter in the same way that you would use rocks. Using bottles can make the planter weigh less, save soil and prevent soggy roots. They are also easy to remove if you ever need to move the planter, and can be rinsed off and placed in the recycling bin once done with,’ says Graham.

‘It is important that the caps are secured on the bottle tightly, as this will prevent soil from entering the bottle, and water will be unable to accumulate inside when you water the plants. Other similar materials that work the same way include milk jugs or yoghurt containers, but do not use any containers that previously contained harmful chemicals.

‘Ideally, only use old plastic containers or bottles for non-edible plants, as there is the chance that the plastic will break down and release chemicals into the soil.’

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If you don't have any of those items at home here are a couple of other solutions you can try.

What will you be using to fill the bottom of your large planter?