I use terra cotta containers for the most part, so I don't have that sort of problem too often. In fact, the only container I have had problems with was plastic and had a few big, pot-bound peppers in it, and was top heavy to begin with. My strawberry planter, which was also plastic, but not top heavy never had any problems despite 40+ mph winds. If you're still worried, you could always toss in a good sized rock before filling it with dirt.

Drill 8 1/4 in holes one in the center and 7 in a circle. See if a neighbor would lend you their drill or if you have a sodering iron you could use that to melt a hole in the plastic container. Run fishing line in two of the holes on the front and back of the container. Then secure the fishing line to a wood stake to anchor it to the ground or if on a deck tuck it under the board and tie it down.

George

You only need 1 hole in the bottom. Use a hot nail or bolt to melt a hole through the plastic. Heating the nail/bolt again will allow you to enlarge the hole to your preferred size, but you really don't need a hole larger than a pencil, as long as you use some screening (insect screen works well) or other means to keep it from getting plugged. Placing the hole in a corner instead of the middle allows you to tilt the container & drain more water than if the hole was at the center, if it becomes necessary (with compost as your soil, it will be necessary). A wick pushed through the drain hole & allowed to dangle below the container or rest on the soil below will also go a long way toward draining excess (perched) water.

You may wish to rethink the plan to use compost as your growing medium - just a thought.

For anchoring you can tie/screw them to a stake, a fence, or to themselves if the mass of the plant material allows. A brick resting in the bottom will add weight, but also take up valuable space that could be occupied by soil/roots.

Al

These are really helpful suggestions. Thanks.

The reason I am using compost is that I get it free and easily, and I have used it in my raised bed herb garden with wonderful results. Technically, it's not compost, but rotted wood chips and maybe other stuff from a nearby daylily farm. I know that compost is not recommended for containers, but it seemed to me that this stuff would drain well and provide the right nutrients, judging by how my herbs and flowers thrived.

There is a very large difference between growing in gardens/beds/the earth and growing in containers, particularly in the physics of water movement/retention. Experience shows there is a considerable advantage in understanding how soils work before you take the headlong plunge into making your own. If you would be interested in taking the time to read something I wrote a long time ago, you'll come away with an understanding of the differences.

I have access to free compost too, and I use it in the gardens, but leave it completely out of containers. I don't feel its negative affect on drainage/aeration is worth its price.

Al

Here is a link that might be useful: About soils

The comment about not using compost in pots is interesting. I make my own compost and use it outdoor pots all the time. The plants in these pots do very well. So, why is using compost in pots not recommended?

A) If the compost is 'finished', the particles are very small and will be very water retentive - IMO, not well-suited physically for use in container soils in any appreciable volume.

B) If the compost is NOT finished, it contains particles highly variable in size that break down very quickly into increasingly smaller particles. As unfinished compost breaks down, it does add some nutrients to the soil, but it also promotes the immobilization of N. When it breaks down to the 'finished' stage .... well, see A) above.

Compost actually adds very little in the way of nutrients. What it does add can easily be supplied, either macro or micronutrients, by other either organic or chemical supplements. It increases water retention as it fills valuable soil pores and decreases aeration.

The question I would beg of myself is: Why choose to use it, knowing there are other organic alternatives with better structural stability and that what it adds nutritionally can be replaced very simply with 1 or 2 fertilizer additives that will be required regardless of whether compost is used or not.

If I had to use compost in a container soil, I would limit it's presence, along with peat, in my own bark-based soils to Al

I can't disagree about the compost question, but back to the original question: it seems to me you're better off drilling more than one hole. It will improve drainage and it will be out of sight anyway.

Why will it improve drainage? ;o) Is there an advantage in having the container drain fully in 2 minutes as opposed to 1? More holes will not have an impact on how much water drains from the container, so in that respect, it has no impact on drainage. More holes can only increase the speed with which water drains, which is of no consequence, as long as it drains in less than an hour or so.

Al

Al - This is what you said in your original post:
"Placing the hole in a corner instead of the middle allows you to tilt the container & drain more water than if the hole was at the center, if it becomes necessary (with compost as your soil, it will be necessary). A wick pushed through the drain hole & allowed to dangle below the container or rest on the soil below will also go a long way toward draining excess (perched) water."

It just seems to me that drilling a few more holes might be easier and just as effective, if not more so.

Mmhmm. I'm sure of the science, and have written more than a little about here if you'd like to explore, or even do it on your own so you don't have to take it from me. (All said kindly.) All things are not as they seem. In fact, if you had 1/8" screen as the bottom of your container, the same same amount of water would drain/remain from/in that container as it would if you had a single 1/8 inch hole. It would just take a few minutes longer. Honest. ;o)

Drilling your drain hole in the container corner/edge allows you to tilt the container so the perched water occupies soil in a shape similar to an inverted triangle (pyramid) instead of a rectangle (parallelepiped - think 'cube'). Since a perched water table is a consistent height from container to container, an inverted pyramid has a lower volume than a cube set squarely on it's base (you're simply tipping the cube to form the pyramid) it MUST physically have a considerably smaller volume.

Another way to look at this is to think of a drinking glass, full to the rim. Now tip the glass at a 45* angle. A substantial amount of water will spill. This is the same water that exits the container when you tip it.

Got it? ;o)

Al

I realize you know a lot more about container gardening then I do, but no, I still don't get it. :)

If the pot is full of holes then there's no need to tip it. Using your analogy, if the glass is full of holes then you don't need to tip it, you can just leave it alone and let the water drain out.

And I have done this on my own and my experience echoes what logic would have you believe: more holes equals better drainage. I wouldn't challenge something you said without something to back it up. You're the man around here and for good reason. I hope you will still answer my questions, but I still think I'm right about this one. :)

Of course I'll try my best to answer your questions. ;o) Just because we don't agree on something doesn't mean I'm going to hire a hitman. I'll hold off for now. ;o) You're polite & that's all I require to remain on friendly terms with just about anyone.

If you learn about how perched water behaves in containers, and how most bagged soils hold a certain amount of (perched) water so tightly it will not drain (even if you poke 1,000 holes in the bottom of your container), I think you'll begin to understand better & we can talk more later if you choose.

Take care.

Al