Seven Tips for Growing a Plant in a Pot Without Drainage Holes

When you start to take an interest in growing houseplants, one of the first things you learn is never to grow a plant directly in a pot without drainage holes. The reason is simple: when you water, you don’t want the excess water to saturate the plant’s soil, possibly leading to root asphyxia and the death of the plant. Traditionally, plants are grown in a pot with holes placed on a saucer or hidden in a planter without holes.

But what about that magnificent, hole-free plant pot with the improbable shape that I’m dying to put in the center of my living room, filled with my most beautiful plant? How can I prevent this pot from becoming a death trap for my green friends? In this article, we will look at seven ways to grow a plant in a pot without a drainage hole.

Tip #1 – Don’t Put a Plant in There!

It’s still the simplest solution. Not all pots are intended to contain plants (much to my chagrin). Even I have to admit that there are other things in life that can be put in pots, for example dried flowers to stay in the nature theme. Before continuing this article, let us at least agree, first of all, that it is not a good idea to put a plant in a pot without holes.

Tip 2 – Make Your Own Holes!

If the pot doesn’t have any holes, you can quickly fix this problem. There are various ways of doing this: for a ceramic pot, for example, there are special drill bits that can be used to drill them.

If, like me, you don’t have the resourceful hands of a DIYer, it may be easier to find plastic jars and drill them with a traditional drill or an exacto knife. I like to recycle food containers this way. For example, for a rectangular pot, I used two washed milk cartons and pierced the corners to allow the water to drain.

Tip 3 – Make It a Cutting Pot!

Instead of planting a pot with a hole in it, fill it with water and use it as your cutting pot. As we know, aquatic cuttings are not as good as cuttings planted directly in the ground… but life is not just about efficiency. It’s also about aesthetics, and cuttings in water are quite pretty!

Tip 4 – Choose the Right Plant!

The main problem with pots without holes is that it is difficult to judge the condition of the soil. However, there are some plants that don’t mind swampy soil, such as umbrella sedge (Cyperus alternifolus) and calla (Zantedeschia). They can be watered happily without any problems.

There are other plants that could be described as eternally thirsty; they require constantly moist (but not swampy) soil. This is a riskier operation, because it is still possible to overwater them and cause the soil to rot; it is therefore advantageous to meet their other growing conditions to the letter. Plants that are eternally thirsty: peace lilies (spathiphyllum), coleus (Plectranthus scutellarioides), calathea, fittonia and other small plants (Helxine soleirolli, Selaginella).

Tip: despite their adorable appearance, avoid cacti and succulents, for which over-generous watering is quickly fatal.

Tip 5 – Find a Place in the Sun!

It is much easier to water a plant that receives plenty of light: the more it is in the sun, the faster it grows and therefore the faster it dries out, using a lot of water. Choose your best window, the one facing south and without curtains for people in the northern hemisphere, and place the plant in its pot without a hole in direct sunlight. That way, even if you over-water, the excess water will quickly be used up.

Tip: choose a plant that tolerates direct light well. Which plant is that? Well, most indoor plants! The only things to do are to get them used to it and to keep an eye on the rising temperatures in summer. For more information on the dangers of too much light.

Tip 6 – Go for Abundance!

We’ve all got that plant that’s far too big for its pot, that starts to dry out a few seconds after watering, and whose soil is perpetually dry. Hard to over-water a plant that’s constantly thirsty, isn’t it? So, a plant that is too big for its pot is perhaps a choice of last resort. Be careful, however: as it continues to grow, it may be difficult to remove from its pot.

Tip: if you choose to fill your pot without a hole with small plants, don’t put a single one in. For example, rather than putting in three or four tradescantia cuttings, put in two thousand*: they will act like a large plant and there will be less chance of over-watering them.

*or a less hyperbolic figure.

Tip 7 – Don’t Reinvent the Wheel!

You have been growing a pothos (Epipremnum aureum) for three years without any problems, so you know exactly when to water it (every week in summer, once every ten days in winter – a little more on Thursdays, if I’ve just turned the heating up) and how much to water it (23 milliliters will be enough, thank you) – save yourself the trouble of putting your new Piper crocatum, not a very well-known plant, in the pot with the hole. Put the good old pothos in there, it will let you know when it’s thirsty!

Tip: also avoid taking risks with your $200 Monstera variegata cutting, even if the pot without a hole is the most aesthetically pleasing of the bunch.

And there you have it! I will repeat myself anyway: it is best not to grow plants in pots without holes. But I agree that there are cases of strict necessity. You can then combine tips 4, 5, 6 and 7: choose a plant that tolerates constantly moist soil or overwatering, put it in a place with plenty of light, use a pot that is a little too small for the plant and, of course, choose a plant that you already know. It will then have a better chance of withstanding the challenges of pots without holes!