[Marcella]

PROBLEM

I need to plant the three blackberry plants I received. Evidently, I need to put rocks in the bottom of the three planters AND I DON’T HAVE ANY.

Could I fold a piece of row cover so it’s double, could also make it a single layer, and put that in the bottom. Water does goes through it.

Why exactly do I need rocks in there?

[trisham]

For drainage?

[Black Agnes]

Rocks probably help drainage.

I’m not sure, but coarse old fashioned cat litter (NOT the clumping kind!) might work the same.

Maybe someone else can offer suggestions.

[rightly_dividing]

Drainage

[Nepeta]

Why exactly do I need rocks in there?

Placement of rocks in the bottom of containers was discussed on a weekly gardening radio program I listen to faithfully. According to latest advice, this is NOT necessary.

By the way, this is a great show. I learn something every week:
http://www.ronwilsononline.com/pages/RonWilson.html

It is nationally syndicated.

If you still want to place rocks in the bottom, look in a place that sells landscaping materials, or a place catering to water gardening projects.

[Silentgypsy]

Maybe for drainage? I always stick rocks in the bottoms of my containers because I tend to drown plants. Alternatively, I’ll take two matching containers with drainage holes in the bottom, put some jars or other objects of similar depth upside-down in the first container and stick the matching container on top of whatever you stuck in the first container to elevate the bottom of it for drainage. Usually, I put some sort of porous landscaping fabric in the bottom of the upper container so that the soil doesn’t wash through the drainage holes. Then I plunk the plant in with the soil. Is this clear? Anyway, I don’t know what I’m doing so you should listen to someone else. :)