I’m reading on the web and it appears I need screen in the bottom to keep soil from going outside the container and then rocks on top of that to keep soil from clogging up the drainage. If I had screen and I’m not positive I don’t, will have to look, I have marbles that were used for decorating and they are just in the way now, so could use those. They are too small to use without the screen keeping them from going through the holes.
Rats, why does this have to be more complicated than putting in soil and plant? Rats.
Oh, the marbles are a great idea.
My mom had houseplants and used to cover the top of the soil with the ‘pretty pretty’ aquarium rocks (you know, the rounded ones in ‘decorator colors’) to keep the cats from digging in them.
I use the chards of broken clay pots for drainage.
You can get bags of rocks at Lowes. If you can water the correct amount, drainage is not a big issue, but if you like to water heavily like I do, especially with established plants that may be rootbound, the rocks are a good policy.
Anytime I start a container, I fill the bottom 1/3 with rocks. Then when my drip irrigation comes on, no concerns about drowning, It can run and run. With plenty of drainage, only the soil is holding water, not the container.
YMMV