HD ceramic flower-pot: no hole in bottom. Want to use outside. HELP!

[David Combs]

Of course, when it rains a bunch, as it has been recently (NYC area), next day plant in pot is submerged under an inch of water.

My bet is that those holeless things are built for *indoor* use, where you can feel the soil dampness and water accordingly.

However, given that they've already been purchased and planted in, and my "boss" wants them outside, to each side of the front door, I ask:

Is it possible for a klutz like me to drill a hole in the bottom of one of these things, without shattering it?

Without spending a bunch of money on diamond drills, drill press, etc?

Am assuming that this is NOT possible, given an ordinary *very* lightly supplied home shop.

But I'm open to suggestons!

Any ideas?

Suggestions?

THANKS!

David

[Ed Pawlowski]

Easy. Just drill with a regular twist drill at a slow speed. Steady pressure, but not overly hard.

[Paul Franklin]

SWMBO picked up a bunch of smallish decorative pots at a garage sale. Same problem, wanted to use outside but no hole. I drilled several 1/4" holes in each using a bit made for drilling glass or tile. Like butter. Bits are typically sold a the borg in sets of 4 (1/8-5/16) for a few bucks. The bit is flat, rougly triangular with rounded corners. Heck, I drilled them holding them over my head because they were already full of dirt and plants, and it was easy.

HTH,

Paul F.

[DerbyDad03]

What an opportunity!

Tell the "boss" that if she wants it done right, you'll need this tool and that tool and one of those and one of these.

Pretty soon that lightly supplied shop will be very robust.

[David Combs]

By "masonry drill", since you mention "hammer action", I guess you don't mean a masonry *bit* in a regular variable-speed drill?

And I also guess that you are agreeing that yes, a hole *is* needed in the bottom of an outdoor pot-plant?

Thanks,

David

[David Combs]

Sounds good.

But what's a "the borg"?

Thanks,

David

[Vic Smith]

Context was sharp masonry drill, so he meant bit. He's a limey. Just don't hammer on ceramics, Use variable speed drill. ALL our plant pots, inside and out, have drain holes. Maybe cactus doesn't need it, don't know. You don't want roots to get rotten by poor drainage.

[Tomsic]

Yes, bottom holes in pots for drainage are needed -- can't think of any common plants where that would be an exception. I don't know why holes aren't standard.

Use some stones a bit larger than the hole as a bottom layer in the pot to minimize dirt, etc. washing out through the hole. Or, use pieces of broken pots (called crocking). I have five geranium plants that I bring inside during the winter and which live outside in summer that are still thriving after 10 years in their large ceramic pots (with holes).

Tomsic

[krw]

Big Orange Retail Giant (A.K.A. Home Depot, though the name has more recently been applied to pretty much every big-box store.

[David Combs]

Thank you! That's pretty good! :-)

David

[DerbyDad03]

Apply this Star Trek wiki entry to a big box home center:

The Borg use abduction and "assimilation" (forced cybernetic enhancement, connection to the hive mind) as a means of "achieving perfection".