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Container Gardening

How to create drainage in a raised wooden planter?

12 years ago

I just purchased this product [http://www.improvementscatalog.com/product/raised-wooden-planter-boxes.do] which is a beautiful rectangular wooden planter with a PVC bag liner. I just assumed when I ordered it that it would come with drainage holes. It does not. The bottom of the box is wood and although the joints are not watertight, it has no holes and is clearly not designed for drainage. Neither does the PVC bag have any holes in it, whatsoever.

How should I create drainage? This will be placed on my wooden (ipe) deck; is the draining water going to ruin my deck? Also, I want to grow edibles in this planter - will the PVC liner be a problem, i.e., will it leach chemicals?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Here is a link that might be useful: Raised planter box

Comments (2)

calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
12 years ago
I think I would make a hole at one of the legs, the one closes to the edge of the deck, using a plastic tubing, which I would cement into the PVC liner. This tubing I would conceal as best I could, along the leg to the deck and over the side. I would cut a piece of landscape fabric to fit the bottom of the PVC liner to prevent the mix from from plugging the drain tubing. Al
Joe1980
12 years ago
I would do just like Al mentioned, but make sure that you slightly pitch the whole contraption so that gravity drains the water towards your drain outlet. Don't worry about the PVC thing. PVC is only toxic when it burns.

Joe

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