Move Large Planters With Ease Using This Genius Filler Trick

Large planters make it easy to decorate with plants and can add character to your decor both inside and outside your home. While bigger planters have a gorgeous aesthetic, filling them from the base to the brim with soil makes them extremely heavy. If you want to be able to relocate your potted plants easily, using sticks to fill the bottom of the pot will make for a lighter-weight planter. This is a simple, natural, and free way to make it so much easier to pick up and move large planters without straining your back.

Planters made from sturdy materials are often the best plant pots for container gardening, but durable options like stone are heavy on their own, and once filled with soil, they can seem impossible to move. Lightweight large plastic planters can also become overweight from the amount of soil they can hold, making a light filler like sticks a perfect option for keeping the weight down. Plus, when planters are heavily packed with soil, there can be problems with drainage. Once the soil has become waterlogged, your plant is more susceptible to issues like root rot. Adding sticks to the bottom of your large planter will also help it drain more easily.

Adding fillers to the bottom of a large planter is fairly common practice. There are various options, including stones to help with drainage or packing peanuts and plastic to take up space and lessen weight. Sticks make a wonderful filler for large planters because they are materials that can be used for drainage of potted plants and will decompose after a period of time. Small sticks and twigs from your yard will be just as lightweight as plastic or foam fillers, though they are better for seasonal planters because they'll eventually break down.

When assembling your planter, simply place your sticks in the bottom, ensuring they're not blocking the drainage holes. Snap branches that are too long to fit into the base and fill the planter to the desired level. If you're still concerned about drainage, add a bit of gravel to the pot before your sticks. To keep the soil from falling to the bottom as quickly, you can use a piece of cloth or cardboard to separate your stick filler from the dirt. Once everything is in place, add your soil and plants. If you don't have a sufficient amount of branches to take up enough space in your large planter for it to be easily moved, you can add other natural yard waste, such as leaves, mulch, or even pinecones.