New Plant Parent Guide
For most houseplants, yes: the pot should have at least one drainage hole so extra water can escape and the roots are not left sitting in it. If you love a pot that has no hole, use it as a cachepot. Keep the plant in its plain nursery pot, which has holes, and set that pot inside the decorative one. Lift the plant out to water it, let it drain, then put it back.
Extension horticulture agrees on this. University of Illinois Extension calls a drainage hole critical, and Penn State Extension says a container with drainage holes is necessary. Here is how to make it work in a real home.
Three Tips for Pots Without Drainage Holes
1. Keep the nursery pot and use the pretty pot as a sleeve
This is the simplest fix, and it is what extension guides suggest for decorative containers without holes: a liner pot that fits inside. To water:
- Lift the nursery pot out of the decorative pot.
- Water it at the sink until water runs out of the bottom.
- Let it drain completely.
- Set it back in the decorative pot.
Why it matters: the roots get a good soak without sitting in leftover water, and you can see and feel what the soil is doing. It also means the plant is not repotted, which is handy when a new plant is still settling in. See our guide to whether to repot a new plant right away.
2. Skip the layer of gravel at the bottom
Many people add rocks or broken pottery to the bottom of a pot with no hole, hoping it will act as drainage. It does not. University of Illinois Extension and the UC Master Gardeners both explain that water collects in the soil just above a coarse layer, a "perched water table," so the saturated zone simply moves up closer to the roots. The UC Master Gardeners suggest amending the potting mix with perlite, crushed lava, or pumice instead, or using a deeper container.
You will still see the gravel tip in some gardening articles, so you may run into conflicting advice. The extension guidance is the better-supported advice, because it is based on how water actually moves through soil. Why it matters: a gravel layer can leave the roots wetter than no layer at all. Our potting mix guide covers mixes that drain well.
3. Empty the saucer or cachepot after you water
University of Illinois Extension advises emptying the saucer and not letting the pot sit in a saucer of water. The same goes for the space inside a cachepot. Why it matters: University of Missouri Extension notes that plants with poor drainage develop "wet feet," which can cause yellowing leaves and brown roots from root rot. If you water by the clock instead of by the soil, leftover water is easy to miss, so check the soil before watering again. Our guide to how often to water houseplants shows how.
What About Planting Straight Into a Pot Without a Hole?
It is possible, but it is harder to get right. There is no easy way to tell how much water has collected at the bottom, and you cannot let the extra drain out. Most extension guidance treats a drainage hole as necessary for that reason. If you want to try it anyway, water in small amounts, check the soil before each watering, and be ready to move the plant into a pot with a hole if the soil stays wet.
Warning Signs the Roots Are Too Wet
- Soil that stays wet for days after watering
- Yellowing lower leaves
- A sour or musty smell from the soil
- A soft, dark stem base or mushy roots
- Small flying insects hovering near the soil. University of Minnesota Extension lists letting the soil dry between waterings among its steps for managing fungus gnats.
If you see several of these, stop watering and check that water can leave the pot. Our guide to houseplant root rot explains what to look for in the roots. Plant care is not foolproof, and a plant that has been too wet for a while may not recover fully, which is why it is worth catching early.
Drainage Checklist
- The plant is in a pot with at least one drainage hole, or in a nursery pot inside a cachepot
- You water at the sink and let the pot drain fully
- You empty the saucer or cachepot afterward
- There is no gravel layer at the bottom
- You check the soil before watering again
Hanging Planters Count Too
Hanging pots need drainage just as much as table pots, and they are harder to empty once they are up on a hook. If you are choosing a plant for a hanging spot, our guide to the best hanging plants for indoors includes tips on taking them down to water.
Sources: University of Illinois Extension: Container Drainage Options, University of Illinois Extension: houseplant watering, UC Master Gardeners of Santa Clara County: Drainage in Containers, Penn State Extension, University of Missouri Extension, and University of Minnesota Extension.