A lot of people like to keep potted plants in their home – whether its ornamentals or, perhaps, a nice herb garden. If you’re one of those people, then you know it’s important to have proper drainage in your pots. All this soggy soil can be just as damaging as not watering them at all.

In the past pebbles were used to help drain the excess water. But instead, try using extended polystyrene plastic – you know it better as packing peanuts. Fill anywhere from one-third to one-half of the pot with the peanuts before placing in the potting soil and plant.

These foam pieces are made from 99% air, so they’re much more lightweight than pebbles, making it much easier to move your plants around the house. And they do just as good a job as pebbles to move water away from the roots to help prevent the build-up of damaging plant fungus.

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Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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