The Clever Way To Repurpose Plastic Bottle Caps For Better Potted Plants

If you've ever lost a potted plant to root rot, you will know the importance of decent drainage. Waterlogged soil and overwatering can cause serious issues, with even our favorite low-maintenance houseplants succumbing to these problems. To make sure your potted plants stay happy and healthy, drainage is key. But it isn't just a matter of using the right soil and watering correctly. Not letting your potted plants stay sitting in water can really help avoid root rot. Thankfully, you don't need to go out and buy plant pot feet. You can repurpose bottle caps to lift the pot off the ground, or off the bottom of its decorative pot or saucer, so you can water your plants without worrying. 

There are other reasons why this clever way to repurpose plastic in the garden is useful. Plant pot feet are not just good for drainage — they can also help with air circulation around the bottom of your plant. As overly moist environments are perfect for pests such as fungus gnats, ensuring the soil in your potted plants has appropriate air circulation can help deter them. 

Plant pot feet can also be lifesavers for outside pots in winter. Certain planter materials are prone to cracking when water freezes and thaws during the colder months, and by raising the pots up, you can avoid standing water causing damage. As your pots will be draining better, there will be less freezing water within the containers, too.

The majority of caps found on milk cartons and soda bottles are perfect for this — they are fairly strong, and you probably have a ton of them in your recycling caddy! How many you use depends on the size of your potted plants, but four to six usually works well to keep the pot balanced and the weight evenly distributed. Make sure they are all the same size so your pot stays level, and place them evenly in your saucer or on the ground where your pot sits.

Once your bottle caps are in place, keep an eye on them to ensure they haven't moved or cracked. When used for small pots outside, windy or stormy weather may dislodge them, so you might need to put them back in place. You may need to replace the bottle caps over time, and you still should check drainage in your houseplants to make sure there is no buildup of excess water at the bottom. 

If you don't have bottle caps, there are other things you can reuse to improve water drainage in your potted plants, such as leftover tiles or bits of pipe. You can even recycle wine corks to improve the design of your flower garden by adding them to the bottom of planters for drainage.