A flower pot should always have a hole at the bottom so that excess water or rainwater can drain away. If water remains in the pot, waterlogging occurs, which leads to root rot and the death of the plants. If there is no hole in the flower pot, you have to drill the hole yourself.
How do I drill a hole in a flower pot?
To drill a hole in a flower pot, use a screwdriver or drill for plastic pots and a special masonry drill for clay pots. Be sure to drill carefully and slowly to avoid damage.
Drilling holes in plastic pots
Plastic flower pots can be drilled through with little effort. A screwdriver that can be driven through the plastic with a light blow of a hammer is often sufficient here. If you want, you can of course also use a drill. Since plastic is relatively soft, drilling must be carried out carefully. The drilling process will produce some plastic chips, which should be disposed of in plastic waste.
Drilling holes in clay pots
This is where things get a little more difficult. First of all, the correct selection of the drill is important. Wood and metal drills are out of place when drilling through clay or terracotta pots. Use a special stone drill (€17.00 on Amazon) or, if necessary, a universal drill can be used. Proceed as follows during the drilling process:
- First turn the flower pot over so that the bottom is facing up.
- Stick a stiff fabric tape over the area where you want to drill. The fabric tape prevents you from slipping while drilling and prevents the clay from splintering during the drilling process.
- Mark approximately the middle of the fabric strip.
- Attach a thin masonry drill bit to the drill chuck of the drill.
- Turn off the hammer drill function.
- Drill the small hole slowly and without too much pressure.
- Switch to a drill with a slightly larger diameter and drill again.
- Continue the work in the same way, increasing the strength of the drill bits until the hole is the desired size.
- Remove the tape.
- If the hole is not completely accurate despite your caution, it can be repaired with a fine file.
