Gardening: Gravel at bottom of pot DOES NOT improve drainage

I was reading Stuart Robertson's Tips on Container Gardening and realised that I'd been doing something very wrong. Layering different types of soil in the same pot. Uh oh!



Robertson writes in the book: "Never use a layer of gravel or small stones in the bottom of a small container, " that it's a common misconception that it improves drainage.

Robertson explains that if the soil has several layers, when water reaches a transition between layers, it slows down, and accumulates until it's heavy enough to break through that layer. The surprising part? Even if the water is flowing from a more dense layer to a less dense one, it still slows down! So, if you put a layer of stones at the bottom of your pot, you may find a lot of water accumulating right where the roots are growing.

And if you're wondering what the rest of the book is like, I thought it's extremely useful for newbie gardeners (like me). Rather than emphasising pretty pictures, he provides lots of useful tips and helpful diagrams.

And, incidentally, if you live in a flat, I've found that books on "Container Gardening" can be really helpful in giving you ideas and tips on growing and keeping your plants healthy.

Dining at the new Jurong Point 2: What’s good what’s not

Dian Xiao Er
This restaurant strikes the right note immediately with the colourful mural at the entrance, leading into a rustic-looking space. But the best part must be the food. We tried their signature dish, Herbal Duck, choosing the one with Angelica herbs, the Mongolian Spare Ribs, and Yu Mak in Fermented Sauce, and really enjoyed everything they laid out for us.

OldTown White Coffee
On the other end of the scale, mum tried the curry mee there, and could not eat it. Tasted like curry powder added to water! The icky part? the fish cakes were stale. And the staff just kept quiet when she made these observations while paying. Teething problems? Maybe. My mum had tried the food at another branch in KL, and rather enjoyed it. (Additional comment: I met another KL-ite recently and she said the same thing, that OldTown White Coffee in KL is much better).

Jia Xiang Mee
Noodles from Sarawak, or so they say. Service was fast, and their signature dish, jia xiang mee, was tasty. Ingredients were also fresh, another plus. But $6+ for what is essentially a bowl of wanton mee? hmmm…

Lai Lai Casual Dining
A neighbour of ours warned us not to eat the mee sua at this one. And she said that if we were to go, just try the beef dishes. She was not impressed.

Zhou’s Kitchen
We took a look at their lunch buffet spread, and honestly, it all looked very tempting. Good value if you’ve got a good appetite and you enjoy Chinese food.