Bigger Drainage hole for HEB?

creister · January 18, 2008

I made my boxes last year with a 1/4 inch hole for the drain hole. I was thinking of making it slightly larger to 3/8 of an inch? It seemed that the drain holes plugged up easily from small pieces of growing medium and wouldn't drain properly. Some boxes I used pro-mix and others with Al's mix. Of course, once I realized what was happening, a screwdriver or large nail would easily clear the hole.

CrazyAboutOrchids · January 19, 2008

I never post here, but read often. I have 6 of these HEB's that my kids and I made a few years back. I actually have 3 drainage holes in the back of each of my box. I also used old screen door screening to line the holes that I drilled into the PVC pipe for my wicks as well as laid it along top of the inside base there that sits atop the water (I used a partial box inside a box). The screening prevents growing medium from entering the water supply while allowing the water to seep into the growing medium without issues.

January 18, 2008	#1
creister Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Abilene, TX zone 7 Posts: 1,478	Bigger Drainage hole for HEB? I made my boxes last year with a 1/4 inch hole for the drain hole. I was thinking of making it slightly larger to 3/8 of an inch? It seemed that the drain holes plugged up easily from small pieces of growing medium and wouldn't drain properly. Some boxes I used pro-mix and others with Al's mix. Of course, once I realized what was happening, a screwdriver or large nail would easily clear the hole.

January 19, 2008	#2
CrazyAboutOrchids Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Zone 6 - CT Posts: 155	I never post here, but read often. I have 6 of these HEB's that my kids and I made a few years back. I actually have 3 drainage holes in the back of each of my box. I also used old screen door screening to line the holes that I drilled into the PVC pipe for my wicks as well as laid it along top of the inside base there that sits atop the water (I used a partial box inside a box). The screening prevents growing medium from entering the water supply while allowing the water to seep into the growing medium without issues.