Here is another bit of advice I’m going to give you, even though you could care less. You can see in the first photo the box that surrounds the base of our huge hackberry tree. This is the third box that had to be constructed as the tree grew. We have decided this time to leave the soil bare in the box. The previous box contained potted geraniums and cyclamen around the edges that had been sunken into the soil. Over seasons, we discovered that tree roots invaded the pots through the drain holes and were sucking the water out of the pots as well as the nutrients.
So, I dug the holes a little deeper and placed what you see in the second photo. This is the cut off base of a sturdy gallon pot with a large hole drilled in the center. When inserted upside down beneath the potted plant, this arrangement creates an air gap that roots won’t cross. So, there you have it—an idea for which you probably have no use. Interesting though, don’t you think?
Stan, The Useless Idea Man