Tips on Proper Drainage

Credit: Brand X Pictures/Home and Garden/Alison Miksch

The main purpose of this is to keep the soil from washing out of the hole while the newly planted container is establishing itself.

Use a teabag to cover the hole in the bottom of the pot before filling it with soil. By the time the highly porous tea bag disintegrates, the soil will have generally settled enough that it will not fall through the drainage hole.
– Christine Allen, master gardener, rose and vine expert, author of three gardening books, and GardenWise Magazine feature writer

Place a drainage tray under containers on apartment balconies to eliminate unwelcome dripping or water trails. And make sure that the pots do not sit in water.
– David Tarrant

Containers placed directly on concrete or wood surfaces should be raised slightly using smooth stones or small pieces of wood. This will improve drainage, plus help prevent discolouration or water damage on the supporting surfaces. Decorative “pot feet” can also be found at your local garden shop.