Gardeners know the dilemma: you're at your local garden centre – or perhaps Ikea's plant department – shopping for a charming pot, when, suddenly, you spot the ceramic container of your dreams. You turn it over and discover that – alas! – it doesn't have drainage holes.
As you drive home, an uninspiring but perfectly perforated plastic pot perched on the passenger seat, you wonder why it's so difficult in this day and age to find a cute pot that won't suffocate your plants.
While we don't have an answer to that question, we can offer a solution that will give you far more freedom when choosing containers and pots for your favourite garden or houseplants: the Rehbinder effect, a little-known scientific principle that allows you to punch holes into any ceramic vessel without cracking it.
First described by Soviet scientist Piotr Rehbinder in 1928, the Rehbinder effect refers to the way certain liquids can make hard, brittle materials slightly easier to work with. When metals or stoneware are fully submerged in water, for example, the liquid helps reduce stress at the material's surface, making it less likely to chip or fracture when pressure is applied.
In practical terms, that means you can create drainage holes in many ceramic pots with a much lower risk of the vessel splitting or breaking.
How to use the Rehbinder effect
To put the Rehbinder effect to work, you'll need a container large enough to hold the pot or vase you'd like to modify (a sink, washing-up bowl or a large tub will do), along with a hammer and a long nail.
Fill the large container all the way up with water and place your pot inside, making sure that it's completely submerged. Turn it upside down and check that no air bubbles are trapped inside, as the effect works best when the entire surface is surrounded by water.
Then, carefully use the hammer and nail to create one or more drainage holes in the base. If you're working with a particularly thick or glazed pot, use a drill instead, keeping the vessel submerged throughout.
For thicker ceramics, you may need to use an electric drill. To reduce the risk of electric shock when working with water, choose a cordless model rather than one with a mains power cord. Even battery-powered drills can present a hazard, so only use one that is double-insulated (look for the double-square symbol) and follow the manufacturer's safety instructions.
Once you're finished, you'll have a planter that's both beautiful and practical, leaving those plastic nursery pots where they belong – back at the garden centre.
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Wanda Sachs is the Multiplatform Writer for Country Living and House Beautiful, exploring the latest in gardening, wildlife and sustainable living alongside interiors and property. She is particularly interested in human-interest stories, the intersection of design and pop culture, and the evolving relationship between urban and rural life. Previously, she served as Associate Editor at The Berliner in Berlin, where she reported on culture and fashion. Wanda studied English and German at the Goethe University Frankfurt and Exeter University.
