Smart Planter Fillers: Save Soil and Weight with Sand-Filled Bottles

Filling large porch planters entirely with potting soil is wasteful and heavy. Most container roots only penetrate the top 12 inches. Below that, soil just adds cost and weight. A simple hack: fill clean 2-liter soda bottles with sand, cap them tightly, and place them at the bottom of the pot.

They occupy volume, improve drainage, and won't decompose or float like packing peanuts. Cover with landscape fabric, then add your premium potting mix in the root zone. Your back—and your wallet—will thank you at planting time.