drainage material for potted plants

Question

A friend of mine uses Styrofoam packing material for drainage material at the bottom of his pots
when potting plants. This seems strange to me but it would not be as heavy as rock and sand. He says it will not deteriorate and the plant will drain well. How do you feel about this?

Answer 1

There are two schools of though when it comes to using styrofoam in the bottom of containers; both for drainage and fill.

They are yes or no!

I know many organic gardeners that both use the styrofoam and those that would never use them!

My own thought is use them for flowers but not vegetables.

You can do some research into the concerns on these products and make your own decision.