Why is the dirt in my flower pot always wet and after it rains the water just rests on top, doesn't soak in?

All my other flower pots are okay, it's just one. I used the same dirt for all but after raining it's like a swimming pool between the dirt and the rim of the flower pot. The flowers don't seem to be growing very well neither.

Why is the dirt in my flower pot always wet and after it rains the water just rests on top, doesn't soak in?
I'd take the plant and soil out of the pot and see if there was something blocking the drainage holes.


The other thing that may be causing this is the soil is bone dry and the air in the soil is acting like a bubble, keeping the water from soaking in.


Squeeze the water out of the soil in handfuls before repotting the plant, the roots need to breathe just like the leaves do, and not enough air makes it easy for anaerobic (not needing air) microbes to grow and eat the roots.





I have a trick to keeping the soil in my pots; even with relatively big drainage holes:


You know those plastic scrubbing pads that are cheap to buy and relatively thin? They're like strands of plastic matted together.


I put them in the pot over the drainage holes. The scrubbies catch the dirt but let the water through - they also aerate a bit as the air has a whole layer it can circulate in.


Check the dollar stores for them - I can get a pack of 8 big ones for a buck.
Reply:Do you have a drain hole in bottom of pot ? Or is it plugged.?


Some pots don't have drain holes, but should.