>I don't use many band pots (the term for the kind of open-based pots >being discussed here), but when I do, I crumble some oak leaves coarsely to put in the bottom, since I don't have screen handy to cut up in little squares as done by growers who use band pots a lot. I don't think this creates a perched water table in the mix I use, which does not contain Perlite, A perched water table is unavoidable in containers. Gravity, and all that stuff. This is pretty good, though does employ the word “drainage”, which makes me grit my teeth. http://oregonstate.edu/dept/nursery-weeds/… Bob Nold Denver, Colorado, USA where it rained for the first time in three months. _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php http://pacificbulbsociety.org/pbswiki/