Exactly, the paper i pasted from describes the same phenom you have been describing for over 10 years. I have always raged that the big greenhouse media suppliers claim that 30% perlite into a peat is a high porosity mix. And so many growers prefer short squatty containers [helpful for blow over prevention but nothing else] Container Geometry is almost as important as the mix. i remember in 1984 I took a 400 level greenhouse management course at University of Delaware. The prof soaked a rectangular sponge and held it by the edges parrallel to the sink flatwise and let water drain, then he rotated the sponge on the shorter vertical axis and more water drained, when that free drainage ended he then rotated the sponge vertically in it tallest plane and more water drained. When I read your suggestion about using a draping shoelace as draining wick to lower the PWT the distance of the wick, I shouted YES at the elegant simple brilliance. In 1977 I grew a marijuana plant in a milk crate full of gravel, the stalk was over 2 inches in diameter [no different than growing in glass.] BTW, in your gritty mix what are the ratios and actual particle size for each component? I would think to use slightly larger particle sizes than i think you were using and i would probably consider using zeolite or a calcined DE or calcined clay. BTW, Ep minerals makes several absorbents both DE and Clay, Calcined or regular as various spill absorbers available in any auto parts store. 5o pounds for about 10 dollars. Don''t know the particle sizes but likely need to be screened to eliminate the fines. The clays are generally calcium bentonite and not sodium bentonite so less sodium and less swelling. I beileve Arcillite and Tuface are calcium bentonites. I was just thinking that decomoposed granite and even bark add no water holding capacity but with DE and Proper sized ceramics you could add more waterholding capacity but still maintain the airspace. The airspace in the ep mineral clay was pretty low when I measured it last, but I did not screen it. Somewhere I have a spreadsheet with AFP, WHC, TP, TPv, etc for over a dozen components and mixes. I have run quite a few in both 16 oz and taller 32 oz cups, [1 liter exactly when filled to rim overflow which makes that size intuitively easy for all the math. I think i found your posts about 3 years ago and then lost them. Am I correct in thinking you have some water release curve data around somewhere. Someone posted some WRC showing that Axis DE or perhaps the Axis clay media held huge amounts of water but easily released over 75% to the plant. TI can not find that post. I was actually searching for Vertical hydraulic conductivity, Capillary Rise and Capillary rate and wicking when your links showed up. The axis DE is like $90 a bag for 50 pounds so i think I could more cheaply reproduce from other products but have to screen. where I live in idaho, there is a Celatom DE plant less than 60 miles away, 2 zeolite mines, a sodium bentonite mine, WHC and Airspace mid 20s in the 2 larger particle sizess. Also the best white pumice [Hess] source mine a few hours away. I had hoped better water holding capacity. I plan on rerunning all the mixes again in a few months now that i have more standardized my process using multiple cup sizes, some of them tamped or shaken to settle, some top watered, some bottom water, measure distance of subsidence if any. I also have a vegetronix tensionometer now and will take additional measures at various depths to measure the exact tension and also verify depth of pWT which i can usually see through the transparent cups if I use a marking dye and saturate from below. Anyway I will share those spreadsheets in the near future If i were to guess, you have some sort of plant and soil science background or some civil engineering background and a love for plants. At any rate, your explanations and examples are some of the best I have ever come across, and your shoelace suggestion is brilliant, truly. i read so much WRONG advice or the wrong analysis for reason why something works or does not work. it is refreshing to come across accurate information Garret Goyette

Well, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late! Everyone has such wonderful things! I received my box from wonderful Linda, aka 'oldcrafty'. There were so many excellent things, I haven't gotten picts of all of them, so I'll try to list them. I lost a couple items immediately, my daughters have quick hands!!! I mentioned that I love peacocks, and Linda was on a mission!!! I think my favorite things were these green statues, and my Ms Kelly flamigo/peacock! There is also a wonderful birdhouse with sparklies in it, I'm thinking about where they need to go, a gorgeous beaded hanging candle holder, sorry no pict, my oldest took it and ran! Cute little pinecone men, found a home on the window sill, a peacock tray, a fiberoptic lamp (cool!!!) and I know I'm forgetting stuff, but I'm at work and can't go look!!! oh, a couple of magazines filled with gorgeous flowers and neat ideas! I'm sorry, Linda, I can't remember all of my treasures right now, but it was a marvelous box!!! You did an excellent job with your first Secret Santa! NMGirl - I didn't know what those little beady things were either, but I knew you would be able to find a creative use for them! When I saw that nut, I just couldn't pass it up! I didn't know WHO needed it, but I knew someone did, then I got your info and I thought you would definitely be able to make it into something a wee fairy would want to live in :) Hope everyone has a marvelous New Year and I just can't wait to see what new ideas crop up this year!!!

Boiling on the stove- Im sure this works but come on - if your at that stage its time to invest in a good FL with a heater in it. Your spending your way to it anyway in clothing wear and tear. gunk, funk, manure, you name it a good detergent and a sustained tumble in 120-140 will stop that problem. Deoderant/anti persperant does make a marked difference in how aggressive I need to be to keep the funk away. I settled on 2 and I switch - Jack black, and clarins with the clarins D-O seemingly the most chemically superior, but not much scent. every 4-6 weeks I do an 8 hour soak in warm of oxy and do a double rinse and I have dress white shirts that I bought in 06 that are indistiguishable from the ones acquire in 09. The taylor marks my shirts year of assembly with a tag- I actually have to check. I dirt bike ride, boat, and 4x4 all the time sweat like a hog and get really dirty. The equipment & detergent is really the secret. Dave

In the States you can sign up at BB&B in stores or on line for coupons and special sales info. The coupons, which arrive regularly by mail and email, are good for 20% off any single item (with a few exceptions, which sometimes the store will ignore. I bought my Breville oven there, using a coupon, although Breville items were listed as excluded on the coupon.) When I am interested in something, such as the dehydrators, I check both BB&B and Amazon on line. Then I visit a BB&B. BB&B stores will order an item that is listed in the on-line inventory if they do not have it in stock. I pay at the store, using a coupon, and the item will be shipped directly to me from some central warehouse. As I said, they will usually forego shipping charges. (I have to negotiate this, and a manager has to clear it.) This makes them competitive with Amazon Prime, and the BB&B customer service and return policy is absolutely super. Hope this is clear. Don't know if Canada BB&Bs offer coupons. (We have driven through Alberta, but in the southern part--as far north as Edmonton, where a good friend used to live. I loved the towns and people. But snow 8 months of the year? BRRRRR.)