Peat starts out at a very low pH and is adjusted upward by adding lime, which also supplies Ca and Mg. Coir starts at a pH that is already too high (around 7.0) for container media, leaving no chance for using lime as a Ca/Mg source. So what are you using that ensures your plants are getting the Ca and Mg they need, and how do you address the high pH issue that needs no attention with bark/peat-based soils? How do you know you're getting your coir/CHCs from a reputable packager? and that the solubles level isn't excessively high ..... until your plants are surviving or failing? Seems like an unnecessary risk to me. Lots of things become the rage when people don't understand the product well. It's only after they've been brought into the light that people start to say, "Hey wait a minute". Lots of people simply decided that coir (or CHC's) are a great idea based on the fact that THEY bought into the idea that peat is not renewable and they wanted to feel they made a wise choice in switching. Look at the impossible claims you hear about products like Superthrive, Eleanor's VF-11, Bloom-booster fertilizers ...... A few people repeat something they heard someone else say, and pretty soon it's an urban legend and touted as the best thing since sliced bagels. There are reasons commercial ops don't use significant amounts of coir and CHCs in media - cost, high levels of soluble salts (are common) and a pH too high to deal with w/o acidification of the irrigation water. "Isnt the point of drainage layer so there isnt a saturated layer at the bottom of the pot?" It may be your intent, but wishing it would work that way doesn't change physics - no matter how hard you wish. 'Drainage layers' do not promote drainage unless the particles in the drainage layer are no larger than 2.1x the size of the particles in the soil. If they are larger than that, water 'perches' in the soil above the 'drainage layer'. "If the styrofoam was rock I could understand the water perch idea." Rock or big chunks of foam make no difference. The water reacts the same way. "The op was asking about making containers lighter. Annuals and alot of plants dont need the 20+ gallon size of large containers for root colonizing. Why have a 100 pound pot if you dont have to. What would you suggest?" One of the best ways, from a scientific perspective, would be to upturn another (plastic) container inside of the one you're planting in and put a screen over the drain hole. Second best would be to insert a false bottom with a wick through it. You could also partially fill the container with soda bottles or milk jugs with screw-on caps. You CAN use chunks of foam or peanuts to reduce the amount of soil needed to fill a container, but these layers of material in the bottom of containers do nothing for drainage. Al

122) Chiggers love the sweet perfume of OFF! Wear it well at clothing openings and about the ankle. (Deer ticks are optional here but plentiful.)

Pliers, church keys, knives - I make good use of all of them. I use a knife to separate the plastic rim from the cap on milk jugs. Holding the knife horizontally, you can easily cut through the little plastic threads holding the two pieces together. Now if car manufacturers would eliminate those blanket blank gas caps that have to be turned to "click" when closing. Opening it isn't a problem, but I've resorted to a good pair of adjustable pliers to get it clicked closed. (I do that little operation once I'm back home.) Thank heavens that works like a charm, would hate to have the malfunction light come on for just giving up and leaving it unclicked.

hi thanks cool idea. we did this also for our terrier but used my d.d,s pants legs. just a few days I thought she (the dog) was cold and used an infants onesy it fit perfect but now we are looking at all the babys clothes as doggie clothes also. this was kinda funny until my 8yr old caught on and now trys to dress the dog from the infants drawer oops . last week end she put socks a onesy and a baby blanket for a cape before I could un do it , poor dog. I also thought of looking in t.s. for baby coats ? they are always in good shape . thanks for the pic Rick