I've been gone a few days so here's my input The shorter and wider the pot, the more moisture that stays in the bottom and causes rot. The taller and narrow the pot, the faster it drains, but I don't know if moisture is more evenly distributed but it would seem that it would take longer for evaporation due to soil depth and that is beneficial to plants. Soil temperature in my experience is also very important so insulation of pot sides and long deep pots will help also. James Frelichowski Osmani Baullosa <osmani_baullosa@yahoo.com> wrote: Hi Alberto, need your help again: I have a question about those cases in which the water never runs out of the pot: If the soil mix turns dry in the upper layer, and the drainage is not good -so the water remains for a longer time down in the pot... Will the roots finnally absorbe this water if you stop watering the plant? Or they will rot? I have a big pot with Alstroemeria (4 years old plants), with a saucer... and the same situation I am describing... It's the only case like this I found among my plants... Thanks in advance, Osmani Alberto Castillo wrote: "Alberto, my pots are mostly very large (largest 29 cm diameter on top) and of red clay with glazed "saucers". No water ever runs out onto the saucer. > >Carol" Dear Carol: Great if it means that you give them only the proper amount they can use. But, there are also many cases in which water just do not run through because the mix has degraded too fine and/or the drainage hole at the bottom is not working anymore. Surprisingly, most people would poke a finger and if the mix is dry in the upper layer keep on adding water without realizing that if the water is not going out, it must remain somewhere. All the best Alberto _________________________________________________________________ Charla con tus amigos en línea mediante MSN Messenger: http://messenger.latam.msn.com/ _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php --------------------------------- Yahoo! Mail Stay connected, organized, and protected. Take the tour _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.ibiblio.org http://www.pacificbulbsociety.org/list.php --------------------------------- Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page