Well said Brian! though in practice I believe enough sediment gets there to do the job. This is also one of the reasons why I still use clay pots bedded in sand, where the porous clay performs the action of the 'wick'. Mesh can stop worms getting into the pot, turning the organic ingredients of the compost to paste, which is a plus factor. On Wed, Oct 24, 2012 at 7:25 PM, Brian Whyer <brian.whyer@btinternet.com>wrote: > Using mesh has its problems too. A soft floppy mesh may still allow the > bottom of the pot resonable contact with the underlying support, whether > the ground or sand etc. on a bench. Stiffer mesh breaks contact with the > support bringing us back to suspended water tables in the pot, as wicking > away of excess water is no longer possible, and the growing medium will > hold more water each time, regardless of its makeup. > > Brian Whyer, Buckinghamshire, England, zone ~8'ish >