On 12/01/2011 17:26, Bob Hobden wrote:
"Jeff Layman" wrote ...

Recently I've tried "blocking" all the drainage holes with thin slices
of Oasis (sometimes adding crocks above simply to add weight). The
reason for doing this is to dissuade ants from entering the pots and
forming nests, and eventually removing much of the soil. As I grow many
plants in very sandy soil, this is a serious problem. So far it looks
successful, but I'd be interested to see the results if anyone else
wanted to try it. By the way, it doesn't seem to affect drainage as
water simply runs through the Oasis.

You can buy sheets of plastic insect proof netting (or was it shade
cloth?), green in colour, and I've used a piece of that cut to shape to
fit the bottom of the pot in the past to stop ants using the pots as a
nest. Worked for me.

I've also used that, but I ran out of it, and the Oasis was at hand. I'm
pretty certain that weed-proof membrane would work too, as that lets
water through.

--

Jeff