What is the best Bottom Medium for pots?

SL3

SL3

I know good drainage for peppers in pots is a priority (I’ve learned that the hard way). So what do most of you recommend for a bottom layer of medium to promote soil drainage and not loss of soil through drainage holes?
 
So far I have tried just straight burlap or shade cloth with a layer of perlite. But perlite is expensive and I don’t want to waist it. Do any of you use the rubber mulch or any other type of product? 
 
What about soil loss through the large drainage holes of nursery type pots? In the past when I tried that my soil loss was about 4 to 6 inches. Do you at least use a netting at the bottom?
 
that soil loss is mostly from natural compaction and organic breakdown over time, you won't lose that much through the holes unless you are growing in sand.  
 
Definitely no reason for anything other than your potting mix. I've never once noticed soil coming out of the bottom of my nursery pots. Maybe a few little pinches of dirt the first couple of days after transplanting until everything gets settled
 
I use rocks in the bottom of my pots. But, I also drill lots of very BIG holes in the bottoms of my plastic 4 and 5 gallon bucketts. They also help keep the center of gravity stable as the plants get larger. Plants blowing over and snapping under their own weight has been an issue in the past for me.
 
In Okinawa, they put a layer of rocks on the bottom, I'm assuming its for the weight.... its not uncommon to see a decent sized tree still in container about 2-3gallon pots....
 
I like Felt pots over the plastic pots, but when I needed something in the bottom of the plastic pots I use broken clay pots.    
 
you should use walmart bags as pots, there's no soil loss when you move them and they drain better than nursery pots
 
they're also 50 cents each
 
I have used rocks, screen, and packing peanuts. Well-draining (lots of perlite) soil is best. Why take up space with foreign matter that the roots can not grow into? I drill 1/4" holes in the bottoms and the lower sides (about 2 inches up from the bottom on the sides) of my buckets. The soil hasn't washed away yet and we have had quite a bit of rain here in Pennsylvania...
 
I also drill several 1/2 inch holes on the bottom. But maybe this is ok since technically the peppers only make one or two seasons if your lucky. My experience comes from growing lots of cactus. After a few years my Barrel Cactus was being suspended by the mouth of the pot, leaving the roots exposed. Once I started covering the holes with mesh of some sort I alleviated the problem. Of course with peppers it probably doesn't matter if they sink down some. Thanks for all the info. 
 
I am new to the growing aspect of the hot pepper fad....but I used potting soil, mixed with mushroom compost and chicken poop, along with an aged manure form the local landscaping joint, and mine drain perfectly so far, and no loss of soil as far as I can tell that would even  matter...
 
If you want to improve drainage set the pot on bare ground or add cloth wicks to the drainage holes, but fill the pot with your fave medium from top to bottom.
 
another forum member suggested to me putting coffee filters in the bottom. stops you losing soil through drainage holes. by the time the filter disintegrates, the soil is stable enough anyway and wont fall out.worked well for me in the baby stages

that being said, ive used small porous rocks for the bottom of mine now.
 
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