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Container Gardening

Best Potting Mix for Container Gardening

15 years ago

I have 5 Earth Boxes and I have not been very successful growing vegetables in these. Wondering what is the best soil to use in these. The customer service with this company has been less than helpful. There information has been very vague and different every time you speak to a different person. Please advise what soil you have used with success. Thanks

Gardening in Central Florida.

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Comments (3)

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
15 years ago
That's probably because there is no singular answer & opinion weighs heavily on what answer you get.

There are lots of soil discussions on this forum that explore the subject in depth, and can help you gain insight. You'll need to get something of an education so you can decide for yourself what soil will suit your habits and application.

Al
farkee
15 years ago
There really isn't any wiggle room to make mistakes with self-watering containers. You must get a soilless mix with excellent 'wicking' or capillary action. You know you have the right thing if it costs a fortune and it is very light to pick up compared to cheap bags that have soil.

I would call around to nursery supply stores and find bales of Pro-mix BX. It is compressed and does, if I remember correctly, 3 to 3 1/2 boxes so you would need 2 bales.
It is expensive but the mix can be reused over and over again according to EB and other EB afficionados--just cut off plant, remove leftover fertilizer strip, top off with new potting mix, add new dolomite and fert. I have always started with fresh mix every year but told this is not necessary. When reusing, if the mix in the box is too wet something is blocking drain and you do have to start over and dump that mix, add new to it and then repack.

Or in Florida Home Depot has the brand Lamberts Potting Mix --get the largest bag--something like 75 to 85 quarts. One bag does one earthbox with some leftover. Around $14.

Ignore any directions that say to add the mix in dry. Much better to moisten it first in a wheel barrel or the bag and don't forget to pack the 2 corners or you will get no wicking.

Finally you said you didn't have any success before--did you add the dolomite (calcium and magnesium)? NOT HYDRATED LIME though some EB directions are outdated and still make it out that the two are interchangeable. Espoma makes Garden Lime and is available at HD and Lowes I believe. Bigger bags of dolomite are available much much cheaper but you have to locate them which isn't easy as places will try to sell you the hydrated lime. Fertlizer should be granular with the numbers 5 or higher but not over 15. (2 cups synthetic, 3 cups organic).

They work fantastic, that is why you see so many home-made knockoffs being made based on the design features of the earthbox. Plus people want a larger Earthbox so they make their own (I have done it myself). Earthbox people have had requests to make a larger one but said the shipping of a large box would be prohibitively expensive. Good luck.
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farkee
15 years ago
I was looking at the pro-mix web site at premierhort.com
and with a nod to Al they even have a mix with pine bark.

Approximately 40% peat 40 bark% so I am assuming you would get good wicking action but with the benefits that bark adds to the mix. That is more peat than in Al's mixes but still think it would probably work in self-watering containers where you don't want excessive drainage and you need reasonable water retention. It would be interesting to try both the BX formula and the one with bark. Maybe the bark formula would last longer and be better in subsequent years. I have a feeling that it would have to be special ordered as I have never seen it at the wholesale place I go to.

http://www.premierhort.com/eProMix/Horticulture/Products/GrowingMediaCat/mycorise/fBiostimulant.htm

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