As I said in the other discussion: I do substitute compost for some or all of the peat when using the mix in fabric Smart Pots that are on bare ground. The earth acts like a giant wick so the pot is more like a mini raised bed, and there is no perched water table. The roots actually grow through the bottom of the pot into the ground. When making 5-1-1 for regular containers, I don't use compost or manure because the fine material can make the mix too water retentive. In any case, I don't count on the compost to meet the nutrient needs of the plants in a container. I use mostly chemical fertilizers in both situations. When growing in a regular raised bed or directly in the ground, I prefer organic fertilizers and amendments.

No we are talking about what the plant is growing in regardless of what you call it. And since when is water extraction not considered a accurate form of nutrient testing? Can you document that claim? If that were the case then there would be no point in any one ever having a professional soil test done, no way to determine the nutrient levels of any solid materials including foods. Anyone with any experience with using MG in containers knows that the 3 month claim on the label isn't accurate and if they don't know it up front they quickly learn it. So if you think using MG potting mix adds an element of "convenience" to container gardening then you are mislead. Nutrient supplements, even those in MG, leach out of containers with any top watering and/or rain and need to be replaced regularly. That's one of the primary benefits of bottom watering and self watering containers - leass leaching. This is pretty commonly knowledge here, on Container Gardening, and on most any other gardening resource as well and documented testing is readily available. The most common recommendation when working with containers is to supplement them weekly in a diluted form. You might want to do some more reading on exactly what 5-1-1 mix is and what it isn't. I suggest the link below. Dave Here is a link that might be useful: 5-1-1 Mix in detail and FAQs

Bob, the media looks terrific! The plants are going to be so happy in these new pots. Let me tell you! The Growstone GS2 made of recycled glass is what I use too. The size is great, especially to pair with your croutons. So to answer your question about watering. Here is my advice. When you pot up a new set of plants into these, lift them up while they are dry. Get an idea of the weight when they are completely dry. Then watering them you can see each day by picking up the pot how much water is being consumed based on weight. This will give you a baseline for creating a schedule, but watch since plants have different watering requirements. Those pushing out leaves and flowers consume a greater amount of water than those that are semi-dormant. I keep mine in plastic trays to prevent runoff water from dripping onto the heating mats below. I keep my trays elevated about 1.5" above my heating mats. I keep them from touching, as it does lead roots astray. Also, I adjust the tallness of the pot to suit the plant. Don't feel the need to fill them to the rim and keep them tall. Your Arabicums will require a more wider pot and less depth. I don't have any problems handling the fabric pots and disturbing the roots. If anything, the pot flexes to prevent damaging the roots when you are shuffling things around. Keep up the outstanding work! Tracy

Is this a valid concern? Enough to either switch to standard pots instead, or increase the ratio of calcined products even further? I'd say it's a valid concern, given the evaporative surface is probably in the neighborhood of trebled. I can't tell you what to do because it sort of depends on how much you're willing to water. I suppose it you're willing to water daily if that's necessary, a try at upping the water retention with the added water-retaining products is a good bet. Regardless of what you try- why not also try at least one variant container type with a regular mix (if you use 1 pot) or a super soaker mix if you use the fabric bags. - And just out of curiosity, if the unscreened Turface/DE doesn't affect aeration why do you (seemingly) prefer perlite? Cost- or weight-related? I use perlite because I don't want or need the additional water retention afforded by products like Turface or calcined DE. I don't particularly like to water, but my plants appreciate me making soils that require frequent watering. I have at least 200 containers, so I have to make the watering rounds daily (unless it rains) anyway, because I have so many bonsai pots that have 1/2 cup of soil or less. Some plants only need watering every 5 days or so (like pines & junipers), but the little guys demand close attention. That's not the soil's fault - it's related almost entirely to my choices that limit soil volume. Should I water based on the volume of the media with 5-1-1, or should I water based on the size of the plant? Both of those considerations are part of what you use to decide when to water. A well made 5:1:1 is quite forgiving when it comes to the potential for over-watering, so common sense usually carries the day. After a planting is established, you might wait for a weekend when you know you can watch a plant carefully. Water on Wednesday or Thursday, then watch carefully for the first sign of wilt to give you a better idea of where the limits are. It won't take long before you'll be factoring light levels, wind, humidity ..... as a matter of course into your determination of when to water - it'll become almost reflexive. I hardly even think about what I'm doing as I water - usually thinking about something else. If you're in doubt about whether or not the plant will be ok until your next opportunity to water ..... you can usually water w/o ill effects because of the nature of the soil you're using. - Would you recommend the seedlings in an intermediate pot before they go into their final 15gal homes? Personally, I wouldn't bother, but I WOULD be mindful of making sure I keep the soil moist where I think the roots are. IOW, if all the roots are in the top 3" of soil, you better water so the top 3" is moist enough to satisfy water demands. As noted, if you run into this issue at transplant time, you can set the fabric bags on the ground (to take advantage of the earth's wicking action, or set things up so an actual wick is keeping the lower part of the container from staying soggy - say if you have to water daily immediately after transplanting. Don't worry about asking questions. That's what drives the forums. If I can't answer, there are a lot of smart folk here who can help. Once I'm a part of as thread I usually follow it until it fades away, so if you're getting replies from others (say on this thread) and I seem to have gone missing, it's just that I agree with what's being said & there's no need for me to add anything to 'their' able advice. If I think you're not getting good info, I usually offer some sort of input that will make whoever's following the thread view what was said in a light that shows it might not hold up to more than casual scrutiny. With the number of messages I get from people who actually make a point of saying they are totally confused by conflicting information, it's probably as GOOD thing for everyone if we make it more of a point to hold each other's feet to the fire so people can rely on what's being presented as good advice. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. Thanks for the kind words, BTW. Al