Well, yesterday I used the gritty mix for the first time. I put a persian lilac seedling in the gritty mix (3-4-2) and a spider plant in 1-1-1. I am a bit scared as to how often to water since within a couple of hours the wick on the bottom was dry. I watered again and this morning dry again, so I watered again. Is this normal? The summer heat is not here yet and I am a bit worried about watering. Also the spider plant does not look too good, it is wilted quite a bit. I plan on putting some vincas in the 5-1-1 and see how that goes. I totally understand the benefits of the gritty mix but...are the plants going to make it if I water once a day? Also when is good time to start fertilizing the new potted plants and how much. I also plan on moving my african violet and the peace lily in the gritty (1-1-1) but they will be inside. Please someone help and build my confidence up...:( Michael

I'm not sure what you have in mind for using the potting soil exactly, but I have my own special mix made that I use for my rare cycads. With plants that are worth what these are worth, getting the best soil is well worth the extra money. You mentioned drainage, well, that is the most important thing in growing cycads. That, and having a mix that doesn't break down real fast and get mucky over time. Also, I don't want insects getting in my mix (ants and termites love pine bark)and I don't want my pH to go acid in a year. My mix is mainly Canadian peat, well point sand (very coarse sand, almost small rock)I do use cypress saw dust and also perlite. If you can't find anything good, I am 2 minutes off I-4 in Lakeland and have my soil professionally made for me by a place that has a computer mixing it and I buy 30 yards at a time. If you are just wanting to put up some things, I could spare 1/2 a yard or something like that.

I have attempted to allow all to come and speak civily. If I have done nothing else. Yes I can send out what I recieve and I can even take from everyone else the information they give because it dose make for my benefit as well as dose my information for some. If I held every answer in the book I would not have come to this forum or to any other forum to ask questions or to simply make a statement of my experiance, be it with tomatoes or with a tree. As to those un named who simply can not see past thier own actions in conversations. I post for those who want to try and work as a community here through the true exchange of ideas not through arrogance . that hostility towards new or old ideas and methods makes any thread of knowledge mute to others. I have seen over my fifty years thousands of crops and gardens lost to blights late freezes or other factors including droughts. so Is it a gamble every year you plant? you bet ya. but as gardeners and farmers we go out every year and plant our gardens and fields. and we wait and we harvest from our toils. Is my way the only way out there as we can plainly see it is not. dose it make me a better gardener or farmer if I make no effort to allow others to give to me knowledge of some kind towards a different idea in gardening no it dose not. But to jump up and treat people the way I have been treated by some in this post may amuse some but with it comes the loss to others who really are thirsting for knowledge. to that end for those who really want a civil conversation please feel free to have one. and please do use the almanac to get if not just the basics for those new to gardening but to those here who truely have the ability to give thier views with out malice. because the only thing I learned from most of you here is you have grown too set in your ways to let in information even if it was just part of what was given in total. I was asked to introduce my self several times and did so including where i live and my experiances including in many of the areas of you here in this post. but instead I recieve a continual out pouring of arrogance from those just wanting to see just how far they can push some one. I can bark back or I can set back and listen to ideas and pick up some new methods including those that may infact make me wonder. If the way you grow your crop works for you by all means share it. it may make some one else actually have a crop or garden that has exceptional yields we as gardeners and farmers pray for three things an early spring with out a freeze, plenty of water, and a great harvest season- long and fruitful. We as a group need to stop the nonsence and try to reach for those goals instead.

Anthony, you are the master of the deals, good for you! those starts look very good and will give you a head start on growing. One season I grew kalettes, a mix of kale and brussel sprouts, they got big and took a long time, they were very good. These days I prefer crops that are fast like the Asian greens, kale, lettuce, radishes and others. I am enjoying some french radishes this morningAnthony, have you tried growing microgreens? you can grow them indoors and can be a nice and healthy addition to your salads. There is a lot of videos on you tube if you are interested. I am growing now broccoli microgreens and soon I will start some sunflower. I just had a dish at a fancy restaurant with sunflower microgreens on top of the fish, it was good! Keep up with the good work! Silvia