What brand of potting soil do you prefer?
eleanor_rigby
18 years ago
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Pieonear
18 years agogarden_crazy_girl
18 years agoRelated Discussions
Potting Soil - What do you reccomend?
Comments (7)ProMix all the way. Been using it for 7 years (since it became available in my area). I do a lot of Winter Sowing as per the Winter Sowing Forum here, and will put out sometimes over 300 containers in the cold months. Then I pot-up a whole bunch of seedlings to give to family and friends during the gardening season. The bales are great since you get your money's worth. Goes a long way....See MoreWhat potting soil do you all use?
Comments (12)Audry: "And that seemed to say as long as I poured boiling water on my compost I could use it without fear of Hunks of Weeds. So I assumed the same would hold true for Garden Soil. No, eh? Which FAQs did I miss?" Compost is very, very different from soil. Especially garden soil. Whatever soil is on the ground, whether in your garden or not, has clay. Clay makes the soil clump and harden. Once the soil starts to dry, it hardens and there is no way without working it to make it become soft again. As the soil drys, it shrinks and begins to pull away from the walls of the container. Once this happens, as you begin to water the container it runs between the wall of the container and out the drainage holes... if compacted clay has not clogged those holes. The potting MIX is much more like the texture of compost. It has no clay and no seed. There is nothing in it to make it hard. It holds water much better than garden soil, because clay causes water to run off, but since potting MIX doesn't contain clay, more moisture is absorbed and contained. There are no nutrients in clay, so while some roots might be strong enough to cut through it, there is nothing in the clay to keep them healthy or to help them grow....See Morewhat kind of pots do you prefer
Comments (15)Typically, I go with whatever is cheapest -- and that generally is plastic. Because, by and large, my plants are small growers a lack of "heft" is pretty irrelevant. I have picked up a bunch of neat pots and pot wannabes over the years. Sometimes they are pots at BBS in which all the plants have died and I am able to get the pot for a buck or two. Other times, I have found pots at thrift stores or attractive glazed ceramic bowls/containers that I then have drilled a drainage hole or holes thus turning the container into a pot. Examples of the latter follow: Recently, I was at a craft store looking for candle making supplies. Total waste of time in that regard but I did happen across a cool (IMO) faux rock pot in their clearance section. The pot had a few chips in it which enabled me to get it further discounted. When all was said and done, it cost me a little over $3....See MoreSoil mixes for potted plumeria....what do you use?
Comments (19)I use 2/3 perlite, 1/3 or less peat moss. I dampen it and use plastic water bottles, drill or punch big round holes in the bottom and a few on the sides 1-2" from the bottom. I don't cut much off of the top of the water bottles because I don't want too much water to get in if it rains. Then I wedge styrofoam in the top to secure them and to further block water from entering. I sit them in the hottest place I can find, usually the driveway or on top of Pinebark in a bed by the driveway, in full sun most of the day. I think the clear containers help them root faster. I've tried using eggs in them, honestly didn't notice any difference. I did 2 Singapores, one with the egg, one without, they rooted at the same time and roots were the same size. Both cuttings from the same tree. If we get lots of rain and I think they are too wet, I bring them inside in the air conditioning and let them go bone dry before I put them back in the sun and heat. If you don't want to worry about them getting too wet, just use perlite alone. That works fine too. Also course builders sand but if you use the sand be careful when you cut the bottle and take them out, the sand is heavy and can break the roots. Rinse the sand away, then lift them out. That's what has worked best for me here in zone 11....See MoreSHLGR2
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