Do you have an easy recipe of making your own mix for a gardening-beginner? Yes. I would recommend using what is known around here as 'Al's 5-1-1 mix' for annuals and perennials grown for just a year or two before being repotted. For plants that will stay in the same container/mix for more than 2 years I would recommend what is known around here as 'Al's Gritty mix'. The 5:1:1 mix is 5 parts pine bark (very small pieces), 1 part perlite and 1 part peat. The gritty mix is 1 part pine bark fines, 1 part Turface MVP and 1 part grower grit (#2 sized). For more information on this I will refer you to this thread. Don't get too hung up on specific ingredients and percentages. The principle is using ingredients that will be of a large enough size (above 1/16th inch) for as long as the plant will be in the mix. This provides superior aeration. The higher the percentage of organic matter such as peat or bark, the faster the mix breaks down and aeration suffers. The bark breaks down much slower than peat though. Anyway, read the thread and you will learn a lot. If you can't find suitable ingredients to make your own mix in time to get the season started then just get the regular MG potting mix and take until next year to learn more and locate sources for ingredients you want.

Is it a silver maple or Norway Maple? I'm cool with anything else.

Hey Bob.... I currently still have some soil, but I'm not sure how much I'll have left. I still need some and my sister needs some and the neighbor has asked for some as well. But I really don't think my neighbor will be willing to shovel it next door to his place...he's LAZY! E-mail me directly so that I can let you know if I have any left when we're through. Tania ~_~

Tom, If I lived near you I would grab it in a heart beat, but I'm all the way out by SiLvia's. By the way I have a Epiphyllum start for you. I don't know if you remember a while back i posted a beautiful pink flower Epiphyllum"Grace Ann" you said you wanted a start when it got bigger, well it got bigger. I never forgot. so if you like I can send it to you or hold it till Silvias next party. Carmen