We can probably avoid a lot of conflict if we avoid the superlative (words like best/worst) and stick to the comparative (better/not as good). Soils are going to be a balancing act. Generally speaking, the more air you can build into them the better; but there is a point, where the 'balance' comes in where we need to look at our convenience. That is to say we don't want to build so much air into the soils that they hold too little water. So how much is enough water, is a pivotal issue. If FL, you may WANT lots of water retention, but here we have 'balance' to consider again. By that, I mean if you build too much water retention into the soil to satisfy YOUR needs or convenience, it's possible you sacrifice some of the potential vitality of your plant. What we strive for then, is how to create a soil that holds lots of air AND lots of water. This seems impossible at first, because water retention is usually directly correlated with particle size. I.e., the smaller the particles the greater the water retention. The fly in the ointment is that as particles become smaller, air retention decreases and the level of perched water increases. Perched water is water that is held so tightly in soils, due to capillary attraction, that the force of gravity is not enough to cause it to drain from the soil. Air must return to bonsai soils quickly. Fine (hair) roots exposed to anaerobic conditions succumb quickly, so even if you don't actually SEE the stress soils with perched water cause your plants, it is there. As young roots die from lack of air, the plant has to devote either stored energy or current photosynthate to replacing lost roots. This is the price we pay for using heavy soils - especially in shallow pots. A soil that supports only a 2" perched water table (PWT) will remain 2/3 airless and saturated in any 3" deep pot ...... which is why you're asking questions about appropriate soils. Going back now to how to create a soil that holds lots of air AND lots of water. What if we try a different strategy - different than using soil particulates so small they hold too much water between particles and support a PWT? Let's try to build a soil with LARGE particles, so it holds lots of air, but let's use porous materials, so they hold water INSIDE of the particles. If we could do THAT, we could build a soil that holds lots of water, but has no saturated layer of soil at the bottom of the pot. That would solve the issue of water retention and aeration, while at the same time avoiding a PWT. I won't go into a lot more detail about particle size, but you can read more about it here. I'll just say that at at a little under a particle size of about 1/8", the PWT disappears entirely. I combine 3 ingredients, in equal parts (by volume), to make my basic soils. You might be able to find ingredients that do the same thing, but these are worth looking for, and I might be able to help guide you to a source, depending on where you live. I use screened pine or fir bark, screened Turface, and crushed granite. The Turface is the workhorse. It's clay, baked at high temps until it's ceramic-like. It has excellent internal porosity, and with 14 acres of surface area per pound, an excellent CEC (holds nutrients well). The crushed granite holds water only on its surface, and the bark acts as a filler material, having approximately the same water retention as the average between the Turface and granite, so it compliments the other ingredients well. One of the key issues here, is that this soil is adjustable for water retention. You can increase the amount of Turface and decrease the amount of granite, while still limiting the bark's presence to under 1/3 of the o/a volume, which will increase water retention, or decrease the Turface and increase the granite to decrease water retention. It's very difficult to find fault with a soil that resolves the water retention/aeration issue; or to point out that different growing areas require different soils. It simply needs a variation in how you combine the ingredients to cover an extremely wide range of applications, from very cool/wet to hot/dry. Al

I've been experimenting with lasagna gardens this year and have some success...and some almost failures. The tomatoes are huge..but mostly greenery and the fruit is wrinkled so I guess I should have watered more even though the lasagna stayed moist. Picked the first ripe ones yesterday. The acorn squash have taken over the bed and are climbing the fence now and are setting squash. I planted a row of corn in a brand new lasagna bed and it is doing well. It was nothing but grass clippings and shredded paper with a small amount of compost. I thought it would get a foot high and then keel over. Not so, it just keeps growing and even though I planted late, is starting to tassle. Another last minute bed is woodchips and grass clippings (obviously the grass is growing this cool summer) with only enough compost to plant seeds in. Last week, I seeded this one with parsnip seeds and last night it looked like every one had germinated! This in my experience is very unusual. They usually take ages to germinate and then are spotty. There are so many coming up I thought they were weeds! Meanwhile the beans are producing well and one of the best veggies this year has been the peas. With all of the cool weather they are still producing. It's been quite fun trying this type of gardening.

Lois, my first experience with white chili was bland too. This is the one I came up with and I like the beans pureed to thicken the soup...no cream. Then, be sure and top with the black bean and corn salsa for the supper bland beater: Black and White Chili 1 pound ground chicken (or turkey) 1 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion; chopped 2 cloves garlic; minced 2 teaspoons ground cumin 2 teaspoons chili powder 1 Pablano pepper; roasted, seeded and chopped (or 1 can green chilies) Kosher salt to taste Fresh ground pepper to taste 3 cups chicken broth 28 oz. can cannelloni white kidney beans Handful fresh cilantro; chopped Black bean and corn salsa (must have) In a large soup pot, cook ground chicken in olive oil along with onion, garlic cumin, chili powder, n salt and fresh ground pepper. When chicken is cooked thru and onions are tender, add chicken broth. Puree beans with sauce in food processor until smooth and stir into chili. Simmer chili at least 30 minutes to blend flavors or longer to cook down and thicken more. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed, stir in cilantro. If it gets too thick add chicken broth to thin. Serve topped with black bean and corn salsa. Black Bean and Corn Salsa 15 oz. can black beans; rinse and drain 1 cup roasted corn 1 small onion; chopped 1 Roma tomato; seeded and chopped juice from 1/2 fresh lime 1 1/2 teaspoons Southwest seasoning 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro Combine ingredients at least 1/2 hour before serving with tortilla chips or on soup or salad. Marilyn

I speak from experience.....you really need the big marshmallows. The little ones are drier, there is more cornstarch on the outside and more outside....and it doesn't work. Wait until you can get the real big marshmallows. By the way....would you post that recipe? I am not sure I really know where I put my copy...and it was really good and hard to spoil fudge....if you followed directions!! LOL! Linda C