Hi, Im Mathias from Sweden (a country made up of more than 22% peat bogs)

im new here and i really really like all the knowledge to be found here.

Im planning already on my soil mix ill be using OD this summer in grow bags, and here are some thoughts from me on what to use...

FIRST OFF 5-1-1 OR GRITTY MIX ISNT A OPTION.

Here, a bag of container/potting soil is made up of roughly 90-100%, some (the very expensive) bags contain 5% LECA 2-6mm (If im lucky, but mostly those last % is just sand). Sometimes there is 50kg per cu Meter of clay added) These bags are often a blend of up to 55-75% dark peat and the rest is mostly light peat as a base. The cheaper bags often contain 10-20% three or partly decomposed bark fibers thats hardly decomposed at all.

I am also able to get hold of 100% ligth peat from the same company (Rölunda/Änglamark) which are the superior brand.

As most of you might know, peat is classified by the Von Post scale, ranging from H1 to H10.

H1 represents the least decomposed peat which is fibrous and plant origins are possible to see. This peat feels very spongy and dries fastest( but to me seems to be the best one as fibers are visible and it is very airy)

H10 reprepenta completely decomposed peat with no discernenible plant structure(IE very small parts almost muck like).

What is your favourite peat blend for pots?

My first question this: What type of peat would you have chosen for a container garden, with fast growing and quite thirsty plants, either H1-H3 100% or H1-3/H5-7 50/50 mix?

My second question is this:

What type of peat mix would you use? Why? Please explain

Here is a bit in my available substrates other than peat:

1. Bark mulch 80/20 bark/H1-3peat (Well composted, 1yr+)

2. Peat in the same blend as "potting/container soil"

3. Peat H1-H3, both pure & limed/NPK:ed

4. Different same/same container soils as first mentioned far above

5. LECA 8-14 mm

6. Composted Cow manure 85/15 Manure/H1-H3peat

7. Dressing soil, very fine sifted ordinary potting soil but with 15% fine sand.

8. Cocos coir, fine/ coarse but I haven't $ for more than 10-15%

And the way too expensive amendments available:

1. Perlite/Vermiculite

2. Turface/kitty litter(60%DE 1-3, 3-6mm sizes (might have $ for 5%)

3. Pumice

4 ETC ETC.

Iam growing OD in bags, which might not always be watered perfectly, but i still want to give them the best possible media to grow in..

I might have the ability to amend with up to 5-10% kitty litter, 8-12mm LECA is very cheap and i could use it in large ammounts.

Even the so called Bark mulch is very cheap with the same price as the Cow manure and the H1-H3 peat.

It's like this: For about 15$ I can choose 4x50L bags and mix freely from the potting soil, pure/NPK H1-H3 peat, cow manure, dressing soil or the Bark mulch.

The 8-12mm LECA 40L bag is about half az much money as 4x50L bags, so not very expensive.

5. I gow completely organic, and dont even want to use the H1-H3 unlimed/nonNPK pear as there is NPK in it, so, how much and how long will it take to lime up the natural (4-4,5ph) light peat to a acceptable PH around PH 6?

7. Should I add my diffferent meals at the same time as i lime the peat up?

My nutes are:

Alfalfa meal

Kelp (AscoNodo) Thorvin Icelandic brand

Neem meal

Blood meal

Bone meal

Liquids:

Molasses

Algomin 3-3-3 (Seaweed, and alot more)

Granular:

Substral Naturen 8-3-6

Algomin PK 0-7-15

I want your help in mixing a media that is good overall for what I can get hold of cheaply..

This media will be somewhat tweaked on whats in the grow bags, but mostly it will be tomatoes, hemp and other fast growing plants that consume much water.

I NEED THE MEDIA TO BE A QUITE GOOD WATER HOLDING MEDIA AS I WONT BE ABLE TO WATER TOO OFTEN, AS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT SOME 300+ GROW BAGS ILL USE. But I still want the best possible media and nute regimen for the plants, under my circumstances.

THIS IS PART 1 OUT OF MORE POSTS THAT WILL BE POSTED IN THIS THREAD

All the best,