There is a triangle bounded by soil choice, watering habits, and nutrition that are inextricably linked to each other. If you get the soil part right, the rest becomes much easier, with a much wider margin for grower error. Peaty soils or soils based on primarily fine ingredients are much harder to grow in, and the margin for error increases in a fairly linear relationship with a soil's water retention. Your gnat issue is probably related to both soil choice and watering habits at a minimum - possible a fertilizer issue too, depending on what you've been using. Lime in bark/peat soils serves 2 purposes. It brings pH up to a more favorable level, and it provides a source for Ca and Mg - two nutrients usually missing from soluble fertilizers (but present in most Dyna-Gro products. I'll link you to a thread which provides information that clarifies how water behaves in soils. I think that gaining an understanding of what's in this thread is probably the largest step forward a container gardener can make at one time. Al Here is a link that might be useful: See what you think .....

I would use some variation of the 5:1:1 bark based soil for the annual plantings - the ones you plan on replacing each year, and would use the gritty 1:1:1 mix for the perennial plantings - the ones that will remain in the same soil for more than a season (or two). Al

I use 5-1-1 for tomatoes and peppers and it works exceptionally well. In 5-gallon containers, I water my peppers every 2 - 4 days during high Summer. Try your mix and see if it works. Take careful notes so that your experiment is documented. What volume of mix are you making in which you'll include half a cup of Lime and a full cup of Osmocote? Three of the ingredients you mention are really moisture retentive due to their particle size and lack of structure - top soil, vermiculite, and compost. Vermiculite readily collapses into a spongey clay-like mush, whether or not it starts out "coarse".... Without seeing the pine bark in question, I can't comment with any real accuracy. Let us know how things turn out in 6 months. Josh

Me= a bit of a container noobie; I am trying to grow tomatoes in the 99cent re-usable grocery store bags. for an entry about this: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/rmgard/msg0515311226265.html?6 You can get more data over on the 'container' forum. But they are mainly into large hardsided containers. So far, I have found that adding significant perlite is important. It is also rough on the tomato plant as you are learning, making mistakes, experimenting, all at the expense of the plant. so start several healthy plants. try for ideal conditions, use plant varities you have found easy and good before. Also put the same variety in the ground and one in a traditional 5-8 gallon pot, and go for it. D in colorado Here is a link that might be useful: Link her