Lol - I'm not sure the rest of the forum comes down on the same side of my 'celebrity' status as you - and I'm not sure I want to know. There are those that think I'm 'anything but'. I don't care one way or the other about celebrity - I just get a good feeling from the idea I might be helping someone ... and from trying to be sure you get good information - the latter bringing us full circle to why some think I'm 'anything but' .... or just a butt. ;o) At any rate, I come down on the side of those that think I'm 'anything but'; though I still need to thank you soo much for the kindness. Oh, sure your fertilizer is close enough to the ratio. Plants tend to take what they need and leave the rest, but keeping the 'rest' at a minimal level is helpful, which is why I use primarily 3:1:2 ratios to begin with. Because it supplies nutrients in (very nearly) the same ratio in which plants use them, it allows you to maintain nutrient levels at the lowest levels (of TDS/EC) without nutritional shortages, which is a great benefit. It's good to remember that 'extra' anything in the soil can be as bad as a deficiency, so there are many facets to fertilizing other than just "feeding" something to your plants. If you find you're having issues you want to attribute to nutrition, I'd move to the soluble fertilizers until you get a feel for the soil and at least understand how well it CAN perform, then work your way into any other program you feel comfortable with. One thing I need to say is that I always always enjoy seeing enthusiasm and excitement in a person. It's contagious. ;o) Good luck - take care - thank you. Al

ashley, what is your definition of a 'soilless' mix? Historically, this term refers to a potting medium that is largely composed of peat moss with a few other additives such as perlite, vermiculite, bark fines. The vast majority of bagged potting mixes on the market are soilless mediums. These mixes can be anywhere from mucky and heavy to porous and fast draining. Depends upon the manufacturer's recipe, and the source of the peat. What is NOT in a soilless medium is clay, silt, sand or other particles that are a part of a successful (outdoor) soil system. It is those mineral solids that determine an outdoor soil's texture. SoilLESS means any medium without those particles and composed mostly of other things. I 'think' what you mean is the artificial mixtures so many of us use containing various amounts of Turface, perlite, bark, grit, and peat. We can call these mediums soilless, also, but applying that term solely to them is misleading. Bagged potting mixes have been labeled on the package as 'Soilless' for many years, generations. I've been trying to remember, just for the heck of it, when the first 'soilless' recipe came out. I think it might have been the famous Cornell mix, and I also think that it might have been in the forties or so. Anyhow, steve needs to evaluate his desire to grow containerized plants and the cost of the water to support the plants. I'd like to encourage him to 'experiment', as he says, with 5:1:1 mix (or whatever) with his one plant. Using a mulch on the surface, as Josh recommends, is a good idea. It will require more frequent watering, though. There's no getting around that. You might also consider adding some of the very porous ingredients to your existing potting medium when you do your repotting. That is a good way to see some of the benefits of using bark fines or Turface, without going cold turkey. I'm really curious, steve, about the kind of medium you are using now? I can't imagine not having to water a containerized plant more than ONCE per week in the summer. What's your secret? Don't be bashful.

Is this a valid concern? Enough to either switch to standard pots instead, or increase the ratio of calcined products even further? I'd say it's a valid concern, given the evaporative surface is probably in the neighborhood of trebled. I can't tell you what to do because it sort of depends on how much you're willing to water. I suppose it you're willing to water daily if that's necessary, a try at upping the water retention with the added water-retaining products is a good bet. Regardless of what you try- why not also try at least one variant container type with a regular mix (if you use 1 pot) or a super soaker mix if you use the fabric bags. - And just out of curiosity, if the unscreened Turface/DE doesn't affect aeration why do you (seemingly) prefer perlite? Cost- or weight-related? I use perlite because I don't want or need the additional water retention afforded by products like Turface or calcined DE. I don't particularly like to water, but my plants appreciate me making soils that require frequent watering. I have at least 200 containers, so I have to make the watering rounds daily (unless it rains) anyway, because I have so many bonsai pots that have 1/2 cup of soil or less. Some plants only need watering every 5 days or so (like pines & junipers), but the little guys demand close attention. That's not the soil's fault - it's related almost entirely to my choices that limit soil volume. Should I water based on the volume of the media with 5-1-1, or should I water based on the size of the plant? Both of those considerations are part of what you use to decide when to water. A well made 5:1:1 is quite forgiving when it comes to the potential for over-watering, so common sense usually carries the day. After a planting is established, you might wait for a weekend when you know you can watch a plant carefully. Water on Wednesday or Thursday, then watch carefully for the first sign of wilt to give you a better idea of where the limits are. It won't take long before you'll be factoring light levels, wind, humidity ..... as a matter of course into your determination of when to water - it'll become almost reflexive. I hardly even think about what I'm doing as I water - usually thinking about something else. If you're in doubt about whether or not the plant will be ok until your next opportunity to water ..... you can usually water w/o ill effects because of the nature of the soil you're using. - Would you recommend the seedlings in an intermediate pot before they go into their final 15gal homes? Personally, I wouldn't bother, but I WOULD be mindful of making sure I keep the soil moist where I think the roots are. IOW, if all the roots are in the top 3" of soil, you better water so the top 3" is moist enough to satisfy water demands. As noted, if you run into this issue at transplant time, you can set the fabric bags on the ground (to take advantage of the earth's wicking action, or set things up so an actual wick is keeping the lower part of the container from staying soggy - say if you have to water daily immediately after transplanting. Don't worry about asking questions. That's what drives the forums. If I can't answer, there are a lot of smart folk here who can help. Once I'm a part of as thread I usually follow it until it fades away, so if you're getting replies from others (say on this thread) and I seem to have gone missing, it's just that I agree with what's being said & there's no need for me to add anything to 'their' able advice. If I think you're not getting good info, I usually offer some sort of input that will make whoever's following the thread view what was said in a light that shows it might not hold up to more than casual scrutiny. With the number of messages I get from people who actually make a point of saying they are totally confused by conflicting information, it's probably as GOOD thing for everyone if we make it more of a point to hold each other's feet to the fire so people can rely on what's being presented as good advice. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it. Thanks for the kind words, BTW. Al

Don't sweat the exact ratios too much. 5-1-1 is a catchall that MOST plants will do well in. I go by how it looks/feels, and have several 5-1-1 mixes modified for particular plants water preferences. I grow 'Black and Blue' salvia for the hummingbirds and added 2 peat, skip the pearlite and added NAPA 8822 because 'B&B' likes more water. I use Miracle Grow straight from the bag with the pot sitting in a deep saucer kept full of water for my Cardinal Lobelia because it flowers better in boggy soil. Cuphea, and most others like 5-1-1 by the book. It helps to have extra ingredients, so you can modify if need be. I found a soil conditioner (pine fines and "forest products") that was perfect...well it was last year. This year the same brand was a bit peaty, so I had to add additional pine bark mulch to compensate. I would suggest making small batches and experiment until you get the hang of the look/feel of 5-1-1 and your particular plants. and I don't sift for 5-1-1...too much work!