With the exception of the Miracle Gro products (which I would avoid anyway), most potting soils tend to be rather regional in their availability. Brands with wider availability are ProMix, Fafards and Kelloggs (various labels). None are exactly ideal but will work perfectly well for a single season.

what do you mean by a single season? if I continue to use the mix and add additional nutrients (a little compost & fertlizer) could I not get a little more life out of the mix?

I was just looking a some miracle- gro mix this morning. I think I will end up making my own with some of the info I get from this website. I have the space and time to do it and I will know it is what I was looking for. thanks

Its cheaper and better to buy your own ingredients from your local nursery and make up your own mix. I've been doing this for several years and your plants/tree's will love you for it :)

I gave up and went with pine bark mulch, potting mix (not completely peat based), and composted pine bark fines this year. Over the years, it had gotten more difficult to find what I needed. I figured I’ll try 3 parts larger pine bark mulches, one part potting soil and one part composted pine bark fines and see what happens. I’ve done al’s 5-1-1 for years but it’s just time consuming. It would be only one year before reporting into larger size for the most part.

I've had excellent success with the Pro-Mix HP and BX (w/ mycorrhizae) products. 30+ cherokee purple tomatoes, 200+ cherry tomatoes, 10+ bell peppers, 30+ japapeno peppers per plant in 5gal paint buckets (holes added for drainage of course), southern exposure balcony in Ontario.

Brand probably doesn't matter but their mix is about 70% peat moss with perlite making up the rest. You need to water frequently in the summer but the roots are very happy.

I have not had any problems with compaction, likely because of the very high percentage of perlite. You do need to 'agitate' the mix, but it never gets as hard as it was in the compressed bail. The Berger BM6 product is basically the same thing as ProMix HP but has a "sustainable product" logo on the package, for whatever that is worth.

I have a relative who has used a peat/coir/perlite product with good success too, I don't recall the brand.

One caution: soilless mediums like Pro-Mix HP or BM6 are effectively hydroponic growing mediums. There are no nutrients which are naturally occurring so fertilization will be required regularly through the growing season, especially if rainfall will be doing some of the watering (nutrient leeching). In order to provide all the necessary macro, micro and trace minerals/elements required you will need to use multiple conventional organic fertilizers (annoying), or hydroponic fertilizers (organic or conventional, both are produced). My example yields were with regular all-purpose miracle-gro w/ micronutrients and occasionally Dyna-Gro foliage Pro for the trace minerals.

I have Strawberries in small pots.

My mix is peat and perlite fifty-fifty.

I plan to use these fertilizers.

1) n-p-k 15-15-15

2) Boron, Zinc, Iron, Copper, Molybden, Manganese

3) Calsium Nitrate

4) Magnesium Sulphate

I couldn't find a fertilizer having all in one.

I am not from the USA and Dyno gro foliage pro etc. products are not shipped here.

Is this plan OK?

Sulphur is important for plants, right?

I need to give it to Strawberries?

Without knowing what's in each set of nutrients you intend to provide, it's difficult to give an answer. Miracle-Gro All purpose contains most of the necessary micronutrients for example, but listing it with just the top-line 24-8-16 number doesn't help.

Which country are you in? General Hydroponics might sell such, and their availability is greater than that of dyna-gro's.

I am from Turkey.

There are many different products here but i couldn't find one that has all or most of the needed nutrients.

How do ya'll extend your mixes...for my 511, when it breaks down over the 1st season, I'll add more bark and perlite and mix it up.

I've got 2 new plastic planters. I'm planning to just take some from all the current veg containers for the fill, and then add fresh bark/perlite to the veg containers.

@can karaca

Sorry, I'm not familiar enough with the Turkish market to help much. But this retailer seems to sell hydroponic nutrients, you may have some luck there: http://www.magicplant.net/319-general-hydroponics. General Hydroponics recommends https://generalhydroponics.com/floraseries; in my very amateur estimation it's "the same" as dyna-gro, which that retailer sells. It's a 2-part solution however, which is annoying.

A note about the "feed chart" on the general hydroponics website: ignore it.

thank you so much for your extra effort for finding a suitable product and seller to me :)

I looked for what i think i need and it seems that i should buy 3 different products to make one complete product like Dyno Gro ...

I have ordered something like that yesterday, i hope it will work for me.

if not, i may think the one you suggested.

have a nice day.

Has anyone tried the new Promix BRK (bark)

Have not used it, but looking at their web site it's only 45-55% peat, which is good. From what I understand ProMix makes quality products. My only caution with ProMix BRK and 5-1-1 type, highly aerated soils DO require more frequent watering.

I'm still having wilting issued with my 'Black and Blue' salvia in 90+ temps. Next year I will either try ProMix or my own derivative.