This is why the ReptiBark is such a good bet for my application... because it breaks down less quickly, I can go 2 or 3 years without having to re-pot... or with adding a top-dressing only. I don't have to worry that the ReptiBark will decompose right away. I find that if I soak the ReptiBark overnight before using any in a mix, it's much less likely to become hydrophobic. Plus, my pots aren't drying out that quickly... they're indoor, out of direct sun and any wind, as opposed to outdoor containers and the conditions there. Honestly, I haven't had any issues with the small bags, as used for my own applications. When I know a pot will spend time outdoors, I use a different bark in a medium closer to the 511. I found a few bags of some pine mulch at Lowe's or somewhere like that... no idea on brand names or anything... but it appeared a little darker in color, smaller in size, and perfect for using in a 511 type mix. This past spring, we actually added a bunch of composted wood chip mulch to our raised beds and even turned a bunch into the garden for aeration and whatnot... so far, so good! The basic concept is working well for us!

Let me make a suggestion, please? Follow the link I left below to gain a better understanding of the difference between the gritty mix and the 5:1:1 mix, and a better understanding of how water behaves in container soils. I think gaining an understanding of that (the water:air relationship in soils) is probably the largest step forward a container gardener can take at any one time. Al Here is a link that might be useful: C'mon - I'll take you to what he's talking about.

Well, if you can keep up with the watering and don't mind lifting heavy pots, Gritty is usually the way to go. Plants just love it and grow roots in it so quickly that you may be repotting faster than you thought. Plus it's nice because it lasts up to 4-5 yrs before it starts to compact/breakdown. I live in a hot dry place so I only use Gritty for cacti and sux. If I stuck a gardenia in Gritty, I'd be watering 10x a day...and that's in winter! Another consideration with Gritty for inside use is that the frequent watering for a thirsty plant could mean overflowing saucers and messes on floors/carpet. Water goes through Gritty like crap through a goose, so water it a little, see how much goes into the saucer, then water again slowly til you get a feel for the throughput. I think the Olive might like the Gritty (if it's from the Mediterranean region like other olives, not sure where Arbequina comes from tho), and the rest the 5-1-1. People on here put citrus in both Gritty and 5-1-1 and it does great either way.

I grow blueberries in a 3-1-1 mix. I want more peat for water retention, as blueberries like a moist soil. Plus it fits my needs. I don't use perlite either but diatomaceous earth around the same size as perlite. I use rainwater, no lime at all, some gypsum, and some sulfur. I adjust PH with sulfuric acid in the water. I also added mycorrhizae bacteria for blueberries. I have 4 in containers. I plan to put them in larger containers in the spring. After the first season they looked like this. The one on the right is Cara's choice, it is a smaller cultivar. I have another not pictured. Looking forward to the 2nd season! They are in the garage right now and look great! I also have 3 in raised beds, here is one of them Soil is pine, peat, and garden soil in equal amounts. Maybe a little less garden soil. Sulfur added too. Harvest was decent, it should be a lot better next year. Here is the last handful of berries for the season I think the 5-1-1 mix minus the lime would be a fine mix for any acid plants. This post was edited by Drew51 on Wed, Jan 21, 15 at 15:34