Modifying Raybo's 3-2-1 SWC Mix, substitute for Pine Fines

ruet · April 7, 2010

I'd like to mimic Raybo's mix for Self-Watering Containers (and his results!) but pine fines are hard to come by for me here in Spain.

Raybo's SWC mix is:
3 parts Potting Mix (as I understand it, this is just pH-adjusted peat)
2 parts Pine fines
1 part Perlite

I can get the Peat and the Perlite no problem. The best candidate I can think of to replace the pine fines is LECA (aka Hydroton, aka Expanded clay balls) which are cheap and abundant in the 10-20mm range (1/3 to 3/4 inch). Anyone have experience with the stuff? Could I swap LECA for Pine bark 1-1, to make a mix which is:

3 parts pH adjusted Peat (will add dolomitic lime or diluted hydrated lime slurry [no sediment] to increase pH)
2 parts LECA (10-20mm)
1 Part Perlite

Any and all suggestions are much appreciated. My tomatoes are in 18oz cups and are itching to make the move to their final homes within the next couple of weeks, weather permitting.

April 7, 2010	#1
ruet Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 42	Modifying Raybo's 3-2-1 SWC Mix, substitute for Pine Fines I'd like to mimic Raybo's mix for Self-Watering Containers (and his results!) but pine fines are hard to come by for me here in Spain. Raybo's SWC mix is: 3 parts Potting Mix (as I understand it, this is just pH-adjusted peat) 2 parts Pine fines 1 part Perlite I can get the Peat and the Perlite no problem. The best candidate I can think of to replace the pine fines is LECA (aka Hydroton, aka Expanded clay balls) which are cheap and abundant in the 10-20mm range (1/3 to 3/4 inch). Anyone have experience with the stuff? Could I swap LECA for Pine bark 1-1, to make a mix which is: 3 parts pH adjusted Peat (will add dolomitic lime or diluted hydrated lime slurry [no sediment] to increase pH) 2 parts LECA (10-20mm) 1 Part Perlite Any and all suggestions are much appreciated. My tomatoes are in 18oz cups and are itching to make the move to their final homes within the next couple of weeks, weather permitting.