soil drying out too fast! help!

aimeruni · May 16, 2012

I use a soil less mix; I get that w/container gardening (which is what I use) the soil will just dry out faster, it's one of the drawbacks to container gardening.

To reduce heat build up I use translucent colored containers when possible. I'm also trying to water earlier in the morning, because supposedly the soil will retain moisture longer this way; however that doesn't seem to be making any difference.

However I know it's not just because I do container gardening that the soil mix dries out fast. I know it's also partly because of the soil mix itself.

I don't want the plants to be waterlogged, but I don't want it to retain moisture so well, that I'm having to water incessantly, which is what I'm doing.

Somebody suggested replacing part of the mix w/compost. However it already calls for Osmocote. I'm guessing I'd reduce the Osmocote, but by how much (per batch).

Also how much of the pine bark mulch should I replace w/compost? Again per batch. One batch makes 30 gallons.

Here is the recipe....it's 5 gallons vermiculite, 5 gal. spaghnum peat, 1 2 cubic foot bag pine bark mulch, 2 c lime, 2 c Osmocote. Those are the measurements per batch, one batch makes about 30 gallons.

May 16, 2012	#1
aimeruni Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Brooksville FL, zone 9a Posts: 67	soil drying out too fast! help! I use a soil less mix; I get that w/container gardening (which is what I use) the soil will just dry out faster, it's one of the drawbacks to container gardening. To reduce heat build up I use translucent colored containers when possible. I'm also trying to water earlier in the morning, because supposedly the soil will retain moisture longer this way; however that doesn't seem to be making any difference. However I know it's not just because I do container gardening that the soil mix dries out fast. I know it's also partly because of the soil mix itself. I don't want the plants to be waterlogged, but I don't want it to retain moisture so well, that I'm having to water incessantly, which is what I'm doing. Somebody suggested replacing part of the mix w/compost. However it already calls for Osmocote. I'm guessing I'd reduce the Osmocote, but by how much (per batch). Also how much of the pine bark mulch should I replace w/compost? Again per batch. One batch makes 30 gallons. Here is the recipe....it's 5 gallons vermiculite, 5 gal. spaghnum peat, 1 2 cubic foot bag pine bark mulch, 2 c lime, 2 c Osmocote. Those are the measurements per batch, one batch makes about 30 gallons.