Soil... I need simple

[Keger]

Decided to do 5 gallon buckets this fall and winter for tomatoes and peppers and squash. I like the self watering things I have seen and am going to try.

One question I have, being a simple person is this: If I just want to get bagged soil, what works well as is? Dont want to mix a lot of stuff and all that. Would like to use local.

Whats wrong with the miracle grow stuff?

Appreciate the help and ideas as always!

[Redbaron]

My neighbor uses the Miracle grow soil. It works for him. I never used it myself, nor do I grow in a green house either, so I can't say from personal experience. The one time I did grow in containers I used 50/50 mix of well aged cow manure and vermiculite in grow bags. That was many years ago.

[coloken]

I get by with potting MIX with some perlite added. I think it would be better If I could find pine bark and add that.

[greentiger87]

Many experienced gardeners dislike Miracle-Gro because it's too water retentive and too finely textured. This causes a bevy of problems like a perched water table, anoxic conditions at the bottom of the container, general poor aeration, compaction and decay over the course of the season... etc.

Note that the make-up of Miracle-Gro potting soil varies significantly from place to place. Complaints are often not comparing apples to apples.

Imho, in my location and conditions, Miracle-Gro Moisture Control is a good soil to use in containers for beginners. What I've used and handled has been surprising coarse grained and well aerated compared to the average commercial potting mix. It doesn't hold much perched water, but still accepts and holds water quite well. Never seems to get particularly hydrophobic. It should wick water sufficiently to be used in a "self-watering" container. I still amend it with a lot of perlite, but this isn't absolutely necessary.

To me, it's much more expensive and less effective than what I can mix myself (composted pine bark, perlite).

[ContainerTed]

Find a local nursery that sells Mushroom Compost and use it straight. I did that year before last (2011) and had excellent results. This year, I added some "fluff" in the form of a couple bags of Miracle Grow Potting Mix to freshen things up a bit, and, again, had great containerized results. The bell peppers were especially notable in their production. The reason to add some "fluff" is that the stuff we put in the containers breaks down during the growing season and becomes finer (smaller bits and pieces). Adding some larger particles lets in some air and loosens up the container mixture so it doesn't get "compacted". This, in turn, allows the roots to grow more easily and that gives larger, healthier plants.

Too many times, container mixes are given out as elaborate mixtures with percentages of this and that or the other. With what I have suggested, if you need some extra feeding of your plants, you can use some Miracle Grow for Tomatoes about every two weeks.

Nothing to it.

[Cole_Robbie]

"Menard's" is the giant hardware store near me, and they sell a peat-based "pro-mix" in a compressed square bale. You want a pro-mix and not "potting soil." I mix bagged shrimp shell compost into mine and use osmocote as a time-release fertilizer.

[mdvpc]

If you are using swc's there are specific recommendations for them from Ray. Earthbox says this on their site-there is also a list of approved mixes.

"We recommend using 2 cubic feet (60 dry quarts) of a peat-based (70%-80%) growing media that contains perlite or vermiculite. It should be light and fluffy when dry, and spongy when wet. It should NOT contain any rock, clay, or sand. You should also avoid using topsoil or compost."

[Keger]

Green, I am close to you. So its that simple? Pine bark and perlite?

[greentiger87]

Oh yeah you are, I didn't notice that.

You have do find a good source of composted pine bark, that's the main hurdle. Can't just be any old pine bark mulch, unless you have a good wood chipper to grind it down.

But yes, just add perlite and dolomitic lime to adjust pH and you're good to go for any normal container. You can fertilize with either water soluble (like Miracle-Gro), or you can mix in time released fertilizer (like Osmocote).

For SWC's, you really need something that wicks well, so you're better off using a peat based mix.

If you can make it up to Southwest Fertilizer, a little ways off of 59 on Bissonnet, I know they sell the Pro-Mix compressed bale that Cole_Robbie is talking about. That's as simple as it gets, just one ideal product for an SWC. Just don't use it for more than one season.

Note, "mushroom compost" in our area usually doesn't have any actual mushroom compost in it - it's just composted forest products.

[rnewste]

Keger,

You need to find the right "balance" between capillary action of the upward moisture wicking, in concert with air movement within the Grow Media. This is very difficult to achieve as your local rain conditions, etc. will require you to tune your mix ingredients accordingly. I have found a combination of a peat based potting mix, in con★★★★★★★★ with microbark and perlite works well for me. Just avoid any potting mix containing the words "moisture control".

Raybo

[Rockporter]

Originally Posted by Keger

Green, I am close to you. So its that simple? Pine bark and perlite?

If you will be using the self watering 5 gallon bucket you will need some peat to wick the water up.

I use miracle grow 4 parts to 1 part perlite and 1 part excess peat if there is too much bark in the mix. Lately the MG has been a great balance for my containers so have only added perlite to allow for more air.

[feldon30]

Another vote for Promix if you can find it, and I'd cut in 15-20% compost like leaf mold, mushroom compost, or Black Kow composted manure. I know not everyone agrees with adding compost to container soil, but I think it's crucial for good flavor.

[Cole_Robbie]

I know not everyone agrees with adding compost to container soil, but I think it's crucial for good flavor.

I had exactly the same experience and very much agree.

[augiedog55]

i used pro mix bx and 35 perecent cow manure and my tomatos did great

[Rockporter]

Cow manure is only good in a container if it isn't self watering. The cow manure will not wick the water and causes a boggy situation with rotted roots in a self watering container.

Peat based mixes with perlite and bark fines are the best for self watering containers.