I Just completed the construction and filling of three EarthTainers.
I purchased three 64-qt bags of Jungle Growth Professional Growers Mix as well as a 4 cu ft bag of perlite from my local nursery. I followed the grow medium instructions of 5:1 mix:perlite. Well, I quickly realized that I hadn't purchased enough mix. My local nursery was now closed for the day, so I drove to Lowes and bought two bags of Sta-Green All-Purpose Potting Mix. The Jungle Growth mix seems to be pre-loaded with lots of perlite right out of the bag, whereas the Sta-Green appeared to contain almost no perlite. I had already filled two and a half EarthTainers with the 5:1 mix of Jungle Growth, having not yet opened the Sta-Green mix. When I opened the Sta-Green, I realized the lower concentration of perlite, but decided to continue making my meduim at 5:1.
My question: Do my first two EarthTainers now contain WAY too much perlite? If so, will they run too moist? Further, the third of my EarthTainers is approximately filled 1/2 with the Jungle Growth high-perlite-concentration mix, and topped with the Sta-Green appropriately-proportioned mix. Am I doomed to failure with my first attempt at Earthtainers? Or, am I over-thinking things? Thanks for any thoughts on the matter!
-Lyle