Thread: Potting soil
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Old March 5, 2012   #6
willyb
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Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Sherwood Park Alberta Canada
Posts: 147
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Hi,

I share your feeling about buying potting soil in a bag. There is no need to buy soil from another state/province when a local source is available. Your local free compost sounds good to me! I don't see undecomposed woodchips as a problem. It will rob some nitrogen from the soil, but tomatoes don't need much, without it they will produce less foliage and more fruit.

I get Spent Mushroom Compost for $15 an overflowing pick-up truck load and use lots of it. It does compact if you walk on it every day. It is fine in a container. Not to worry about too wet. In a fabric bag it will evaporate and your plants will love it.

I mix my SMC with 3/8 rock, works like perolite and adds minerals over the years.

If I was in your place, I would use the free topsoil. Add some perolite, rock or vermiculite for drainage. Add some bone meal and grow tomatoes like crazy.

I trust your sewing your own grow bags? Use cheap landscape fabric. All the same. Cost is less than 50 cents a 10 gallon bag.

Cheers,

Brad
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