Potting Soil

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by drew51

I don't like the 5-1-1 mix it is way too dry for me here. i would have to water twice a day. I use a 3-1-1 mix, and that is still too dry, but 2-1-1 is too wet. I don't use perlite either, I use diatomaceous earth. As it holds water. Here my problem is not staying wet, it's that the soil stays too dry. You could use your potting soil as the peat component btw, I do that sometimes myself. Anyway you can change ratio to whatever works for you. I also add a little compost as it prevents root rot as sited by numerous studies. It also increases bacterial counts in your soil. Of course soil in ground or even in pots is teeming with bacteria. Even when t dries out completely within 6 hours of adding water you have billions from spores right back in the soil. Once added they are not going anywhere.

Drew, I also modify mine too.
Have you tried adding FloorDry (DE)? It can help retain moisture w/out making the medium soggy. I have done tests on FD.
-- One lb of dry FD absorb one pound of water.
-- It wont' fall apart if froze and thawed.

Gardeneer

[drew51]

Yes, the floor dry does work. I have used it for sure! Yes it is DE! I usually use Optisorb, but floor dry is just as good. Sometimes Optisorb has larger particles. Both are mined at the same place. I know where you are I would probably use more bark. The bark is amazing really as an ingredient. As you mentioned it needs to be the right size, and what I hate is Home Depot will carry a brand in Seattle, and never carry that brand here east of the Rockies. Same with other big box stores, some products are regional. I finally found some that is decent at an independent nursery. I bought 12 bags last time, and I'm down to two! I will need more.
I do find it cheaper to make my own, WAY cheaper, even with bagged stuff, which is all I use. I think I have over 60 pots, now that I added figs, which I have to grow in pots, it's getting crowded around here!
When it is about 3 years old I use potting soil in my raised beds. Seems every year more organic material from the beds is used up, lowering levels. No matter how much old potting soil and fresh compost I add, the beds could use more.
I had some blueberries sink a little, so now when I add permanent plants to raised beds I mound the bed as high as possible. I just added a blueberry plant this year. I have 7 of them now. I should get a good harvest this year!

[oakley]

The cost at first can be a bit overwhelming. Not until you have a few years of great harvest do we realize how many meals all winter came from that bounty. I'm still using, this month, the last of the fall sauces, squash, greens, etc and now getting first crops of salads and baby greens....

By potting mx so you mean 'potting up' your seedling starts or a planting out mix. Raised beds? or grow bags, containers, or garden rows.
They each seems to have different needs depending on method and climate.

I have raised beds and some row hills for squashes. I have all of the above mentioned in the garden shed....1/2 bales of this and that. a bag and a half fine pine bark, a couple bags of sand. Ferts and pretty much everything i need to get going. All carry over from last year so no big expense this Spring. I'm out of clean straw mulch so that i need.

I like having additional separate bags as each crop/bed has different needs. Like my basil bed loves the added sand mixed in. My salad beds that i plant tight and thick like promix with sifted compost, seed, then tap down with the back of a garden rake, then add an inch of pure peat. Just what works for me.

I buy all my bales and mulches from a local nursery as they also have a landscape business and know my climate, altitude, and soil.

I do buy starting mix every year and just bought a potting up mix when i ran out. Those two i purchase. Just easier in my starting basement room in Feb-March.

[oakley]

I keep meaning to pick up some DE floorDry. Might be too much for my cool nights, foggy damp mornings...hot days. Might be a good additive in the pea/bean bed as the roots are shallow and it does often dry out faster than other beds.

[AlittleSalt]

Go look at the prices after plant out dates. $10 bags are now $5 here locally. It's time to buy.

[drew51]

I too have raised beds with different needs. I grow blueberries and the pH is best around 5.0. I don't want my other beds like that. I'm really one that likes to look at the needs of each plant type. I 100% agree with that. My cacti have totally different needs too, etc, etc.

[brokenwing]

Wow thank you for all the information. I see that is may not be cost effective to make my own, but I will do some pricing next time I am out. I know I can not grow flowers and stuff as cheap as the box stores. Like I said I only have about 30 dollars in potting soil, and another 6 in seed starting mix, so It is not to bad! Just always looking to cut the cost down a little!