What medium?

**Dukerdawg** · April 21, 2009

Hi all! I have decided to give my garden a couple/three years off. I have planted tomatoes in the same area for 11 years and the last few, even with amendments have been less than stellar. After having great success last year with grow bags I am expanding to 54 twelve gallon grow bags for my 'maters. I really like Miracle Grow potting mix, but certainly can't afford that. What medium would you recommend for good results without mortgaging the house? I thought about having a few yards of compost delivering and maybe mix with some cheaper potting soil and MG as an amendment. What do you think?

Duane

**mdvpc** · April 21, 2009

Duane-I am using a compost/crushed pecan shells/bark fines that so far has been great. Can you get cheap compost? You could also use 50% compost, 25% vermiculite and 25% perlite. I got the idea for this year from spud.

Polar_Lace · April 22, 2009

Hi Michael,

Where can you find/buy the "compost/crushed pecan shells/bark fines"? Under what brand/name?

I'd like to know, I've been looking for something like that.

~* Robin

**mdvpc** · April 22, 2009

Robin-I get it by the cubic yard from a nursery here in El Paso-sorry, I should have said that-what I was trying to say is maybe Duane can get some local compost or container mix that is much cheaper than a commercial potting mix that you have to buy 100 bags of the stuff with the attendant problem of recycling the plastic etc.

montanamato · April 22, 2009

I get a commercial potting mix from a nursery ...It is the same mix they put there plants in...I then buy cheap compost and and mix about 60/40...some get a little tomato tone mixed in early on, before I am out...This has given me very good results the last few years...
I have little soil borne disease and often reuse my tomato soil for peppers the next year...No problems yet...

Jeanne

rxkeith · April 22, 2009

duane,

have you tried contacting some local green houses or nurseries, like english garden, or bordines for prices on mix. maybe you can get a bulk price for what you need. we used to love going to those places. i got a big bag of vermiculite from i think bordines years ago when i was going to make my own planting mix, but then i got lazy. still have most of it at the farm in calumet. wasn't too expensive 12 or so years ago.

keith

ContainerTed · April 22, 2009

Duanne, if you can afford the compost delivered deal, that might be a good way to go. What kind of compost are you talking about. Manure? Mushroom? Leaves?

It would help us recommend supplements if we knew the composition of the compost.

Ted

Polar_Lace · April 22, 2009

Michael,

I have a local Farmer who said I can come over to his place (call first) and pick up any variety of manure I want. ((FREE)) That's a plus as he has very many kinds! Sheep, cow, horse, chickens... etc. Of course it comes with a small amount of debris like straw, wood chips and the like. But he keeps them sorted in different bins outside his barn. Would Donkey or Llama poo do good too?
I'm gonna get the chicken poo for now.

I'll see if I can pick up some commercial potting mix from a local nursery.

I never have a problem of recycling the plastic bags that soil comes in .... most times I jab holes in the bottom and grow in them till they start falling apart.

Thanks,
~* Robin

sprtsguy76 · April 22, 2009

I'm using a mix thats relatively inexpensive and is ideal for containers. I found this recipe on GW by A1, its 5 parts pine bark fines, 1 part peat and 1 part perlite, pretty inexpensive. I get good water retention, drainage and the mix is gritty enough where you get good aeration too. Of course you have to lime the mix at 1 tablespoon per 1-2 gallons of mix and also add your choice of ferts.

Damon

**Dukerdawg** · April 22, 2009

All these mixes sound good, but are not consistent in the praticality of finding the mixes etc. I appreciate the responses but find most of the ideas and mix quotients' rather vague.

Duane

Barbee · April 22, 2009

Duane,
If you go with a cheap potting mix, I'd probably add in some perlite to fluff it up. Usually the cheaper stuff is pretty heavy.
When I was potting up my perennials, I used some topsoil I had out in my pile, added in some perlite, and some MG potting mix. I just mixed it until it felt light and fluffy. The flowers are thriving. I did have a few weeds, but they were easily pulled out.
The bagged mix I buy for my tomato pot on my deck is very light, basically feels like seed starting mix.

Polar_Lace · April 22, 2009

Duane, would this help you?

Potting Soil Recipes and Soil Reconditioning

~* Robin

dice · April 24, 2009

Since money is an issue, there is always the Papa Vic
method that he used to create his raised beds: fill a
burlap sack with horse manure, lay them out end to
end, cut a cross in the top, plant a transplant in it.
He said he added a little "water soluble fertilizer"
at mid-season. (After they were all pulled, he built
sides around the row of bags and piled leaves and
grass clippings in on top to make his raised beds.)

So, in theory, you could just fill your grow bags with
horse manure, and give them some extra fertilizer
with plenty of potassium in it when they start to set
fruit. I would mix in a cup of kelp meal per bag
when filling them for a micro trace element supplement,
too.

(I assume that the more composted the horse manure,
the better, and that llama, alpaca, or rabbit manure
would be usable alternatives.)

You can probably get horse manure for the cost of
transporting it (like fill up a pickup bed). If you search
the free section in the nearest Craig's List to your
location for "manure", you will doubtless find several
places giving it away.

feldon30 · April 24, 2009

Any luck finding Pro-Mix?

Elliot · April 24, 2009

Duane, I have the same problem. I have been using miracle grow moisture control soil in our pots for the past few years but the cost is prohibitive. So I too am looking for a cheapere combo for my tomato plants. One person in the neighborhood who gets great beefsteaks in pots, told me he uses this formula: Dri manure, ultra light top soil sold at Home depot, tomato fertilizer and some miracle grow moisture control mixed in.

I am however going to try to use some of the other mixtures that other members have recommended and see if they work here

also, Home Depot is having sales on soils. check them out

Elliot from New York

April 21, 2009	#1
Dukerdawg Growing for Market Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westland, Michigan Posts: 861	What medium? Hi all! I have decided to give my garden a couple/three years off. I have planted tomatoes in the same area for 11 years and the last few, even with amendments have been less than stellar. After having great success last year with grow bags I am expanding to 54 twelve gallon grow bags for my 'maters. I really like Miracle Grow potting mix, but certainly can't afford that. What medium would you recommend for good results without mortgaging the house? I thought about having a few yards of compost delivering and maybe mix with some cheaper potting soil and MG as an amendment. What do you think? Duane __________________ May I aspire to live my life so that I may be the man my dog thinks I am. Last edited by Dukerdawg; April 21, 2009 at 05:15 PM. Reason: grammar

April 21, 2009	#2
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Duane-I am using a compost/crushed pecan shells/bark fines that so far has been great. Can you get cheap compost? You could also use 50% compost, 25% vermiculite and 25% perlite. I got the idea for this year from spud. __________________ Michael

April 22, 2009	#3
Polar_Lace Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Z8b, Texas Posts: 657	Hi Michael, Where can you find/buy the "compost/crushed pecan shells/bark fines"? Under what brand/name? I'd like to know, I've been looking for something like that. ~* Robin __________________ It's not how many seeds you sow. Nor how many plants you transplant. It's about how many of them can survive your treatment of them.

April 22, 2009	#4
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Robin-I get it by the cubic yard from a nursery here in El Paso-sorry, I should have said that-what I was trying to say is maybe Duane can get some local compost or container mix that is much cheaper than a commercial potting mix that you have to buy 100 bags of the stuff with the attendant problem of recycling the plastic etc. __________________ Michael

April 22, 2009	#7
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	Duanne, if you can afford the compost delivered deal, that might be a good way to go. What kind of compost are you talking about. Manure? Mushroom? Leaves? It would help us recommend supplements if we knew the composition of the compost. Ted __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

April 22, 2009	#5
montanamato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Montana Posts: 1,038	I get a commercial potting mix from a nursery ...It is the same mix they put there plants in...I then buy cheap compost and and mix about 60/40...some get a little tomato tone mixed in early on, before I am out...This has given me very good results the last few years... I have little soil borne disease and often reuse my tomato soil for peppers the next year...No problems yet... Jeanne

April 22, 2009	#6
rxkeith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Back in da U.P. Posts: 1,839	duane, have you tried contacting some local green houses or nurseries, like english garden, or bordines for prices on mix. maybe you can get a bulk price for what you need. we used to love going to those places. i got a big bag of vermiculite from i think bordines years ago when i was going to make my own planting mix, but then i got lazy. still have most of it at the farm in calumet. wasn't too expensive 12 or so years ago. keith

April 22, 2009	#9
sprtsguy76 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Santa Clara CA Posts: 1,125	I'm using a mix thats relatively inexpensive and is ideal for containers. I found this recipe on GW by A1, its 5 parts pine bark fines, 1 part peat and 1 part perlite, pretty inexpensive. I get good water retention, drainage and the mix is gritty enough where you get good aeration too. Of course you have to lime the mix at 1 tablespoon per 1-2 gallons of mix and also add your choice of ferts. Damon

April 22, 2009	#11
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	Duane, If you go with a cheap potting mix, I'd probably add in some perlite to fluff it up. Usually the cheaper stuff is pretty heavy. When I was potting up my perennials, I used some topsoil I had out in my pile, added in some perlite, and some MG potting mix. I just mixed it until it felt light and fluffy. The flowers are thriving. I did have a few weeds, but they were easily pulled out. The bagged mix I buy for my tomato pot on my deck is very light, basically feels like seed starting mix. __________________ *Barbee*

April 24, 2009	#13
dice Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: PNW Posts: 4,743	Since money is an issue, there is always the Papa Vic method that he used to create his raised beds: fill a burlap sack with horse manure, lay them out end to end, cut a cross in the top, plant a transplant in it. He said he added a little "water soluble fertilizer" at mid-season. (After they were all pulled, he built sides around the row of bags and piled leaves and grass clippings in on top to make his raised beds.) So, in theory, you could just fill your grow bags with horse manure, and give them some extra fertilizer with plenty of potassium in it when they start to set fruit. I would mix in a cup of kelp meal per bag when filling them for a micro trace element supplement, too. (I assume that the more composted the horse manure, the better, and that llama, alpaca, or rabbit manure would be usable alternatives.) You can probably get horse manure for the cost of transporting it (like fill up a pickup bed). If you search the free section in the nearest Craig's List to your location for "manure", you will doubtless find several places giving it away. __________________ -- alias

April 24, 2009	#14
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	Any luck finding Pro-Mix? __________________ [SIZE="3"]I've relaunched my gardening website -- [B]TheUnconventionalTomato.com[/B][/SIZE] * [I][SIZE="1"]*I'm not allowed to post weblinks so you'll have to copy-paste it manually.[/SIZE][/I]

April 24, 2009	#15
Elliot Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hicksville, New York Posts: 503	Duane, I have the same problem. I have been using miracle grow moisture control soil in our pots for the past few years but the cost is prohibitive. So I too am looking for a cheapere combo for my tomato plants. One person in the neighborhood who gets great beefsteaks in pots, told me he uses this formula: Dri manure, ultra light top soil sold at Home depot, tomato fertilizer and some miracle grow moisture control mixed in. I am however going to try to use some of the other mixtures that other members have recommended and see if they work here also, Home Depot is having sales on soils. check them out Elliot from New York