melissel Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 What do you use for potting soil? The costs of the bagged stuff are just killing me! I'm using organic, but even the non-organic is only a bit cheaper. My dad says I should just use topsoil and fertilize, which every book and web site says not to do, but he pointed out that if I were planting in the ground, that's what I'd be planting in anyway. I'm tempted to just dig up my yard and add compost and fertilizer! What does everyone else use? TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amy g. Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 I use 1/2 bag stuff and 1/2 compost. I tried using our soil instead, but it is really just sand and it got too compacted even with the compost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnTheBrink Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 I have raised beds and containers. I tried my darnest to follow what was suggested in the Square Foot Gardening book, but I had to deviate due to what was locally available. So, I use 1/3 peet moss, 1/3 perlite, 1/6 mushroom compost, and 1/6 manure compost. So far, everything is looking good except the spinach. It was a transplant from a friend's garden and I don't think it's adjusting well. For my containers, I just bought one bag of dirt for container gardening, and the plants are doing OK, but aren't as green and vibrant as the others, however, those plants are from someone's personal green house and my other veggies are from a nursery. So, not sure what variables are causing the less than vibrant green appearance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ibbygirl Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 I use a mix of compost, perlite and Miracle Grow potting soil. I don't like to use too much peat moss because that can make the soil's ph acidic and some plants don't like that. I use fish emulsion for fertilizer for veggies and mulch the top to preserve water and also add more organic matter to the soil. One trick I learned from a gardening book years ago is how to treat the soil for nematodes/bacterias etc. In Florida we have sandy soils and no hard winters to kill bugs off and the soils are laden with nematodes. The book that I read years ago suggested cooking the soil in the oven in big batches to kill off any bacterias and nematodes, but she admits that it smells up her whole house. I have found that a microwave oven works just as well and you can do smaller batches of soil which is perfect for container gardening. It is advisable to do this out on a patio or someplace with good ventilation so that you don't stink up your whole house. I have two microwave ovens, one in the kitchen and one that is designated just for the garden. Put moist garden soil in a microwave proof container (one that you will not use for food obviously) and microwave on high for 3-5 minutes depending on the power of your microwave. This will sterilize the soil. Let cool down and then mix with your compost, perlite or whatever else you are using to ammend the soil. It completely sterilizes the soil so that all the bad stuff is gone and you get all the good stuff from your compost, just if you do this, you want to make sure the soil is cool enough to the touch so you don't wind up killing the beneficial micro-organisms in the compost. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 We get topsoil by the 5 gallon bucket at a local fill dirt/sand/etc. provider, then we mix with the organic compost mix from a reputable local nursery. The only problem we have noted is that it can be TOO rich and turn muddy. I think we need to add in some sand or perlite. But the tomatoes are going to town! Check out my blog post I posted about a week ago. Since then, the tomatoes have grown another foot, and keep setting out buds. I guess 100 degree days do help :) Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
senunk Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 I have soil that I purchased by the truckload. I've added in organic Bumper Crop that has been great. It really improved my garden's success rate. I also added in peat moss to help hold in moisture. It stays in the 100's here all summer. This year I'm adding in some worm castings tea that I can buy at farmer's market. The Bumper Crop is about $7/bag. I highly recommend it. Good soil is essential for a good harvest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vettechmomof2 Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 we use our own dirt from our woods with the rabbit litter/poop as mulch. We have so many worms YEAH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 Square-foot gardening...Mel's mix here and it's working very nicely so far. This is our first year, but so far so good. We're already eating a few of the early veggies:001_smile:. (The vermiculite was found at a local nursery and wasn't too expensive.) Overall the mix was considerably less than pre bagged organic. Actually it was much, much less. Mel's mix is... 1/3 peat moss 1/3 vermiculite 1/3 blended compost Mix equal parts of each, measured by volume, not by weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ria Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 We have raised beds. We got a mix of mushroom soil/topsoil/manure. It's lovely dirt, lol. In addition, I am composting yard waste (outdoor pile), and food waste (with both a tumbling composter and my red worm colony in the basement). The compost will be mixed into the raised bed soil as it is ready. Ria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 Ria, Is this your first year with the red worm colony? I'm super curious to glean some info. Dh doesn't want to do the year compost, but I'm wearing him down and ds has always wanted worms;). We have raised beds. We got a mix of mushroom soil/topsoil/manure. It's lovely dirt, lol. In addition, I am composting yard waste (outdoor pile), and food waste (with both a tumbling composter and my red worm colony in the basement). The compost will be mixed into the raised bed soil as it is ready. Ria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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