by Gary Pilarchik (The Rusted Gardener)
Don’t get fooled into pondering you might want to purchase costly container/potting mixes on your container vegetable or flower gardens. There’s nothing magical concerning the base substances they use which you could’t purchase individually, combine and make one thing nearly as good if not higher.
Why make your individual container mixes? It can prevent a ton of cash that you should utilize in your backyard in different methods and you may tweak your recipe, primarily based on the wants of your backyard. As an example, excessive summer season warmth… add extra peat moss, coco coir or water retaining natural matter. And maybe the perfect motive, you already know what goes into your mixes!
First level, compost is king. Compost you make from leaves, grass cuttings and meals scraps might be the perfect container soil on the market. Nonetheless, most of us cannot make sufficient to satisfy our wants or haven’t got the area to make our personal. Second level, the luggage labelled ‘Potting Combine’ are usually made up of 5 issues; peat moss, superb wooden chips, soil perlite and fertilizer. Generally they, however hardly ever, will comprise vermiculite. If you learn, “particular formulation for moisture management” which means peat moss 99/100 occasions.
Go to my YouTube Channel with over 800 gardening movies: The Rusted Backyard
The video reveals you merchandise you should buy (with costs) to mix you personal container mixes at a fraction of the fee in comparison with shopping for straight bagged potting mixes. You may also use this on your raised beds and once more, you do not should pay so much for baggage that say “formulated on your raised beds.” These merchandise work and are handy if you do not have time to make your individual.
The essential recipe is 1 half peat moss to 1 half soil out of your backyard or a budget 40 pound bag of high soil from shops. The secret’s 50% natural matter (peat moss) for water retention. You’ll be able to substitute coco coir for peat moss if you want or make a mix. The video reveals you the best way to add lime and fertilizer to the combo. The ‘Premium Recipe’ is the addition of bagged manure, compost or hopefully your individual compost. It might be 1 half peat moss, 1 half soil, 1 half compost. This builds an ideal base for container mixes that work properly as combined or you’ll be able to tweak it on your wants and needs. Including extra stuff is at all times enjoyable.
