Getting Ready For The Fun

[Salsacharley]

I read or heard somewhere that the MG potting soil has too much moisture retention ingredients for containers which cause soggy soil and poor drainage.

[Labradors2]

Oh yes! That is something that we have to watch out for and try NOT to buy any potting soil which contains those wretched crystals! In my case, what I thought was organic potting soil was an organic amendment to regular soil.......

Linda

Originally Posted by Salsacharley

I read or heard somewhere that the MG potting soil has too much moisture retention ingredients for containers which cause soggy soil and poor drainage.

[newatthiskat]

Some of my peppers have popped their heads out already. I will plant out more over the weekend and then more next weekend. then beginning of Jan start out the tomatoes. Happy gardening!

[Got Worms?]

Originally Posted by Salsacharley

I read or heard somewhere that the MG potting soil has too much moisture retention ingredients for containers which cause soggy soil and poor drainage.

Yes, I'd be careful with that stuff, with all that moisture, the plant roots don't really get enough air.



This reminds me that I need to pick up another bag of seed starter mix for when I start my onions, leeks and my peppers too.

[Salsacharley]

This is hilarious except for the fact that it is real.

Originally Posted by Got Worms?

Yes, I'd be careful with that stuff, with all that moisture, the plant roots don't really get enough air.



This reminds me that I need to pick up another bag of seed starter mix for when I start my onions, leeks and my peppers too.

[b54red]

I may have found a nice solution to the problem of containers getting too soggy and packing too much. Last year I started all my seeds in UltraSorb and after potting up I used all of the left over UltraSorb in my container mix. I had the best results with container plants that I have ever had. The ratios varied but it was probably something close to 1/2 potting soil, 1/4 bark fines and 1/4 UltraSorb.

Using UltraSorb (which can be purchased at Auto Zone) has been giving me nearly 100% germination with most seeds. The two biggest drawbacks to using it are that it can dry out too much too fast so it must be watched closely and bottom watered more frequently and it has no fertilizer so new seedlings need a little fertilizer sooner than with most seed starting mixes. The biggest advantage is germination rates with hard to germinate seed, ease of use, low cost, and nearly complete elimination of damping off.

Bill

[drew51]

The worst possible thing you can do with containers is is use compost or soil. Soilless mixes only. That is if you want giant unbelievable growth and health. I myself use peat, pine bark and perlite. For tomatoes add lime. It is a very acidic mix. Although I'm still not sure of the ideal PH for tomatoes? Containers are a fantastic way to grow tomatoes, but you need large containers, as big as possible. I use 30 gallon garbage cans.
You need to feed the plants, and best use chemical ferts, for easy control.
If you are an organic type of person I would stay away from pots, as it is just not worth it with pots. In ground, raised beds, sure, but not in pots.
I mix time release into the mix and use very small doses of fertilizer. I at times do add some organic ferts too. I have so much of it. Bacteria populations in pots are lower, so organic ferts work a lot slower. The soilless mix provides little nutrition, but great structure for plants. Understanding that you need good water retention, water movement, and air spaces for roots, Soil or compost do not allow for any of these.
Think of pudding, would you grow plants in pudding?
If you want to learn more go to the container forum on GW. Lot's of super great info there.

If you're lazy Happy Frog or Fafard make top rate potting soils. The very best! I would never use anything else, ever! Yes, they are that good! At the Fafard homepage they have a store finder, to find garden centers in your area that carry it.
http://fafard.com/

[NarnianGarden]

That's the first time I hear about soilless mix being the only right thing - my tomatoes had no trouble growing in a mix of soil and manure (chicken and/or horse-). If the crop had been any more abundant, the branches could not have survived the wight - already I had a challenge how to support them.

[Labradors2]

I looked up UltraSorb and the blurb said that it is peat moss which is specially treated to repel water! I've always had problems with peat drying out too much, but perhaps this would neutralize the potting mix that I have with water-retentive crystals.......

Linda

Originally Posted by b54red

I may have found a nice solution to the problem of containers getting too soggy and packing too much. Last year I started all my seeds in UltraSorb and after potting up I used all of the left over UltraSorb in my container mix. I had the best results with container plants that I have ever had. The ratios varied but it was probably something close to 1/2 potting soil, 1/4 bark fines and 1/4 UltraSorb.

Using UltraSorb (which can be purchased at Auto Zone) has been giving me nearly 100% germination with most seeds. The two biggest drawbacks to using it are that it can dry out too much too fast so it must be watched closely and bottom watered more frequently and it has no fertilizer so new seedlings need a little fertilizer sooner than with most seed starting mixes. The biggest advantage is germination rates with hard to germinate seed, ease of use, low cost, and nearly complete elimination of damping off.

Bill

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by Labradors2

I looked up UltraSorb and the blurb said that it is peat moss which is specially treated to repel water! I've always had problems with peat drying out too much, but perhaps this would neutralize the potting mix that I have with water-retentive crystals.......

Linda

Linda, as I mentioned in the other thread you started, there are many product out there with similar names. What is used for seed starting is 100% Diatomaceous Earth which Autozone sells under the Ultrasorb name here in the U.S. made by a company called Molton. I learned from others here that you really need to pay attention to the labels as similar products will often contain different or additional ingredients. The 100% DE products absorb and hold a lot of water without getting soggy. Bottom watering is a must and super easy, so you don't get any dampening off issues, and since it doesn't really compact, in my experience it allows for huge root system development.

[dfollett]

UltraSorb is 100% Diatomaceous Earth

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...fier=36015_0_0_

It is one of the most absorbent materials on earth. It has many uses - including kitty litter and insect control.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth

(Sorry for the repetition, Father'sDaughter posted while I was typing)

[Labradors2]

Thanks for explaining. I know DE well, but I didn't know that it absorbed water! It is often mentioned in the dog world because it can kill fleas and ticks. I have a container of it (from Gardener's Supply) somewhere.

Here's what I found. It helps if you can spell when you Google and I wrote zorb instead of sorb {LOL}. Still interesting though!

http://www.daltoninternational.co.nz...bsorbent-ABPR3

Linda

[drew51]

Be careful with DE, as it is a cancer causing agent. The dust is dangerous. Once used, and wet it is safe. If you look at details, it is clearly marked on product labels. I would not work with it without a mask. But even pumice is dangerous, so it's not really a big deal, just be careful with any product you use. I myself don't like DE, or other absorbant products as they hold water but often do not make it available to the plant. Unlike peat moss or pumice. An example is turface with pores less than a micron wide, the plant roots cannot take that water off, it just evaporates. Whereas pumice has larger pores, and the roots can even grow into it. I'm not sure about DE? it may make water available. I know often absorbants are clays, and that is the product I don't like.
With Peat yeah you can't let it get completely dry. I think it is OK to mix with compost, even though I said otherwise above. Recent posts with people doing it with great results convinced me.

I'm rather new here, but have plants that are 36 years old in pots. I've been doing this since the 70's. I know my container culture.

Here is a study using the clay turface and other sunstances in germination. Turface finished dead last.
http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/...4/679.full.pdf