Many people have been asking about my recipe for my soil experiment. So, Linda here is the recipe for you! I hope you get wonderful results from it. I've gotten great results with this recipe compared to Shultz Moisture Plus Potting Soil which was super expensive and didn't go nearly as far money wise.
I filled my container about 3/4 full of ordinary topsoil/potting soil. The cheapest stuff I could get my grubby mitts on. Then I took a scoop from each bag of perilite, sphagnum peat moss, and cow manure compost until the container was as full as I wanted it.
Once I had as much soil as I needed in my pot, I used my trowel to work the top layer into the soil. Once the mixture looked to be completely mixed I planted my plants and watered when needed. That's it. It was pretty easy, I will definately be making my own mix from now on! I hope you can all benefit from this experiment too. I think it will be a big money AND time saver for all of us.
If you'd like to see the comparisons, please check the post before the last one. Sorry, I'm too lazy to relink. Too tired from shed building!
Thank you for stopping by. Please leave me a message and a backlink. I'd love to hear your thoughts!
Cindy
8 comments:
Sounds like a good mix. I use 1/2 cheap potting mix and 1/2 worm castings or homemade compost. I add about 1/4 cup blood meal and bone meal per gallon of mix. Works great and holds water nicely.
I like both those mixes. I might have to add more spaghum to my mix next year to help retain moisture. Right now I don't have any cause we usually have wet summers. The last two years it's been dry as all get out. My potted plants are suffering. I like your results Cinj. Proof is in the pudding. Have you heard that saying?
Deb- More of these days I'll be able to use my own compost, but it's a bit new yet. Maybe net year.
Anna- Thanks! My summers are usually dry, so it helps them to not dry out so quickly. If I didn't have the sphagnum, I'd be out watering my hanging baskets 4 times a day. It's crazy. Cheesehead bought a hanging basket from his store, that thing is so light compared to my baskets it's not even funny. I put it in my shade garden to help it keep it's soil moister.
Yes, I have heard that saying. My family liked to use just about every one you can lay your hands on.
Thanks for sharing your recipe! I'm done for this year but I'll have to jot this down for next year! It will be interesting to see how things progress over the rest of the summer for you! Keep us all posted, please :)
cinj,
Hello, I am making the rounds after a nice vacation...I read recently that soil can be used over and over again, if you refresh it a bit....for years I threw mine in the compost heap but no more, just add goodies like you have done...new soil! How's your summer progressing?
gail
Cinj, your potting mix sounds great (Deb's does, too)! It's so much fun to customize your own. Plus, no chemicals! Good deal!!!
Thanks for sharing your recipe Cindy. I will definitely have to try it out because your results spoke for themselves!
Kathi- I will! It will be interesting to see how they do while I'm gone.
Gail- Cheesehead used to throw our pots out every year. I can't believe I let him! EEK. For the last few years we have reused the soil. I just pull out the dead plants for the compost pile and keep the rest of the dirt in whatever pot it was in. These are new this year though, I'm sure if anyone looked close enough they saw the tags that I STILL haven't removed.
Ben- It is great, isn't it? I try to avoid chemicals, there's usually a way to get the same goals accomplished organically.
Kathleen- No problem. It is fun to experiement and find a good mix. I think this is the best one I've had so far.
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