Any suggestions on how to make a mix that will drain well, hold water and nutrients, and not pack down too much?

My current plan is to fill them with straw and manure, let that rot for a month, mix in some perlite or vermiculite (for drainage), cover the top in good potting soil, and plant in that.

Will that work? If so, what proportions should I go for? Do I need any lime or ash to balance ph or anything else?

Is this the best forum to put this is?

24 cu ft pine bark fines ........... $36
3 cu ft sphagnum peat ................. 7
4 cu ft coarse perlite .................. 15
5 lbs dolomitic lime ..................... 3
5 lbs controlled release fert ........ 20 optional (MG cheaper)
a micro-nutrient source

The layered mix you suggested is likely to present drainage problems & not smell pretty if it does. ;o) This mix will drain well & retain aeration.

Good luck.

Al

Do they make slow release organic fertilizers? I haven't seen any. Can I use compost?

Does the carbon to nitrogen ratio matter in that mix? Is anything going to break down?

Thanks.

A) MG = Miracle Grow or suitable generic substitute.

B) Organic fertilizers are slow release by nature (no pun), requiring bio-activity to break them down into the elemental components plants can assimilate - fish/seaweed emulsions e.g. Compost has very little to offer container soils. It delivers nearly no nutrients and quickly breaks down into fine particulates that clog important macro-pores.

C) The C:N ratio is important in composting, but in container soils we need to stay away from the "greens". Containers are an inhospitable environment for microbial activity. Wide variance in temperature, moisture, and fertility make bio activity boom/bust at best, so we cannot depend on bio-activity to supply nutrients when needed. It is of great benefit to use components that will retain structure for the life of the planting. Pine bark does this nicely. It is rich in a lipid - suberin - that makes it difficult for micro-organisms to cleave hydrocarbon chains, so it retains its size and shape very well, which is also causal of retaing aeration and providing drainage even while peat/compost based soils are collapsing.

Al

If you get the big ones then take the time to tear them in half as you add them to the box.

I am using them in big Paint Buckets from Home Depot and they are working well so far.

Also, get a cheep paper shredder and shred newspaper, LOTS of it, and layer it in the box. 1 layer of paper (So you can't see the soil but isn't too thick) 2 inches of dirt, layer of paper, layer of dirt, exc. Then you can go to your local sporting good's store and get a container of Bait Worm's and add them to the box. They eat the paper!

OH! Also, go to Starbucks and get bags of Used Coffee Grounds FOR FREE and layer that in with the paper. The worm's will eat it all and constantly fertilize the soil. Also the more they eat the more they breed!

I have had worms in all my house plants for over a year now and they keep breeding and come out the bottom of the pot when I water so I can take the baby's out and put them in new containers.

You can also get Nori (For sushi) at the grocery store for pretty cheep and shred it in the paper shredder and add that to the soil too. Seaweed is supposed to be REALLY good for plants but it doesn’t biodegrade very well in large pieces so shredding it is really important. If there are worms in the soil then they will eat it and break it down faster but the smaller the piece the better. (Oh, little fact…Nori IS NOT SEAWEED! Algae is collected, rolled flat and dried into sheets. But same basic nutritional principles. Also great to cook with.)

Also, if you drink a lot of tea then save the used bags, dry them out, and add them whole to the soil. The paper of the bag is thin enough to not hinder decomposition and it saves mess. Egg Shells are also good to save, dry, grind in a food processor or coffee grinder, and added to soil. (Lack of calcium leads to Blossom End Rot in tomatoes and other similar fruits/veggies.)

Just remember, the more organic materials you add to the soil the more worms you should start off with…don’t go crazy and over populate all at once but adding 3 or 4 won’t be enough to get the cycle going strong.

Um, I can’t really think of anything else right now… Good luck!

"Would styrofoam peanuts used for packing make good additions for lightness and drain age, instead of the more expensive things like pearlite? "

It sounds as though you are talking about adding it to the soil, rather than putting a layer of it at the bottom of the pot before you put the soil in?