Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
saturn1956

Soil

saturn1956
11 years ago

What is the best kind of soil to use for Container gardening??

Comments (13)

  • meyermike_1micha
    11 years ago

    Have you not been reading the forums here for a while?

    It says you joined since 2006....

    I hope you find what is good for you, or, better yet, what is best for your plants.

    Mike

    This post was edited by meyermike_1micha on Thu, Jan 31, 13 at 10:06

  • Ohiofem 6a/5b Southwest Ohio
    11 years ago

    There is no soil that is good for container growing. What you want is a soilless mix. As Mike suggested, reading some of the threads in this forum will give you a lot of ideas about soilless mixes that are good for container growing.

  • TheMasterGardener1
    11 years ago

    "There is no soil that is good for container growing."

    How about soil just right out of the garden? :)

    {{gwi:2552}}

  • meyermike_1micha
    11 years ago

    I knew it...lol

    Always there at the right time...lol

  • saturn1956
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Well yes as a matter of fact I have been a member since 2006. However this is my first time in this forum and experience with container gardening. .......thanks for the responses.

  • meyermike_1micha
    11 years ago

    Well I hope you get all the help you need Saturn and welcome:-)

    Of course you will always get opposing sides on the issue, bad advice and good.
    You might even be confused with sooooo many opinions on this one.

    In fact, with all the years I have been here, this has always been a hot topic and some you will see will push dirt, knowing full well what they are up to, and then others will give you their great experiences in what they use, the proven concepts and scientific back up.

    I have been here long enough to know the difference between 'genuine' and true help, and those that like to stir the pot.

    Hopefully between all the great info from this particular forum, you will be able to decipher everything you need to do about what's best for your plants and their root health, the respectability of only a minute few here if you read their profile, the majority in success, starting with open and well aerated mixes.

    Good luck and let's see where your question takes this:-)

    Mike

    Here is a link that might be useful: The way soils work in your container

  • TheMasterGardener1
    11 years ago

    "I have been here long enough to know the difference between 'genuine' and true help, and those that like to stir the pot."

    Yes, I am giving good advice about how you dont have to get too picky over plants. Snobbery even reaches over into growing plants. :)

    This post was edited by TheMasterGardener1 on Thu, Jan 31, 13 at 12:32

  • meyermike_1micha
    11 years ago

    TheMaster:

    Was that plant started as a seed in that soil, or purchased as an almost full grown or well established plant in the summer?

    How does it look now?

    Thanks

    Mike

  • TheMasterGardener1
    11 years ago

    Here they are just planted. They where a little yellow and not doing so good. You can see by the second picture the topsoil greened them up quite a bit. I fertilized these plants half way in the season with a low dose of miracle gro all purpose.

    {{gwi:2553}}

    Here they are on their way.

    {{gwi:2554}}

    "How does it look now?"
    Cayenne powder. ;)

    I would have to agree using to soil in pots is good for short lived annuals grown in full sun outdoors in the summer. Low light, interior plants grown in a cooler location this could not work as well.

    The only reason I used topsoil in a container is because it is free and wanted to give it a test. The results were so good I would consider using topsoil in a container again.

  • japus
    11 years ago

    I suppose this might just be a forum I can get some info on soil.
    I recently converted my garden to 4 raised beds 4X12, and added a cold frame to one.
    Mentioned above was garden soil is not the best for container planting !
    I've been using soil from the garden, replaced every season after tilling, a few stones on the bottom of containers, and mixed in compost, mushroom manure, and lightly fertilized.
    These are 8 - 10 gallon containers that I have had some great planting, not so great, and poor.

    Get this one, ...last year I placed 4 bell peppers in 1 ten gal container, placed it in partial shade, it came up better than any I ever had in my garden...deer ate all the leaves, even at that I had some great peppers, someone told me peppers like to touch each other..???
    This is the first year out of the past 25 years I am finally trying to learn a little about gardening, a marvelous topic along with being very rewarding, especially when plants flourish.
    Soiless mix was noted above for container growing.
    I use the raised beds, however I am using and expanding 10 gal containers each year..
    Care to elaborate on the soiless mix, I'll pursue it further also.
    I've been studying a few books, great in my opinion
    Vegetable Gardeners Bible by Edward Smith
    Complete Compost Gardening Guide by Barbara Pleasant
    and Deborah Martin
    Another on Square Gardening...
    thanks

    This post was edited by japus on Thu, Jan 31, 13 at 20:34

  • Ohiofem 6a/5b Southwest Ohio
    11 years ago

    The link Mike gave above elaborates on the two soilless mixes many on this forum use: 5-1-1 (pine bark, peat, perlite) and gritty mix (1 part each bark, gravel and turface).

  • japus
    11 years ago

    Ohiofem
    Thanks, I forgot I had printed that entire topic the other day and as usual laid it aside.
    I read through Mike's profile and he sounds very interesting.
    I would like better results, sooo I'll give it a try and report back...
    soooooooo much to doooooo
    Mike Thanks for all of your help, I'm sure it's helped many others.
    Jimmy

  • TheMasterGardener1
    11 years ago

    Yes bark is a good material for grow media

    This post was edited by TheMasterGardener1 on Mon, Feb 4, 13 at 11:54