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what soil mix to use in container gardening?
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Posted by kawaiineko_gardener 4, MI (My Page) on Sat, Jun 27, 09 at 17:20
| I plan to grow cucumbers from seed; I will plant one cucumber plant per 5 gallon pot.
I have two options with what type of soil mixture to use in container gardening.
I can use a prepackaged soil mix like Miracle gro, which I've heard is the ideal soil mixture to use for container gardening. I would add a little bit of cow manure based fertilizer to help feed what I'm growing in the container.
I would also use some water soluble fertilizer to give what I'm planting more nutrients.
My second option is to use a combination of loam, a soil mix like miracle gro, some peat moss, and the cow manure based fertilizer. I know you're not supposed to use regular top soil or loam for container gardening as it's not suitable for container gardening. However I'm on a tight budget and the reasons I'm using the loam in combination with the peat moss and cow manure fertilizer is
to cut costs. Buying the miracle gro potting mix would
cut into an already tight budget.
Which soil mixture should I use for container gardening? It was recommended to me to add peat moss to either mixture because it will help the soil mixture to retain water. |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: what soil mix to use in container gardening?
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| I would suggest saving money and sourcing quality ingredients locally. Search this forum for threads by Tapla for more info. I would just link you to his series of posts, but am feeling lazy right now. Forced to choose between your 2 choices I would go with the Miracle Grow mix and completely skip the manure as it isn't going to do a damn thing for your plants in a container. Nothing. To do good you would need to add an amount that would suffocate the roots and likely burn them too. Use the MG potting mix (not soil) and follow it up with MG fertilizer (24-8-16) and you will likely have a very productive season for your cukes. |
RE: what soil mix to use in container gardening?
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| I have to agree, but not based on my own experience, but rather my experience with justaguys suggestions. When he suggests something that I've not tried, I try it, and it works better than what I was doing. every time. Not sure I ever said thanks, becuase it's usually someone else question / answer that I learn from. Same goes for Al. Here is the old post jag was referring to. |
RE: what soil mix to use in container gardening?
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| Is a five gallon pot a little big for one cucumber plant? I planted two plants in a three gallon pot this year. They are doing great so far, don't know maybe they will run out of room and get cut short before the seasons over. But this would cut the cost down quit a bit or ya. I am growing spacemaster and spacemaster 80. |
RE: what soil mix to use in container gardening?
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- Posted by tapla z5b-6a MI (My Page) on
Mon, Jun 29, 09 at 9:07
| A pot can never be too big, from the plant's perspective, unless the soil is too slow. Al |
RE: what soil mix to use in container gardening?
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| I think as a general rule Al and others suggest using the 5 1 1 soil mix for veggies and flowers and the grit mix for trees and shrubs. Probably are exceptions to that rule but that's my understanding. |
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