I have a Jane Magnolia in a 3 gallon pot (just purchased) and it is about 3 feet high. I want to keep it in a container and have been reading up on the gritty mix and Al's mix, but I am not sure which one would be best for this tree. I have searched around for the ingredients for both mixes figuring I would go with the one I can locate all ingredients for. No such luck. I either can't locate all the items locally or they are too expensive considering they will be for just one (maybe two) container plants. The shipping alone on some items is just not worth it, in my opinion. I think I can try to gather up the ingredients for Al's mix if I use fir bark nuggets or Orchard Bark, which I can find locally.

I would appreciate any input regarding which of these two mixes would be the better choice and some tips on how to get started. I'm a bit of a newbie at planting and potting. Please no suggestions to plant the tree in ground, as I am determined to keep it in a pot for at least a couple of years as I work on my landscape. Thank you for any tips you can provide!