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Help with Petunia growing soil or mix.

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Posted by longknife 4 Way Upstate NY (My Page) on
Mon, Feb 21, 11 at 12:56

I would like to do several hanging baskets (and a few deck containers)of petunias. Does anyone have some good simple formula to share (ratios of media) using stuff that I can find in a small town. I have some decent top soil I would like to use, but in the searches I have done, that is discouraged. So now I am confused about what I should use to plant the petunias in. I'd like to make up a mix that members here have had success with so I don't have to re-invent. I'm in a small town and my stores don't carry much variety of commercially made mixes that may be available to bigger cities, so it would be better if I can make my own mix with easily obtained ingregients. Thanks in advance.

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RE: Help with Petunia growing soil or mix.

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Do you have a Home Depot or Walmart close by?

They sell MG products, I have used MG potting soil in teh past with good results. It may be less expensive to just buy a bag of potting soil then mixing your own for such small qtys.

Keriann~

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RE: Help with Petunia growing soil or mix.

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  • Posted by tapla z5b-6a mid-MI (My Page) on
    Thu, Mar 3, 11 at 14:36

Hi, John - OK, NOW I remember reading this a while back. Most people would be surprised that it's not too often that I recommend a soil myself. I did just the other day, but that was because expense entered the picture & the 5:1:1 mix is a lot less expensive to make than most bagged soils are to buy, on a per volume basis. Usually, when a question like yours comes up, someone will recommend either the 5:1:1 mix or the gritty mix, and I just try to answer any questions that get overlooked or might be more technical than some of the others want to tackle.

When you contacted me, I sent you this link that explains how water behaves in container soils, which is the most important consideration (from the perspective of what's best for the plant) when choosing a soil, other than whether or not the ingredients aren't phytotoxic. ;o) Following closely behind how water-retentive the soil is, is it's durability.

If you haven't read the article, please do. We can finish up wherever you choose - at that thread, here, or via email - your call. TTYS.

Al

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