Beginner Gardening: Good Growing Practices - an Overview for Beginners, 0 by tapla

tapla wrote:
Thanks for the nice compliment, Peg.

I find many of the growers I talk to decide they'd like to start growing in soils like I use, and I think that's great. If you happen to be struggling in your ability to keep your plants happy, deciding to change to a more open soil (one with superior drainage/aeration) is probably the singular decision most likely to result in significant progress. I also find that often, growers get really excited about the recipes and in a hurry to get started. If you go about it at your own pace, you're much less likely to get frustrated if you can't find things. Late fall and early winter aren't the easiest seasons to find pine bark of a favorable size, but I think that's where you should start your search. That way, even if the Turface and grit are elusive, you can always fall back on the bark-based mix I posted a picture of in my first post 10/29 upthread. They're both excellent soils for houseplants, and I use the 5:1:1 bark-based mix for all my mixed container plantings scattered through the gardens & on the decks.

I guess I would hope that you don't get frustrated too quickly and that you don't lose site of the fact that I'm selling (that is, recommending) a concept rather than recipes. The recipes are simply the best ways I've discovered to implement the concept.

Take care. Hope to ttyas.

Al