Hi Linda
Your seeds are in the mailer and will be mailed today.
>> I want to decrease the peat component (MG Potting Mix), because the blend held a bit too much water.
>> So, I'm thinking of this proportion:
4 parts of the current 3:1:1 blend
1 part brand new MG potting Mix
1 part Black Kow Composted Manure
The biggest probklem with re-using potting soil is the buildup of salts.
I you're going to re-use it, I would urge you to flush it repeatedly to remove salts and left-over fertilizer. If I understand eBuckets, everything you add stays in the soil, even soluble things like salt and nitrates. You don;'t want them building up or getting into undesirable ratios. Maybe improve the drainage first, but put it in big buckets with holes in the bottom, and flood it a few times per day, trying to drain out as much as possible each time.
Flush the salts!
The second problem is that soil structure breaks down some, even pine bark, even in one season, unless you get your drainage from coarse grit or crushed rock or coarse Perlite or "Turface".
You might want to re-screen the old mix with 1/4" mesh to throw away some of the finer & broken-down bark and peeat. Don't rub too hard or you'll break it down even more.
If I was going to re-use potting soil, I would try to build the "structure" back up by adding more coarse pine bark chunks - as big as you think is OK for your size bucket. Start with some medium mulch, and put some through 1/2" mesh, keeping the pieces bigger than 1/2". Probably hand-pick out the pieces TOO big for your bucket. Anway, try to add the larger size particles and don't add any small stuff.
You might consider some coarse grit or crushed rock - that won't break down. But remember you want particles as big as the bark chips.
Are you assuming that all the peat that WAS in it has already broken down and been digested? Because I see you're adding more peat. I think you need the opposite for better drainage. If it holds too much water already, I would not add even more peat. Pine bark does some wicking by itself, and broken-down bark fibers are already adding to the "fine stuff" in the mix.
Adding one-part-in-six of compost might not be enough, if they like a rich organic soil. Whatever organics you had last year may already have all been digested. However, compost will also make it hold more water. Maybe, before you add any compost, mix it well with some coarse bark fragments. Amend the compost until it looks like it will drain OK and not hold excfesssive water. THEN add some of that blend.
I have no expeirence with eBuckets myself, but if the part of the soil that is below water goes anerobic (which I would guess would happen), more compost will make anerobic soil even more unhappy (I guess).
On the other hand, I have little experience with pots and none with eBuckets, so if I were you, I would also ask someone with experience!
Corey
