What do you think is the best soil or mix to use for brugs in pots? Some of mine are in immediate of repotting.
Thanks,
Brenda
I feel really dumb asking this...
I use MG soil with a mixture of peat and vermiculite. It goes further this way. But I've seen great results using this.
Julie
I've used Ball and ProMix. I think I like them both about the same. Miracle Grow...never used it for big pots, just little ones and they haven't been potted long enough to know if I like it or not. Oh yes, I used Peter's one time and I didn't like it. I think it's going to depend on what you want from the mix you use. I'd really like to see some that would hold moisture a little longer and then I'm sure it would rain for days and drown everything. LOL!
lol Shirley...I'll have to try this that you use. What is Ball??? Pardon my ignorance lol.
You probably have heard of Ball Seeds??? They also have a potting mix they sell. They don't sell to the public, but to the nurseries. Our local nursery used it for years until they began using ProMix. I think the Ball mix had more perlite in it and more bark. I never had problems with fungus gnats though and I do with ProMix.
oh ok, I'd never heard of it...but hey, learn something new everyday, Thanks !
Julie
I use ProMix for everything I grow. I start my annuals and veggie seeds in it also.
We don't have ProMix here that I have found. In spring I use a heavy mix, the heavier the better. I add in 1/3 steer manure into what ever I am mixing. I then water carefully until the roots fill the pot. But what I am trying to do is save myself from having to water daily in the hotter summer. When I pot up in late summer or fall, I use the fastest draining soil I can find so my roots do not rot in the cold wet of winter.
I use potting mix with equal parts vermacile and Peat. works for me
That's the key Doris. Whatever works best for you is what you should use.
I use miracle dirt, perilte and sargmgum moss mixure has work here in Ohio
I use a regular potting mix and then my compost. I mix about 3 parts potting soil with 1 part compost. It kinda depends how heavy the compost looks for the right mix. I compost a lot of Comfrey leaves which is high in nitrogen when breaking down. I am also going to try a test of using just comfrey tea with no other fertilizer and see what results I may get.
I will be keeping notes and share this information later in the year and see what results I get. Here is some info just in case you maybe interested in this. OR maybe someone else has done this if so let me know. Thanks
I forgot to mention I also add perlite for added draingage in the potted brugs.
http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/outdoors/1429
This message was edited Feb 16, 2005 7:20 PM
Has anyone ever heard of saving the tea bags you boil for tea and placing it in the bottom of your pot then filling in with your potting mix? Not sure, I may be having a brunette moment, lol...if it was here at DG's that I got this, I think I'll crawl under the table and just ummmm ....be embarrassed??? lol
I also use Pro Mix.
GGK, great link! Ya think I could get some leaves out of my yard that I never raked up cos' I wasn't home and blend some up in the ole blender????? Would it work? Ya think?
I have heard of using coffee ground but never tea. I drink tea not coffee so I am interested in that, Brugaddict!
If I didn't get that from here at Dave's then I did on a gardening show. I'm always watching those show's when I'm winding down. I remember something about the different things in the grounds that help the plant in the process of it's growth. I wish I could remember, I hate it when I forget! But hey, I did remember that it was so impressive that I've taken the last 4 days of tea bags right from the boiling pot and reserved them inside a plastic butter container with a lid.
I'll try to find out kell. I hope to take some pic's today of the growth so far of the seeds you sent. They are doing great! Tune in!
Julie
I don't use coffee grounds or tea in my brug pots since it makes the soil more acid. I do put ground up egg shells in mine for added calcium.
Well I remember my Mom (in England) always getting on to us when we threw out the tea leaves, she always put them around plants, if it was flowers or vegies, she said it gave them strength.
I think some of this started when I said I was going to make a Comfrey tea. I have heard people using their tea bags and putting it in the soil also. I have also heard using coffee in the soil and also that came with a warning that it will make your soil more acid like Shirley said.
I use the Comfrey leaves in my compost bins because they are a good activator and also they claim if you make tea it's benificial and no need for artificial fertilizer. I'm going to test it out this summer and see what results I will get. It does stink when they are rotting in the water to make a tea. Needless to say this process will be done furthest away from an open window of the house! LOL
I found out my first spring when I moved into this home I had comfrey all over. Comfrey can and is invasive. Well I always compost as much as I can and later found out that comfrey is excellent for composting. So when it grows it gets put right into the compost.. So the rich compost goes into the potting soil for my Brug babies and they really like it. Ok I will stop now, Hope I didn't DULL you too Death.
Dull you to Death!! LOL! That is a new one for me. Thanks for the info about the comfrey. I'll make sure I don't get it started. I can't take care of what I have now.
Thanks for all the input. I got some new pots at value city - now I need to get some soil.
BrugAddict, I think it was on a gardening show that I first heard about the teabags. They are supposed to be good to help retain moisture in the potting soil. They also feed the plants as they break down. I haven't tried yet in containers, though I probably should. I always toss our teabags in the compost bins.
It can be hard keeping up with containers when it's really hot and forget going away with a plant sitter! DH bought me a bunch of drip irrigation stuff a few years ago...and it's been in the garage ever since! I guess if I want it done, I better figure it out, LOL!
I am going to start tossing my used tea bag on my pots then. I hope they like Earl Grey!
I use Jungle Grow from Lowes or Gold something from Wal Mart. Has everything thing you need in it and it is only 6 dollars for a 2 to 2.5 cu ft bag. Very inexpensive. I even use it for rooting cuttings. Gets to be very hard to find at times it sells out so fast. In fall I brought a truck load of it home from my visit with Trish in FL. DH was not happy.
That is what I need, a truck load. I will look for it but I do not think we have the same soil for sale here.
Going to Lowe's this morning to look for this DonnaB. I did not find the Gold at Walmart ...
Thanks for the input...Brenda
I throw used loose tea and coffee grounds on the Gardenias and they love it! Also left over pickle juice... Coffee grounds WILL deter slugs... But I would be afraid to use them in my brugs. If you can find the fine COIR, Gro-Brick or something similar, it makes a great damp mess in the bottom of the pot. Rinse it first, tho.
Next we will be feeding them Steak and Lobster!!! LOL
Carol
LOL Carol. By the look at my bills, I already do! They eat better than I do.