MIX FOR YOUR POTTED PLANTS
With the container gardening season fast approaching, many
gardeners are getting ready to fill containers with soil less mixes.
If you have lots of containers, you know how expensive it can be
to use prepared, bagged mixes. It is certainly more frugal to mix
your own.
A standard recipe for a medium-textured mix is given below:
· 50-60% peat moss,
· 20-25% coarse sand or perlite,
· 20-25% ground pine bark.
Or
· two parts peat moss,
· one part perlite,
· one part coarse sand;
Make sure materials are moist before mixing, particularly the peat
moss. 5-10% garden soil should be added to support the heavier
plant and provide a heavier, more stable container. Dry soil can
be sifted through a quarter inch mesh screen and mixed with these ingredients.
Commercially available potting mixes are usually soil less; they are
made up of different ingredients including vermiculite, perlite,
shredded bark, sawdust, etc. These mixes are convenient to use, lightweight, and weed and disease free. However, there is no
regulation by state agencies over the content of such mixes, and
quality can vary widely.
Fertilizer is the most obvious addition to potting mixes. Use a
water-soluble fertilizer at regular watering intervals through the season.
Another addition to your mix may be a hydrogel, which is a crystal-like polymer that absorbs and holds water. Individual particles will absorb between 60 and 400 times their dry weight in water, depending on the specific type. This absorbed water is then slowly made available to
plant roots to prevent or delay water stress. This product is useful in small containers and hanging baskets that tend to dry out quickly.