Greetings!
I hope this message finds you all well...
As I'm (impatiently and a little prematurely) gearing up for another season
of organic urban container gardening here in Zone 6, I've been putting my
favorite potting soil recipe to use. There are, in fact, two versions of
this recipe, both pasted below this message, the first of which contains
animal products and the second of which does not. I have used both versions
for several years with equal success.
I should add that while I typically start most seeds in vermiculite and
transfer to this potting soil after the first true leaves emerge, I do plant
cucurbits directly into this mix (so as not to disturb those delicate root
hairs with transplanting) and have found that it makes a nice seed-starting
medium as well...
Best wishes,
Claire Homitzky
Potting Soil Mix (Animal-based)
FOR 60 GALLONS:
Add 1 bale (8 - 5 gallon buckets) of Pro-mix BX* (peat-based growing medium)
Add 4 cups of each of the following to a 5-gallon bucket and then sprinkle
on to the peat moss as it mixes:
Blood Meal
Bone Meal
Greensand
Rock Phosphate
Dolomitic Lime (3.5 cups only)
Mix completely for at least 10 minutes
Add 4 - 5 gallon buckets of vermiculite
Mix until vermiculite is well distributed in mix (at least 5 minutes)
Add 12 gallons of water (add this in 3-4 gallon batches with some mixing
each time so that water is well distributed in potting soil mix)
Potting Soil Mix (Vegetable-based)
FOR 60 GALLONS:
Add 1 bale (8 - 5 gallon buckets) of Pro-mix BX (peat-based growing medium)
Add each of the following to a 5-gallon bucket and then sprinkle on to the
peat moss as it mixes:
8 cups of Alfalfa Meal
12 cups Rock Phosphate
3.5 cups Dolomitic Lime
Mix completely for at least 10 minutes
Add 4 - 5 gallon buckets of vermiculite
Mix until vermiculite is well distributed in mix (at least 5 minutes)
Add 12 gallons of water (add this in 3-4 gallon batches with some mixing
each time so that water is well distributed in potting soil mix)
*Pro-Mix BX is a professional growing medium produced by Premier
Horticulture and my steady fave; more information can be found by visiting
their website at
http://www.premierhort.com/website/siteplan/afsiteplan.html.
****************************************
I possessed my soul and finally, though the delay
was long, perceived some appearances of bloom.
--Henry James
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Hi there, this sounds very good. Thanks for posting it. I am hoping to start
a few things very soon.
Marg in N.S. Zone 6b
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/mmillard/index.html
****************************************
I possessed my soul and finally, though the delay
was long, perceived some appearances of bloom.
--Henry James
****************************************
