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Re: [nafex] Potting Mix Recipes
Doreen,
Here's what a couple of my books say -
The 'Brooklyn Botanic Garden Gardener's Desk Reference' says (p.431), The
components of an ideal soil are: 45% mineral, 5% organic matter, 20-30%
air, and 20-30% water.
The 10,000 Garden Questions Answered by 15 Experts by F. F. Rockwell
(c1946, p.875-876) states,
'A generally good formula consists of 2 parts loam from vegetable or flower
garden and 1 part well-rotted cow manure, leafmold, commercial humus, or
peatmoss, with enough sand to make the mixture porous. Unless cow manure
is used, add 2 quarts commercial cow manure to each bushel. For further
enrichment, a 4-in. pot of complete fertilizer or bone meal to a
wheelbarrowload of soil, or 1 teaspoonful to an 8-in. pot of soil.
The loam contains nutrients, sand facilitates drainage and aeration of
roots, while the other elements increase the water-holding capacity and
thus prevent too-rapid evaporation of moisture and caking of soil. Humus
also helps to produce a light, mellow mixture which roots can easily
penetrate. To these essentials may be added, when convenient, a little
charcoal to sweeten the soil (especially in pots lacking a drainage hole),
and tobacco dust to discourage root aphis. Apartment gardeners can procure
ready-made soil-mixtures from florists and 10-cent stores. [!]
If the plants have heavy roots - such as those of pandanus, sanseveria, or
palm, also the geranium - less sand and more loam is used, because such
roots have force enough to penetrate a firm mixture, and the plants prefer
it. The fiberous-rooted ferns, begonias, and fuschsias thrive in a lighter
medium - about half leafmold or peatmoss, half loam, and plenty of sand.
Acid-loving plants - the blue hydrangia, camellias, heaths, and azaleas -
require equal parts of soil and acid peat or hardwood leafmold, while bone
meal is omitted.' [end of section]
Happy potting!
--------Suzi T.
Librarian, Paul Evans Library of Fruit Science
Southwest Missouri State University Mtn. Grove Campus and Missouri Fruit
Experiment Station
9740 Red Spring Rd, Mountain Grove, MO 65711
Phone: 417-926-4105, Fax: 417-926-6646, email: srt175f@smsu.edu
URL: http://library.smsu.edu/paulevans/pelIndex.htm
Member: CBHL, USAIN, ALA, ACRL, IAALD
At 01:47 PM 03/27/2002 -0600, Doreen Howard wrote:
>Thanks to all who suggested local nurseries and garden centers as a source
>for 5 and 10 gallon cans. I found five of each today at a local garden
>center and paid 75 cent for each. They look to be in pristine condition.
>
>Now that I have the cans, I am faced with creating potting mix. At $6 for
>24 qts. of the premium potting mix, I'd be spending about $150 for enough
>mix to fill my 10 cans. So....I am making my own. I figure it can't be too
>difficult. I already purchased 3 cubic feet bag of vermiculite. I figure
>that peat should be the base of the mix, along with the vermiculite. Other
>additives I'm considering are shredded bark, composted manure and lime to
>counter the peat. Does anyone have experience making their own mix? If so,
>what proportions and additives do you use? I will be putting bareroot roses
>and two miniature pear trees in these cans.
>Doreen Howard
>Wisconsin zone 4b, where it is spring-like today---hooray!!
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