Re: San Francisco area gardeners question

**"* C* <d*@gmail.com>**

-----Original Message----- 
From: Nan Sterman Subject: Re: [GWL] San Francisco area gardeners question

>What is "black soil?"

I'm not sure what Mary Fran is using, but the "black soil" sold 
inexpensively in big box stores is often just "dirt" with a black dye.

To add to the discussion of potting mixes, I too grow a huge number of 
plants in containers. As a base I use a mixture of one third last year's 
potting soil, one third sifted compose, and one third good quality pine bark 
mulch, along with some 10-10-10 granular fertilizer, some time release 
fertilizer, a bit of chicken starter grit, and sometimes some water 
absorbing crystals (which I hydrate before mixing). I can fine tune the mix 
for some plants. I put the ingredients in five gallon pails and mix them by 
pouring the back and forth between pails half a dozen times.

Duane Campbell
Syndicated garden columnist
Author: Best of Green Space; 30 Years of Composted Columns 

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