Re: Potting soils

Thanks Chick and thanks to everyone else who offered us help deciding what potting mix to use. We had about 10 responses including some very good private ones.
 
We bought some bagged Fafard mix that is peat, perlite and pine bark. It's a light mix. The 70 yards of aged ground pine bark comes in next Tuesday. We plan on using some of the bark and comparing the bark and the Fafard . One local hosta grower uses 100 ground pine bark and seems to do really well. The rest of the pine bark we're going to cover with a tarp to keep weed seeds out and let it age some more. It looks like if we took Chick's advice we could just mix a little pine bark in with the Fafard and it would make the Fafard go a little further.
 
We talked to the people at Fafard about buying in bulk......it cost $3,250 for a 90 cubic yard load...which is both more money and more soil that we need at the moment. By the bag cost more but we can get just how much we want......and not ten years worth.
 
Dan & Lu
 
----- Original Message -----
From: c*@bridgewoodgardens.com
To: h*@hort.net
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2002 10:17 PM
Subject: Re: Potting soils

I know this topic goes back a while, but a salesman just brought us some new potting mix to try and since the fact sheet just happened to have the ingredients listed, here goes:

65% aged pine bark
21% peat moss
7% perlite
7%vermiculite

It seems like a fairly decent mix, though I wouldn't mind an even higher percentage of bark.  I'm not sure what good the perlite and vermiculite do in a mix that would normally only be used for a year or so.  Frankly, I think if I was doing it, I'd probably go 75-80% bark and the rest peat.  If you're going to do 70 yards, I sure hope you've got a mixing machine of some sort, cause doing it by hand is going to be a bear.  Don't forget a good wetting agent.

I still think you'd be better off buying it bagged.

Chick

Dan & Lu Nelson wrote:
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Lu and I are going to start selling hostas next spring and we are going to start digging and potting up soon.
 
We would love some feedback on potting soils. I can get 70 cubic yards of ground pine bark for $850 delivered. It is available fine ground and 1/2 inch ground. Which to use? Add compost and sand? or not?
 
I'm looking to the professions growers on this list for some feedback. We will be potting into one and two gallon pots.
 
Any tips on pH testing of potting soils, lime, gypsum and pH of irrigation water would be greatly appreciated.
 
We promise we won't run anyone out of business!
 
Thanks,
 
Dan & Lu Nelson
Pixie Forrest
Auburn GA

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