Mike (Hortstu),

The 5-1-1 mix popularized by Al Tapla works extremely well. He has also posted extensively that it should be a starting point, and can be be modified for individual locations.

The modification was to add 1 part Calcined Clay to form a 5-1-1-1 mix, 5 part Pine Bark fines - 1 part Peat Moss - 1 part Perlite - 1 part Calcined Clay.

Pine Barks fines is available in the Northeast at Agway as Pine Bark Mulch.
Calcined Clay is available at Tractor Supply as Oil Absorbent.
Perlite can be replaced with Pea Gravel from Home Depot if weight is not an issue and it may help to keep some plants with large canopies upright.

Mr.Pete is the calcined clay added for water retention? I've bought a product called Soil Vigor-Moisture Trap Polymers to use in an experiment next spring when I up-pot. I plan to ask opinions next spring before I use it though, someone here may think it's a mistake and I want to weigh their thoughts. If it's a bad idea, I also have the oil absorbent that Napa sells, to experiment with as well.

Regards.

Billy,

Yes, the Calcined Clay products (Oil Dry etc.) adds moisture retention, while maintaining aeration in the mix, due to particle size, but it also adds trace minerals. I've never used water retention polymers, so can't comment on them.

You should do a search on "gritty mix" or "5-1-1 mix" there has been a lot of discussions and posted results. In a topic last year, http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=6416224 several members posted their potting mix recipes.

Good  Luck,
Pete S.

I would prefer Diatomaceous Earth Absorbent rather than the clay.  Light weight and inexpensive.  Should maintain form indefinetly.
Available in coarse grade from Zoro with free shipping on $25 orders.
http://www.zoro.com/g/Diatomaceous%20Earth%20Absorbent/00107339/None

I've been wondering how the chatter about a Perched Water Table meshes with the successes of SIP growing methods. 
Those rely upon somewhat heavier mixes to allow for wicking of the water.  It sure does not seem to create dead roots.

I found this a very informative thread with lots of good information.

There was this post:
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/show_single_post?pid=1273465832&postcount=82

Then there was this one:
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/show_single_post?pid=1284064706&postcount=125

And then followed by this one:
http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post/show_single_post?pid=1284070038&postcount=131

Were those supposed to add to the information stream concerning potting mix?

RE: 5-1-1-1 Mix
Next year I need to buy about 20 bags of the Agway Pine Bark Mulch when they have it in the spring.  I went thru the 5 bags I bought (well, 3.5 of them, my wife dumped the rest over one of her flower beds) very quickly, and the local Agways told me 6 weeks ago that they will not get more in till next year.  I have tried a few other brands which are either mostly very fine particles or very large particles and all have lots of wood mixed in.

This brand was the next best I could find, at a local K-Mart last month, but again had fair amount of wood particles compared to Agway's, and they only had 2 bags remaining when I bought them:

 

Anyone else have a brand or source for decent pine bark fines this time of year?  I still have some up-potting to do.

I have a bag of pine bark mulch from HD. I was considering adding 40-0-0 to it as a nitrogen source and composting it for 8 weeks in the bag before combining it to the mix. Im not sure it that would be of much benefit.

Down in this link there is a "recipe" for Blue Fox Farms and others.

http://www.extension.org/pages/20982/organic-potting-mix-basics#.U_3rjcVdVYB

Rich (RichNJ),

What is your current potting mix or mix recipe and how long have you been using it?
How successful has it been?
Thanks.

I have found the clay additive to be very helpful, it has given me an extra day between waterings, every other day instead of every day in the hot Florida sun.

Having read through most of this thread, I would say that it is relatively easy to find research backing any viewpoint you have: everyone is right in some regard. I often found when I was college for horticulture that papers saying one thing is better than another do not mean much. Many times the difference is barely statistically significant (3% difference). Every researcher has pet projects and beliefs that will be given greater coverage; scientists are not infallible (but 99% mean well) and plants don't work in closed systems.

I recall once a professor told me of a study being done with hormones and suddenly one block of plants started exhibiting bizarre symptoms. They thought they had made a breakthrough. Turned out someone was smoking and infected the plants with Tobacco Mosaic Virus from their cigarettes.



Don't overthink your mix, it's easy to make yourself crazy. Find something that works well and stick with it. We're just hobbyists.

How about them figs?

My suggestion was that the Diatomaceous Earth Absorbent could be an improvement on Turf-ace.  Both can be positive improvements to a mix, IMHO.

Rich (and everyone else) - MG varies their blend based on availability in various regions of the US. I'm sure it's not a significant difference, but a difference nonetheless. So different results are probable in different places.  I've found enough junk/trash in MG mixes that I avoid it unless it's free.

See here: http://answers.scotts.com/answers/4814-en_us/product/prod70262/miracle-gro-miracle-gro-moisture-control-potting-mix-questions-answers/questions.htm. First question.

I don't use the MG  Moisture Control variety.
With my MG based mix this year I think I have had great results (see post above)

MG "Recipe" is here..

http://www.gardenguides.com/99097-miracle-gro-potting-mix-ingredients.html

FYI, I have deleted a few posts that were abusive of other members. It is my hope that that is sufficient.

Rich,
Thanks for your reply.
From your answer, I guess that you do not have any trees growing in an experimental or custom mix.


Charlie,
The Calcine Diatomaceous Earth has been discussed in the past and are in the archived topics of "Gritty Mix" or "5-1-1 Mix" or posts by AL Tapla at Gardenweb. The Napa Auto Parts Floor Dry is 100% Calcine DE and has been used by several members.
<This topic about SIPs may provide some answers / clarification about perched water table, http://figs4funforum.websitetoolbox.com/post?id=6768010 >


Kelby,
Although I currently use the 5-1-1-1 mix for growing potted fig trees, I've tried many other mixes and recipes, they all work, but for fastest uninterrupted healthy growth nothing has beaten the 5-1-1-1.

I posted the following info in the previously referenced topic on potting mix recipes,

Rich,
  Just a heads up that it has been my experience this year that the Home Depot "Pine Bark Mulch" is different than the Pine Bark Mulch they've had in the past.  It used to be very nicely chopped and composted pine bark...this year it seems to have a very high pine wood content with very little Pine Bark.  ...At least that's the way it has been all through the spring and summer.  (There seems to have been a pine bark shortage of sorts!!!)  I checked HD again about 2-3 weeks ago and it still looked like the same stuff.  Maybe, hopefully, other stores are starting to get the good stuff back in stock.
Cheers,
Jim

Thank-you Mr. Pete. I use the 5-1-1 mix already. I am a first season fig/container grower, and am trying to improve upon the 5-1-1 for my needs, very much as you have with the 5-1-1-1. I'm using the repti-bark stuff and I think it is a bit too 'green' as compared to the mulch from the garden centers. I'm hoping as it ages and breaks down I'll feel better about it. Maybe it's all in my head, I dunno.

Regards,
billy

One thing I'll need to do is wet the peat moss before I create a mix. A person I know with years of experience with the stuff said you can cut a hole in the top of the bag and keep adding water and waiting until the mix is moist. This can take a few days.