Aaron, why do you add sand? I would assume to make the mix a little more water retentive, right?

I don't add the sand. The mix I buy is pre-made. I'm assuming it comes from the Carolinas. I would say it is under 5% of the mix. Once I add the compost it dilutes it to under 2% by volume.

Ah that makes sense. I saw so little sand in the pictures I wondered how little it must be. Mixing ProMix HP and pine bark, that is running me around 3x that amount. 7 cubic feet in one package ProMix and 2 cubic feet of bark per bag and your soil looks nicer.

That's some tasty looking mix. The pine bark is a lot darker than anything I've found around here. The stuff I found is more of a terra cotta color. I can't imagine doing better than $25 per yard for a good mix. Well done!

May I ask what fertilizer you went with? I've been looking at some of the stuff available at farm supply places. I assume it doesn't have any of the micro-nutrients in it but at this price I'd just as well let the compost take care of that and use this cheaper stuff for the N-P-K. 

This is what I found. I'm sure you guys have something similar in rural areas. I've just started tinkering with this stuff so cant yet speak to the quality, but at these prices it's looking hard to beat.

http://www.tscstores.com/TSC-ALL-PURPOSE-FERTILIZER-10KG-P40042.aspx#.WTdNVOvyvIU

http://www.tscstores.com/25KG-5-20-20-TSC-GARDEN-FERTILIZER-P30567.aspx#.WTdNlOvyvIU

I wish it was $25 per yard. No, it was $75 per yard.

I went with a 5-10-10 granular fertilizer but then topped the pots off with rabbit poop with hay and pine bedding all mixed up. (About 1-2") I am going with a ring of 1/4" drip irrigation tubing on top of the pots, but because it's been raining so much this spring I have not even turned them on yet. The leaves look nice and green and there are plenty of breba. I'm happy with it so far.

Oops! I misread. Thought it was $75 for all three yards. Still not bad for good mix.... A whole lot better than Promix

Lol! I've not had to water much either.... If it ever stops raining maybe I'll see some decent growth. All my smaller plants have been stalled since early May. Apparently May is the new April.... [Sigh]