Potting mix, cheap and easy; also the best?

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Vijgenboom

Registered:1426276591
Posts: 22

Posted 1483478661	Reply with quote #1

Hello everyone! Some observations about potting soils. When I started with fig growing I tried all kinds of special potting mixes that were advocated in several posts on this forum. Mixes with sand, perlite, pine bark chips and what not. Last year I planted a number of figs in regular, cheap peat-based potting soil, straight from the garden center. And, to my surprise, these figs were thriving best! Good growth AND a good Breba crop. The special mixes worked less well, both for freshly rooted cuttings and for established 3-year-old fig plants. Even when the soil was soaked by heavy rain, the figplants in the cheap potting soil thrived. Have other forum members had comparable experiences? __________________ Regards, Vijgenboom The Netherlands (Europe) Zone 8 (cool summers, wet winters)

ADelmanto

Registered:1359774201
Posts: 911

Posted 1483480102	Reply with quote #2

What brand of soil worked well for you? __________________ https://www.facebook.com/From-The-Ground-Up-403313193085649/

rcantor

Registered:1309799312
Posts: 5,724

Posted 1483502990 · Edited	Reply with quote #3

Well in The Netherlands your cheap garden center soil is probably better than some of the premium stuff here. You folks grow the finest bulbs and corms on the planet. I've ordered saffron from several countries but nothing comes close to yours. You probably have friendly magical beings making everything growing perfectly. Did you come here just to gloat? ;) Does it list the ingredients? __________________ Zone 6, MO Wish list: Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.

TorontoJoe

Registered:1445889447
Posts: 257

Posted 1483504995	Reply with quote #4

As my rooted cuttings go into 1 gallon pots this spring I was thinking of trying a modification of the old 5-1-1 mix. 5 parts bark fines 1 part peat moss 1 part coarse perlite I was thinking to add 1 part compost manure (maybe less depending on how it looks) Also some lime One thing I'm not sure about is the type of bark fine to use. Most recipes suggest pine however I've always associated pine with being very acidic. I was wondering if a hardwood fine might be better? I'm not sure. If we have any bark specialists here I'd like some intel. I didn't get much from Google on this. Thoughts? __________________ Zone 6 Guildwood Village - Toronto, Canada Seeking: Panache, Really great unknowns

rcantor

Registered:1309799312
Posts: 5,724

Posted 1483506470	Reply with quote #5

Well, my bark is worse than my bite but I can tell you that most people use pine bark because it doesn't tie up nitrogen the way hardwood does. When you try to grow in hardwood chips the organisms that break them down use a lot of nitrogen. If you don't add enough there's none for the plant. Then as the wood is broken down, that nitrogen comes flooding back into the system and it will inhibit fruit set. It works great for foliage plants, though. __________________ Zone 6, MO Wish list: Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.

rcantor

Registered:1309799312
Posts: 5,724

Posted 1483506533	Reply with quote #6

BTW, pine bark is acid so most people add dolomitic limestone. __________________ Zone 6, MO Wish list: Galicia Negra, De La Reina - Pons, Genovese Nero - Rafed's, Sbayi, Souadi, Acciano, Any Rimada, Sodus Sicilian, any Bass, Pons or Axier fig, any great tasting fig.

TorontoJoe

Registered:1445889447
Posts: 257

Posted 1483507031	Reply with quote #7

You just outdid Google on bark! Thank you! __________________ Zone 6 Guildwood Village - Toronto, Canada Seeking: Panache, Really great unknowns

Lewi

Registered:1441222269
Posts: 149

Posted 1483561105	Reply with quote #8

Vijgenboom, Some times its luck of the draw....sometimes even the best Soil ( not the soiless mixes) have fungas gnats pre-mixed. Sometimes your cuttings arrive with mold, and maybe 1/2 make it. I'm glad you got a good combo this year, and hope it repeats itself consistently. I have recently been unhappy with sand and peat moss ( light on the peat)....I will go back to black kow and pearlite next time. __________________ West Florida (West of the Apalachiola River as defined by the proclamation of 1763). zone 8a winters can get cold for figs...down to 12 F twice in last four years. Lewi = Levite

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