Potting Soil
Can anyone recommend a good potting soil for the money to fill planters and hanging baskets with annual flowers. I have been using Pro Mix and have had luck but it seems every year new products come out.
Thanks
The soils that have added fertilizer are more expensive and the fertilizer may state “lasts up to 3 months”- It usually doesn’t. The frequent watering and drainage for pots washes the fertilizer out more quickly. The fertilizer needs to be replaced, anyway, so why bother paying for higher-priced soil?The soils that have added water retention are more expensive You can purchase a canister of “water saving crystals”. These used to be hard to come by, but saw them in the big box store last year. These absorb moisture and then release it back to the soil gradually. Be sure to add to the soil and stir to distribute before potting. I tried one year to add to pots at mid-season…the crystals swelled up and looked like fish eggs on top of the soil The best tip I can give you for money saving on soils is to know what kind of root system the plant has, and pot accordingly. For example:If I put a Wave Petunia in a 16″ pot, those roots will be “pot-bound” by July. If I put a begonia in the same pot, I can fill the bottom quarter of the pot with styrofoam packing peanuts. (Those are good to line the bottom of any pot for drainage.) because the roots from the begonia will never reach the bottom of the pot.We’re still about 3 weeks from “frost-safe”…can’t wait to get out to the garden!