Container Gardening | Forum profile

.... wheel barrow or 5 gallon bucket for small batches & an 8x10 tarp for batches up to 5 cu ft. 2 people can mix a 5 cu ft batch in under 2 minutes using the tarp (once the material is on the tarp). Al

Sounds kind of like what happens with the generic disposable diapers... my grandson filled his diaper with so much pee that the gel exploded overnight, and he awoke covered in gel and pee from his chest to his knees! So much for cheap diapers! I'm not really even sure what that gel is... but I do know that I want nothing to do with it, whatsoever!

Seems to me that many things are on a continuum. Critical thinking, or rather the ability to employ it, is one such continuum. We rarely help others to learn or employ critical thinking skills. Critical thinking skills are required in order to ask effective questions. This, I think, is what Al is getting at. But, on a continuum, we all have to work our way from one end to the other. Through luck, hard work, genetics or whatever, some of us get...

Because I have most of mine in clay pots,in the 5.1.1 mix and the gritty mix, I have nothing to fear if I am gone for a few days if someone should just water my plants in the "sun" everyday... The ones not in the sun, I just do a general rule of every other day...They usually put up with this regimand till I get back, and makes it easy for the caretaker..lol I would rather have them watered than wither away by drought by the time I...

You are quite right, Jodik, that is precisely what I meant by 'take your pick'. Unfortunately the inexperienced gardener, without the benefit of trial and error, has no way of knowing which advice contains myth and which does not. Almost the first thing that the newcomer to container gardening is told is to put a drainage layer in the bottom of the pot, without the experience of knowing that this apparently sensible bit of advice is,...

Thanks Al! Duh, that would have been easy to remember. 1 tbsp per gallon.... I always go by gallons. Just easier that way if I need to whip up a mix right away for individual container... Lou

Physically, I mean--how (and in what sort of container) do you mix up your potting media? I've finally got all the ingredients, but am finding it a challenge to get them mixed evenly. Anyone have any good tips they want to share? Cheers, Anne

I mix in small batches usually, so I just fill my chosen container with the ingredients (to measure), and then dump them into a large tray to mix together. Something like this: For larger batches, I use the bed of a wheelbarrow:

Thanks so much, Al! Ok, I'm not going to worry about the lime lasting then because they won't be growing in the container for longer than a year. I plan to refresh the potting mix pretty much every 6 months as I will need to divide them & replant them that often. I better get a soil thermometer! I have no clue as to what the temps of the soil is on a regular basis. I live in central FL & right now the temps are fluctuating...

There are many stupid answers! Most of what we learn is from others; through the spoken word, the written word and the demonstration. A very small fraction of our thinking is insightful. A simple Q&A suggestion. Get a cooperative person (a child does it exquisitely) to ask you a question and ask "WHY?" to your answer and to each answer after that. Sooner (rather than later) you will be stumped. When that point is reached what...