Hi, everybody,

I am a beginner, focusing on vegetables in containers. So I have
been buying lots of "potting mix," which is mainly peat and bark.

I have tried a couple of different brands, and I noticed a big
difference in texture. One is fairly smooth, with mostly small
particles, I guess, and the other is rough, with more of the
bigger particles. When set in containers (with plants), the
rougher mix is quite visibly different.

I also notice that the seedlings I buy (usually in 4-in pots)
seem to have a finely-ground soil.

It is somewhat easier to plant the seedlings into the finer-grade
potting mix (i.e. pushing it up to support them.)

There is a slight price difference, although that may be due to
the rougher stuff being in larger bags. Both types claim to have
"slow-release" fertiliser.

So my question is... should I come to any conclusions about the
quality of potting mix, based upon texture??? It seems that the
rougher stuff is more bark and less peat, which I suspect isn't
so good.

Any advice???

Thanks in advance...

--
Guide To DIY Living
http://www.self-reliance.co.nz
(Work in progress)

The fine textured products are more for growing seedlings. I would tend
to use the coarse textured mix for big plants in big containers. A fine
textured mix might pack down more and exclude air in the root zone.
The only way to be sure is try similar plants in pots of each mix. See
which actually grows better.

Steve


Down Under On The Bucket Farm wrote:
Hi, everybody,

I am a beginner, focusing on vegetables in containers. So I have
been buying lots of "potting mix," which is mainly peat and bark.

I have tried a couple of different brands, and I noticed a big
difference in texture. One is fairly smooth, with mostly small
particles, I guess, and the other is rough, with more of the
bigger particles. When set in containers (with plants), the
rougher mix is quite visibly different.

I also notice that the seedlings I buy (usually in 4-in pots)
seem to have a finely-ground soil.

It is somewhat easier to plant the seedlings into the finer-grade
potting mix (i.e. pushing it up to support them.)

There is a slight price difference, although that may be due to
the rougher stuff being in larger bags. Both types claim to have
"slow-release" fertiliser.

So my question is... should I come to any conclusions about the
quality of potting mix, based upon texture??? It seems that the
rougher stuff is more bark and less peat, which I suspect isn't
so good.

Any advice???

Thanks in advance...