I had an organic gardening book from Sunset many years ago - we're
talking decades - that contained a recipe for making your own soil.
It had peat, sand, dolomitic lime and low-nitrogen fertilizer. I lost
the book and didn't write the recipe down anywhere, but I used it for
many years and it was great. Anyone have that recipe? It also had a
variation for a lighter mix for potting soil.

On 5/9/2009 6:45 AM, wrote:
I had an organic gardening book from Sunset many years ago - we're
talking decades - that contained a recipe for making your own soil.
It had peat, sand, dolomitic lime and low-nitrogen fertilizer. I lost
the book and didn't write the recipe down anywhere, but I used it for
many years and it was great. Anyone have that recipe? It also had a
variation for a lighter mix for potting soil.

I'm looking at Sunset's "Western Garden Book" (second edition, 9th
printing, December 1965). On pages 31-31, they describe "U.C. Mix: The
New Artificial Soil". According the the book, the mix was first
developed in 1950. The primary intent was to develop a mix for
container gardening and raised beds.

There are four different recipes for the mix, depending on the types of
plants:
* general
* cacti, succulents, and other drought-resistent plants
* azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, and other acid-loving plants where
drainage is restricted
* light-weight for azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias

The mix is hardly organic. Even your cited dolomite lime is inorganic.
All four recipes involve potassium sulfate and superphosphate. For all
four recipes, there is also a single, standard follow-up monthly feeding
that includes ammonium nitrate (which I think is restricted since the
Oklahoma City bombing).

If you want one specific recipe, let me know. I won't bother
transcribing all four recipes (almost 1-1/2 pages of small type).
Otherwise, you might look at my own
http://www.rossde.com/garden/garden_potting_mix.html, which I based on
the U.C. mix. However, my mix uses coarse sand instead of fine sand and
needs to be watered more often.

--
David E. Ross
Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean
influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
Gardening diary at http://www.rossde.com/garden/diary

In article ,
"David E. Ross" wrote:

On 5/9/2009 6:45 AM, wrote:
I had an organic gardening book from Sunset many years ago - we're
talking decades - that contained a recipe for making your own soil.
It had peat, sand, dolomitic lime and low-nitrogen fertilizer. I lost
the book and didn't write the recipe down anywhere, but I used it for
many years and it was great. Anyone have that recipe? It also had a
variation for a lighter mix for potting soil.

I'm looking at Sunset's "Western Garden Book" (second edition, 9th
printing, December 1965). On pages 31-31, they describe "U.C. Mix: The
New Artificial Soil". According the the book, the mix was first
developed in 1950. The primary intent was to develop a mix for
container gardening and raised beds.

There are four different recipes for the mix, depending on the types of
plants:
* general
* cacti, succulents, and other drought-resistent plants
* azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, and other acid-loving plants where
drainage is restricted
* light-weight for azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias

The mix is hardly organic. Even your cited dolomite lime is inorganic.
All four recipes involve potassium sulfate and superphosphate. For all
four recipes, there is also a single, standard follow-up monthly feeding
that includes ammonium nitrate (which I think is restricted since the
Oklahoma City bombing).

If you want one specific recipe, let me know. I won't bother
transcribing all four recipes (almost 1-1/2 pages of small type).

You have the answer but you won't give it to him, because your's is
better? He didn't ask for your opinion. He asked for the recipe which
you acknowledge having. If you are a mench, you'll give him what he
asked for. Otherwise, know what you'll be? Yeah, you know ;O)

One thing I think I should explain to you Dave is that "organic" in a
gardening is different than "organic" in chemistry.

In Chemistry, "organic" refers to a carbon-carbon bond.

On the other hand, "ORGANIC GARDENING" is the science and art of
gardening by incorporating the entire landscape design and environment
to improve and maximize the garden soil's health, structure, texture, as
well as maximize the production and health of developing plants
WITHOUT USING SYNTHETHIC COMMERCIAL FERTILIZERS, PESTICIDES, OR
FUNGICIDES" (capitals mine for emphasis).

Do you understand now Dave? Dolomite lime is inorganic (in the language
of Chemistry) but is organic in the language of gardening. The sins of
potassium sulfate and superphosphate lie in their production and not in
their nature (unlikely to contaminate crops, or deform fetuses), and
they could be replaced with rock phosphate and potassium ash (wood ash)
in the recipes.

Class dismissed. You may now return to posing as a normal person, Dave.

Meanwhile, "pup", you may wish to consult your local library for the
Dec. 1965 Sunset magazine (if they don't have it, they can get it, even
if it is on microfiche, and from there copy, and print the recipe.
You may also wish to look at
http://www.backyardgardener.com/soil.html
or
http://www.organicgardening.com/feat...21-185,00.html
for an acceptable potting soil mix.

Let me just apologize on behave of all the wonderful posters here on
rec.gardens and rec.gardens.edible for the shoddy treatment that you
have received.
People like Dave are killing the newsgroups with their pettiness.

Good gardening.
--

- Billy
"For the first time in the history of the world, every human being
is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the
moment of conception until death." - Rachel Carson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI29wVQN8Go

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072040.html

On May 9, 3:45*pm, Billy wrote:

Do you understand now Dave? Dolomite lime is inorganic (in the language
of Chemistry) but is organic in the language of gardening. The sins of
potassium sulfate and superphosphate lie in their production and not in
their nature (unlikely to contaminate crops, or deform fetuses), and
they could be replaced with rock phosphate and potassium ash (wood ash)
in the recipes.

Whereas, the latter two sources are slower release sources
(IIRC), and therefore more useful for building soil fertility in
the ground, rather than in containers. Organic offers
other ways to boost phosphorus, such as encouraging
symbiotic bugs and fungii to process and make available
what little phosphorus already exists.

In article
,
Frank wrote:

On May 9, 3:45*pm, Billy wrote:

Do you understand now Dave? Dolomite lime is inorganic (in the language
of Chemistry) but is organic in the language of gardening. The sins of
potassium sulfate and superphosphate lie in their production and not in
their nature (unlikely to contaminate crops, or deform fetuses), and
they could be replaced with rock phosphate and potassium ash (wood ash)
in the recipes.

Whereas, the latter two sources are slower release sources
(IIRC), and therefore more useful for building soil fertility in
the ground, rather than in containers. Organic offers
other ways to boost phosphorus, such as encouraging
symbiotic bugs and fungii to process and make available
what little phosphorus already exists.

Rock phosphate certainly is slow release but I have conflicting
information on bone meal. One source says that it is only available at a
pH of 5.8 to 6.2, and the other says from 6.5 to 7.5. Two other choices
would be banana peels, and cottonseed meal. Should be quick release as
would wood ash for potassium, since it is in the form of potassium
carbonate (about 2 - 3%, IIRC).
--

- Billy
"For the first time in the history of the world, every human being
is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the
moment of conception until death." - Rachel Carson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI29wVQN8Go

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072040.html

"Billy" wrote in message
"David E. Ross" wrote:
On 5/9/2009 6:45 AM, wrote:

I had an organic gardening book from Sunset many years ago - we're
talking decades - that contained a recipe for making your own soil.
It had peat, sand, dolomitic lime and low-nitrogen fertilizer.

I'm looking at Sunset's "Western Garden Book" (second edition, 9th
printing, December 1965). On pages 31-31, they describe "U.C. Mix: The
New Artificial Soil". According the the book, the mix was first
developed in 1950. The primary intent was to develop a mix for
container gardening and raised beds.

There are four different recipes for the mix, depending on the types of
plants:
* general
* cacti, succulents, and other drought-resistent plants
* azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, and other acid-loving plants where
drainage is restricted
* light-weight for azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias

The mix is hardly organic. Even your cited dolomite lime is inorganic.
All four recipes involve potassium sulfate and superphosphate. For all
four recipes, there is also a single, standard follow-up monthly feeding
that includes ammonium nitrate (which I think is restricted since the
Oklahoma City bombing).

If you want one specific recipe, let me know. I won't bother
transcribing all four recipes (almost 1-1/2 pages of small type).

You have the answer but you won't give it to him, because your's is
better? He didn't ask for your opinion. He asked for the recipe which
you acknowledge having. If you are a mench, you'll give him what he
asked for. Otherwise, know what you'll be? Yeah, you know ;O)

David's response makes sense to me.

I wouldn't want to type out a page and a half without more info from the OP.

In article
,
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote:

"Billy" wrote in message
"David E. Ross" wrote:
On 5/9/2009 6:45 AM, wrote:

I had an organic gardening book from Sunset many years ago - we're
talking decades - that contained a recipe for making your own soil.
It had peat, sand, dolomitic lime and low-nitrogen fertilizer.

I'm looking at Sunset's "Western Garden Book" (second edition, 9th
printing, December 1965). On pages 31-31, they describe "U.C. Mix: The
New Artificial Soil". According the the book, the mix was first
developed in 1950. The primary intent was to develop a mix for
container gardening and raised beds.

There are four different recipes for the mix, depending on the types of
plants:
* general
* cacti, succulents, and other drought-resistent plants
* azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, and other acid-loving plants where
drainage is restricted
* light-weight for azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias

The mix is hardly organic. Even your cited dolomite lime is inorganic.
All four recipes involve potassium sulfate and superphosphate. For all
four recipes, there is also a single, standard follow-up monthly feeding
that includes ammonium nitrate (which I think is restricted since the
Oklahoma City bombing).

If you want one specific recipe, let me know. I won't bother
transcribing all four recipes (almost 1-1/2 pages of small type).

You have the answer but you won't give it to him, because your's is
better? He didn't ask for your opinion. He asked for the recipe which
you acknowledge having. If you are a mench, you'll give him what he
asked for. Otherwise, know what you'll be? Yeah, you know ;O)

David's response makes sense to me.

I wouldn't want to type out a page and a half without more info from the OP.

He didn't ask for more info. He gave him a bunch of bull-shit and the
suggested his own mix that he has been publicizing in many of his recent
posts. He did give the guy the issue to look for, which is good.
--

- Billy
"For the first time in the history of the world, every human being
is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the
moment of conception until death." - Rachel Carson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI29wVQN8Go

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072040.html

In article
,
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote:

"Billy" wrote in message
"David E. Ross" wrote:
On 5/9/2009 6:45 AM, wrote:

I had an organic gardening book from Sunset many years ago - we're
talking decades - that contained a recipe for making your own soil.
It had peat, sand, dolomitic lime and low-nitrogen fertilizer.

I'm looking at Sunset's "Western Garden Book" (second edition, 9th
printing, December 1965). On pages 31-31, they describe "U.C. Mix: The
New Artificial Soil". According the the book, the mix was first
developed in 1950. The primary intent was to develop a mix for
container gardening and raised beds.

There are four different recipes for the mix, depending on the types of
plants:
* general
* cacti, succulents, and other drought-resistent plants
* azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, and other acid-loving plants where
drainage is restricted
* light-weight for azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias

The mix is hardly organic. Even your cited dolomite lime is inorganic.
All four recipes involve potassium sulfate and superphosphate. For all
four recipes, there is also a single, standard follow-up monthly feeding
that includes ammonium nitrate (which I think is restricted since the
Oklahoma City bombing).

If you want one specific recipe, let me know. I won't bother
transcribing all four recipes (almost 1-1/2 pages of small type).

You have the answer but you won't give it to him, because your's is
better? He didn't ask for your opinion. He asked for the recipe which
you acknowledge having. If you are a mench, you'll give him what he
asked for. Otherwise, know what you'll be? Yeah, you know ;O)

David's response makes sense to me.

I wouldn't want to type out a page and a half without more info from the OP.

Upon rereading Dave's post, you are correct. pupdef should contact Dave
if there is one specific recipe that he wants, other wise the library is
his best bet. I'm so used to using a scanner, the thought of typing out
the recipes would never occure to me.
--

- Billy
"For the first time in the history of the world, every human being
is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the
moment of conception until death." - Rachel Carson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI29wVQN8Go

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072040.html

"Billy" wrote in message
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote:
"Billy" wrote in message
"David E. Ross" wrote:
On 5/9/2009 6:45 AM, wrote:

I had an organic gardening book from Sunset many years ago - we're
talking decades - that contained a recipe for making your own soil.
It had peat, sand, dolomitic lime and low-nitrogen fertilizer.

I'm looking at Sunset's "Western Garden Book" (second edition, 9th
printing, December 1965). On pages 31-31, they describe "U.C. Mix:
The
New Artificial Soil". According the the book, the mix was first
developed in 1950. The primary intent was to develop a mix for
container gardening and raised beds.

There are four different recipes for the mix, depending on the types
of
plants:
* general
* cacti, succulents, and other drought-resistent plants
* azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, and other acid-loving plants
where
drainage is restricted
* light-weight for azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias

The mix is hardly organic. Even your cited dolomite lime is
inorganic.
All four recipes involve potassium sulfate and superphosphate. For
all
four recipes, there is also a single, standard follow-up monthly
feeding
that includes ammonium nitrate (which I think is restricted since the
Oklahoma City bombing).

If you want one specific recipe, let me know. I won't bother
transcribing all four recipes (almost 1-1/2 pages of small type).

You have the answer but you won't give it to him, because your's is
better? He didn't ask for your opinion. He asked for the recipe which
you acknowledge having. If you are a mench, you'll give him what he
asked for. Otherwise, know what you'll be? Yeah, you know ;O)

David's response makes sense to me.

I wouldn't want to type out a page and a half without more info from the
OP.

He didn't ask for more info.

He wrote:
"If you want one specific recipe, let me know."

That fits any definition of "asking".

He gave him a bunch of bull-shit and the
suggested his own mix that he has been publicizing in many of his recent
posts.

Billy, will you please stand back and have a good hard look at yourself.
You're beginning to make me think of James Lee Burke who can't seem to write
a book where any of his characters manage to have any civil interchange.

You post a lot of stuff that frequently doesn't answer the question being
asked and that many people would describe as being 'bullshit'.

That's your personal style. David answered the question using his own
personal style and from where I sit his response was not only pertinent but
sensible. I too would not bother to answer a question that involved that
amount of typing without knowing which recipe the OP wanted.

He did give the guy the issue to look for, which is good.

And your answer was to criticise someone who did answer.

"Billy" wrote in message
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote:

"Billy" wrote in message
"David E. Ross" wrote:
On 5/9/2009 6:45 AM, wrote:

I had an organic gardening book from Sunset many years ago - we're
talking decades - that contained a recipe for making your own soil.
It had peat, sand, dolomitic lime and low-nitrogen fertilizer.

I'm looking at Sunset's "Western Garden Book" (second edition, 9th
printing, December 1965). On pages 31-31, they describe "U.C. Mix:
The
New Artificial Soil". According the the book, the mix was first
developed in 1950. The primary intent was to develop a mix for
container gardening and raised beds.

There are four different recipes for the mix, depending on the types
of
plants:
* general
* cacti, succulents, and other drought-resistent plants
* azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, and other acid-loving plants
where
drainage is restricted
* light-weight for azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias

The mix is hardly organic. Even your cited dolomite lime is
inorganic.
All four recipes involve potassium sulfate and superphosphate. For
all
four recipes, there is also a single, standard follow-up monthly
feeding
that includes ammonium nitrate (which I think is restricted since the
Oklahoma City bombing).

If you want one specific recipe, let me know. I won't bother
transcribing all four recipes (almost 1-1/2 pages of small type).

You have the answer but you won't give it to him, because your's is
better? He didn't ask for your opinion. He asked for the recipe which
you acknowledge having. If you are a mench, you'll give him what he
asked for. Otherwise, know what you'll be? Yeah, you know ;O)

David's response makes sense to me.

I wouldn't want to type out a page and a half without more info from the
OP.

Upon rereading Dave's post, you are correct. pupdef should contact Dave
if there is one specific recipe that he wants, other wise the library is
his best bet. I'm so used to using a scanner, the thought of typing out
the recipes would never occure to me.

And I now owe you an apology for my post imediately before this one. I read
from the bottom up and got to this one after I posted.

My apologies to you.

In article
,
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote:

"Billy" wrote in message
"FarmI" ask@itshall be given wrote:

"Billy" wrote in message
"David E. Ross" wrote:
On 5/9/2009 6:45 AM, wrote:

I had an organic gardening book from Sunset many years ago - we're
talking decades - that contained a recipe for making your own soil.
It had peat, sand, dolomitic lime and low-nitrogen fertilizer.

I'm looking at Sunset's "Western Garden Book" (second edition, 9th
printing, December 1965). On pages 31-31, they describe "U.C. Mix:
The
New Artificial Soil". According the the book, the mix was first
developed in 1950. The primary intent was to develop a mix for
container gardening and raised beds.

There are four different recipes for the mix, depending on the types
of
plants:
* general
* cacti, succulents, and other drought-resistent plants
* azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, and other acid-loving plants
where
drainage is restricted
* light-weight for azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias

The mix is hardly organic. Even your cited dolomite lime is
inorganic.
All four recipes involve potassium sulfate and superphosphate. For
all
four recipes, there is also a single, standard follow-up monthly
feeding
that includes ammonium nitrate (which I think is restricted since the
Oklahoma City bombing).

If you want one specific recipe, let me know. I won't bother
transcribing all four recipes (almost 1-1/2 pages of small type).

You have the answer but you won't give it to him, because your's is
better? He didn't ask for your opinion. He asked for the recipe which
you acknowledge having. If you are a mench, you'll give him what he
asked for. Otherwise, know what you'll be? Yeah, you know ;O)

David's response makes sense to me.

I wouldn't want to type out a page and a half without more info from the
OP.

Upon rereading Dave's post, you are correct. pupdef should contact Dave
if there is one specific recipe that he wants, other wise the library is
his best bet. I'm so used to using a scanner, the thought of typing out
the recipes would never occure to me.

And I now owe you an apology for my post imediately before this one. I read
from the bottom up and got to this one after I posted.

My apologies to you.

XOX
--

- Billy
"For the first time in the history of the world, every human being
is now subjected to contact with dangerous chemicals, from the
moment of conception until death." - Rachel Carson

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WI29wVQN8Go

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1072040.html