recipes for success
People choose do-it-yourself projects for many reasons. Some
like the satisfaction of completing a task on their own, while
others like the idea of having absolute control over their
materials, methods and finished product. Another reason
people choose do-it-yourself projects is price. Generally
speaking, providing your own labor will produce a product
for a much lower price than hiring out the work would.
Building your own organic potting soil is no different than
any other do-it-yourself project. It allows the gardener to save
money while maintaining control over every aspect of the
soil building process. Some might also argue that it produces a
superior product.
However, before we dive into soil recipes, let’s first examine
some of the more common ingredients used in potting soils.
There is no shortage of organic soil amendments to choose
from. Once an understanding of the physical properties and
nutrient value of each ingredient is reached it then becomes
possible to customize soil mixtures not only for particular crops, but also for specific periods in a plant’s life cycle
(blooming or flowering periods).
Base ingredients
The base ingredients of a soil are the substances that make
up the bulk of the soil itself. These are the ingredients that
are most responsible for the soil’s physical properties and
texture. Some of these also make up the backbone of the
nutrient content.
Sphagnum peat moss
Sphagnum peat moss has been a popular soil additive
since the inception of potting soils. The physical properties of peat moss allow for high moisture retention, as
well as high oxygen content. This combination of water
and oxygen retention makes a great environment for
developing roots and is the main reason peat moss is the
most popular ingredient in premade potting soils. It is
not uncommon for peat moss to make up 30 to 60% of a
premade soil mixture.
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Maximum Yield USA | September 2012