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Mulch/potting mix

Capsicum

Capsicum

Banned
I was reading somewhere starting with pine mulch like Earth Gro, then adding a little potting soil or compost is a good mix provided you add fertilizer. I just found 2 cu ft bags of earthgro mulch for 2 bucks a 2cuft bag!! So I decided to mix some up. I put the mulch in a contractor bag along with some hand fulls of MG potting mix and a lot of lime. I put some of the final mix in a pot and watered, the water quikly flowed out the bottum showing it has good drainage. The thing is it seems a little heavy but well drained.

Anyone else try a mix like this? I tried it because the mulch was so cheap and only used a few handfulls of potting mix and some lime. I replanted some radish in it to see how they do compaired to just potting mix. I should wait till the lime to balance too. if they do not grow as quik as the potting mix I could just use it all in a huge planter far from the house in this area I want to grow at and maybe put 4 jalapeno in it. I hope it works because it is a good filler for a large planter you do not want to fill with a whole bag of potting mix.

Is this a good mix? Will it just compact over time?

Thanks.
 
I think you would want to use pine bark that is at least partially composted, because uncomposted pine bark has a high ratio (300:1) of carbon (in cellulose) to nitrogen, and the bacteria that break down the cellulose consume nitrogen, so they would be tying up a lot of nitrogen while decomposing the pine bark. It will compact somewhat as it decomposes. Composted pine bark also holds water and nutrients better. If it were me, I would probably buy the pine bark, add some nitrogen, and let it decompose and compact for at least a few months before using it in potting mix.

Another thing to consider, many mulches are dyed, so the chemicals, if any, that they use to dye it might be a concern.
 
I made sure to get the untreated one, it has no dyes. I have it mixed already so I may just use it in a area that will be far away because the mix seems to holds moisture.

I will stay with miracle gro potting mix for my main garden.
 
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