potting soil for container gardening?

**mama2James** · 04-17-2011, 11:49 AM

I have never grown any vegetables before, so please forgive me... As I understand it, it's best to use a potting soil for container gardening.. is that correct? I'd like to use something without any chemical fertilizers or "Miracle grow" etc in it. Can anyone name a good brand or source to by this? And how much should I expect to pay? I am truly starting from scratch, I have no compost of my own yet to use. I am planning to grow potatoes, tomatoes, lettuces and cucumbers this year in grow bags. Thanks in advance for the help!

**Contrary Housewife** · 04-17-2011, 06:43 PM

One of the reasons we use the special potting soil is BECAUSE it contains those added fertilizers that seedlings need to get started. There's nothing particularly bad about Miracle Grow.

You might be able to get some kind of "natural" potting mix from Gardens Alive, but you will pay more for a smaller amount. Beware of "soil-less" mixes, there is nothing in them that will help your plant, it's just filler material, no nutrients.

**Judi Dial** · 04-17-2011, 07:18 PM

Mama,

I don't know where you are, but I got organic potting soil earlier this year at Ocean State Job Lots, $1 a bag. I got 10 bags and expect it will get all my seedlings growing fine, then I will transplant them and dump the soil into my vegetable garden.

IHTH!

Judi

**craftypam** · 04-17-2011, 07:27 PM

I am going to try square foot gardening and they have a mix to use which is very much like container gardening. It is 1/3 sphanum peat moss, 1/3 coarse vermiculate and 1/3 compost. Best part is you only have to add compost the following years. Even if you don't want to do the sq ft gardening you should check the book out of the library and use what you think is useful to you. IMO there are alot of good ideas.

**scooby8themall** · 04-17-2011, 07:35 PM

I also bought my potting soil at Ocean Job Lot and I have had great results.

**mama2James** · 04-17-2011, 07:54 PM

Thanks everyone! Has anyone had any luck purchasing potting mix from a greenhouse or nursery?

**Judi Dial** · 04-18-2011, 08:50 AM

I work for a farmstand/greenhouse/nursery. Some of them will sell you large bags 25 or 50lbs. I used to buy soil from work. Then the "competition" started taking unsold plants and adding them to our "clippings" compost heap and for years I just picked up the not sold plants and/or soil (got a bunch of spring bulbs that way!). That nursery got sold, so I bought soil this year, and the farmstand doesn't use organic, so I got the soil from joblots instead. Also, try Agway or other farm supply type places. I've bought soil there too.

Finally, years ago, a family member who's house came only with sand bought a truck load of riverbed soil, and that's what she used as the base for her vegetable garden.

IHTH!

Judi

**krbshappy71** · 04-18-2011, 10:06 AM

I'm using Miracle Grow Organic for mine.

**laura-n-sasha** · 04-18-2011, 03:11 PM

I bought Square Foot Garden Soil from Lowes. They actually had mixed it already and put it in bags - $15 for the bag, I think 3 cubic feet. although I could be wrong on the size. But it is a great way to get it, then you can either make your own compost, or get it from any number of stores/farms etc.

What I liked about the soil from lowes was that it was already mixed and they had used at least 5 different types of compost - like Mel Bartholomew had suggested.

Have fun planting!

**craftypam** · 04-18-2011, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by laura-n-sasha

I bought Square Foot Garden Soil from Lowes. They actually had mixed it already and put it in bags - $15 for the bag, I think 3 cubic feet. although I could be wrong on the size. But it is a great way to get it, then you can either make your own compost, or get it from any number of stores/farms etc.

What I liked about the soil from lowes was that it was already mixed and they had used at least 5 different types of compost - like Mel Bartholomew had suggested.

Have fun planting!

I have not seen any compost or sq ft gardening soil @ Lowes and I've been checking everywhere. I've been having a hard time finding 5 kinds of compost.