The recipe is right at the end of Al's opening statement in the Container Soils thread.

It is basically one part each fir bark, granite grit and Turface. If your fertilizer doesn't have calcium in it, add 1 tablespoon of gypsum per gallon of mix. The rest of that long thread can help you find substitutes for ingredients and will answer most of your questions.

Here is a link that might be useful: Read me for both soil recipes

Hi Cathy,

You will find the simple recipe in this thread...

Here are the basics...
1 part uncomposted screened Pine or FirBark (1/8-1/4")
1 part screened Turface
1 part crushed Gran-i-grit (growers size) or Cherrystone #2

1 Tbsp Gypsum per gallon of soil

Here is a link that will be helpful..

Hope this helps!!!

Laura

Here is a link that might be useful: Containers Soils-Water Movement & Rentention XIV

Ohiofem & Laura, Thank you so much for the simple explanation. I think when I look down over a long thread, it's just overwhelming to me and I can't figure out what's what. I appreciate your taking the time to explain this to me and now maybe when I try to do some more reading things will make more sense to me. I'm really excited to sometime try this container gardening method and see how well the plants will grow!
Cathy

Cathy,

You are more than welcome!!! : )

Have fun and Good Luck!!

Laura

Cathy - container culture is much closer to hydroponics than growing in the garden. The thread they linked you to is written to help you keep your focus on building or providing a soil that remains favorably STRUCTURED for the intended interval between repots - so you'll have at least embraced the principle that will get you over the hump.

Look at it like this: In your container gardening endeavors, you'll always be moving uphill toward an apex until you understand how water behaves in soils, and how the water/air/salt level relationships are inextricably interrelated, as well as how they impact your plant's ability to grow to its potential. Once you understand those things, you'll have reached the apex and will be on a downhill (that is to say EASIER) course. Everything else will be easier for you. If you don't understand container soils, you will always be limited in the potential for greater reward/satisfaction from the container growing experience.

It all boils down to the idea that container soils are all about structure, and if you concentrate on that fact, as well as ensuring that the soils you make/use REMAIN structurally sound for the life of the planting, you won't go wrong.

Al