Hmmm. Well, for a very active forum, I'm a bit surprised that no one has responded with a "yea" or "nay". So, I'll just bump this down.

SL - Usually I comment on all the threads like this one. The soil should work very well, and it looks like you gave it some thought, so kudos to you. The only reason I didn't comment is because I would have wanted to go through that whole thing about soluble nutrient sources being easier/more efficient ..... vs organic soil amendments thing. I just went through an abbreviated version of that discussion on another thread a day or two ago and didn't want to sound too much like a broken record. I was avoiding that topic and not your thread.

Tip on the foliar feeding: I can't think of a scenario where foliar feeding of plants in containers would or should do any good .... unless the nutrient supply via the most important pathway by far, the roots, is not all it could be. The practical application of foliar feeding normally sees its employment reserved for the task of supplying nutrients in ionic form to plants that can absorb them with reasonable efficiency through leaf tissue, with the added important caveat that those plants would have to be growing so rapidly their roots couldn't keep up with nutrient demand.

Al

Thanks so much, Al, for your response. I can see that you are highly respected on this forum, and I do appreciate it. I feel like I'm correspnding with a celebrity!

I will reserve John's Recipe for use as a soil drench. Did you think that it was close enuff to the 3:1:2 that you recommended in the previous thread. The middle, or phosphorous number, is slightly higher than 1, but perhaps close enuff. I just found it at my local nursery and decided to give it a whirl because I hadn't found any of the name-brand ferts in the big box stores. I get a lot of products from them that I can't find at the big box stores. I know that the Espoma products have a high percentage of nutrients that are not immediately available to the plant, or are not water soluble, so in about a week or two I will apply the John's Recipe as a soil drench.

I am so anxious to see how this works for me. Anxious and terribly excited! Thank you so much for all that you have contributed to Container Gardening!

Susan

Lol - I'm not sure the rest of the forum comes down on the same side of my 'celebrity' status as you - and I'm not sure I want to know. There are those that think I'm 'anything but'. I don't care one way or the other about celebrity - I just get a good feeling from the idea I might be helping someone ... and from trying to be sure you get good information - the latter bringing us full circle to why some think I'm 'anything but' .... or just a butt. ;o) At any rate, I come down on the side of those that think I'm 'anything but'; though I still need to thank you soo much for the kindness.

Oh, sure your fertilizer is close enough to the ratio. Plants tend to take what they need and leave the rest, but keeping the 'rest' at a minimal level is helpful, which is why I use primarily 3:1:2 ratios to begin with. Because it supplies nutrients in (very nearly) the same ratio in which plants use them, it allows you to maintain nutrient levels at the lowest levels (of TDS/EC) without nutritional shortages, which is a great benefit. It's good to remember that 'extra' anything in the soil can be as bad as a deficiency, so there are many facets to fertilizing other than just "feeding" something to your plants.

If you find you're having issues you want to attribute to nutrition, I'd move to the soluble fertilizers until you get a feel for the soil and at least understand how well it CAN perform, then work your way into any other program you feel comfortable with.

One thing I need to say is that I always always enjoy seeing enthusiasm and excitement in a person. It's contagious. ;o)

Good luck - take care - thank you.

Al

Well, I am the one thanking you, Al! I will take your advice to heart, and follow your directions. I mean, it is obvious how many people you have helped on this forum, and how dedicated you are.

Take care and onward and upward....

Susan