Question : How are you going to use the 80 gal soil. in ground bed or container/pot ?

A: In Ground:
You can buy any generic TOPSOIL and add manure, compost , peat moss to it: 80 gall. is about 12 cu-ft (0.4 cu-yd). You can use a 50/50 of topsoil and compost/manure. Say 6 bags of topsoil + 3 bags of cow manure + 3 bags of compost (assuming 1 cu-ft bags).

B: In Container:
For container planting a SOIL LESS medium is normally used. So you should not use any topsoil (aka dirt/earth).
Most container/potting mixes are PEAT MOSS based. Some also use coconut coir and pine fine. Then they add moisture control ingredients like Perlite (for better drainage), time release fertilizers, etc. Some may incorporate compost to it too. That is what MOST of the bagged commercial POTTING SOILS are made of.

Al's 5-1-1 mix is a departure from the conventional potting soils. It is MAINLY a PINE BARK based medium, consisting of 5 parts pine fine (from dust, peat moss like texture up to smaller than 1/2" nuggets) PLUS ONE part peat moss PLUS one part coarse perlite. On top of that you will need to add fertilizer and lime/gypsum (as source for calcium and for pH balance)

Having said that all, I PERSONALLY BELIEVE that 5-1-1 is not for the newbies. UNLESS one does a lot of reading and educating him/herself.

This post was edited by seysonn on Mon, Mar 10, 14 at 13:05

Your question isn't clear and needs explaining.

I assume we are talking about tomatoes since this is the Tomato forum so what I should use to start off my seedlings is totally different from what you would use to grow the plants in and what you would grow the plants in all depends on if you are growing them in the ground, in a raised bed, or in a container.

Seeds are started in a soil-less seed starting mix.

Once they are plants they are then grown in a soil-less container mix in large containers or various soil mixes if in the ground or in a raised bed.

There is no one-thing-works-for-all-stages.

Need more details please on exactly what you are trying to do for your tomatoes..

Dave

PS: and be sure to check out the Soil forum here.

Thanks for the replies guys. The guy from the store told me they use the Sunshine 4 for both starting the tomato seeds (and all of their plants) and that I can continue using Sunshine 4 afterwards in my containers outside. I hope that clarifies. Since it's pricier, I was questioning it but if it works, it certainly sounds like the easier solution for a newbie like me.

You can although I'm not personally familiar with Sunshine mixes. They used to have a poor reputation when compared to other brands so I never tried them, But that was years back.

But I do the same with ProMix BX and/or Metro Mix 360 as they are both fine-textured enough for seed starting. If the Sunshine is very coarse you may need to sift it down to get the big particles out. Save them and then mix them back in for the growing containers. And consider mixing in some bark fines with it for the growing containers. Regular supplemental feedings will be required of course.

From their website it looks ok, has added endomycorrhizae like ProMix does and uses a higher % of perlite for better drainage than most big-box store mixes do. I note it does say "for indoor growing".

"Black Earth" - I assume you mean Black Gold - is a totally different thing. It is potting soil, not a soil-less mix, and while some like it I don't. It is too nutrient rich for seed starting IMO and can burn young seedling roots. While it might it be ok for use in really large containers like 25 gal. or more, I think it compacts too much in anything smaller and can lead to drainage problems. When customers ask about using it I recommend using it as a fertilizer supplement for containers rather than as a straight growing mix.

ASB makes many different products. Their mixes are both soil and soil-less, supplemented and not, so it would depend on the specific mix you buy. I do recommend avoiding their moisture control mixes unless in the deep south and don't believe the bit about "feeds for 9 months". None of the mixes will feed well for as long as they claim as the nutrients leach out of the containers every time you water.

Hope this is of some help.

Dave

PS: Sunshine has a $ off coupon on their website for you if you go that route.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sunshine Mixes

Thanks Dave!

For seeds I use: FoxFarm Light Warrior Soilless Mix FX14023, 1 cu. ft.:

"The Ultimate Seed Germinator

Light Warriorî is the ultimate grow medium for seed starting and transplanting. And it isnâÂÂt just a grow medium - we pack it with:

⢠beneficial microbes to stimulate root growth and enhance fertilizer uptake,
⢠humic acid to help in seed germination, and
⢠earthworm castings to help plants thrive.

Light Warriorî is the perfect fast-draining, lightweight seed germinator for your indoor jungle."

For seedlings I use: FoxFarm Ocean Forest Mix Organic Potting Soil, 1.5 cu. ft.:

⢠"Made from premium select earthworm castings and bat guano
⢠Ready to use, right out of the bag! No additional fertilizer needed for up to 30 days
⢠Super planting medium for new seed and seedlings!
⢠Ideal for container gardens and houseplants, light texture for aeration & drainage."

DISCLAIMER: I have no connection with FoxFarm, just a happy customer.

This post was edited by Daniel_NY on Tue, Mar 11, 14 at 16:37

I hope I did not mess things up to badly. I used potting soil instead of mix. I added 1/4 vermiculite and 1/3 compsost that I made from oak leaves in my yard ( ground them up pretty fine.) The miracle grow top soil I think had time release feed in it. I've not fed the transplanted plants yet. Only added some root stimulant when planting.
I planted the bell pepper and herbs in the same mixture. Have I created a disaster?

Soil in a container quickly compacts and doesn't drain well. It can stop root development and lead to root rot and death of the plant. That's why using it is never recommended.

And all sorts of things are labeled "top soil" so the quality is questionable to begin with. If it was labeled Miracle Grow Garden Soil then it says right on the bag that it is not for use in containers. For best results I would suggest you replant them in a proper container mix while it is still early in the season.

You can find much more detail on the problems of using soil/dirt in a container as well as the issues with using compost in one over on the Container Gardening forum here.

Dave

Thank you Dave for you suggestions. I'll transplant them in Garden Mix tomorrow. I read on the bag not for containers after I got home, but did not realize how crucial it was.