Comments on: Please help with a question about a flower/soil/garden place? http://www.freegardeninghints.com/questions/please-help-with-a-question-about-a-flowersoilgarden-place/ This is the one stop site for advice , videos and Free Gardening Hints Sun, 12 Feb 2012 11:08:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: reynwater http://www.freegardeninghints.com/questions/please-help-with-a-question-about-a-flowersoilgarden-place/comment-page-1/#comment-1330 reynwater Wed, 10 Mar 2010 22:01:32 +0000 http://www.freegardeninghints.com/questions/please-help-with-a-question-about-a-flowersoilgarden-place/#comment-1330 Given a generic plant that doesn't need specific pH if you have only One growing medium to use for plants, which is most beneficial to the health and growth of the plant? Given a generic plant that doesn’t need specific pH if you have only One growing medium to use for plants, which is most beneficial to the health and growth of the plant?

]]> By: Don http://www.freegardeninghints.com/questions/please-help-with-a-question-about-a-flowersoilgarden-place/comment-page-1/#comment-1329 Don Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:32:22 +0000 http://www.freegardeninghints.com/questions/please-help-with-a-question-about-a-flowersoilgarden-place/#comment-1329 It sounds like this question will involve the "soil samples and blah blah blah" part (the "blah blah blah" part maybe being the most important part?) So, I'm going to guess this is a nursery that makes their own potting soil, or that otherwise is growing something in their existing soil. You could ask them what nutrients the native soil is lacking, and how much they need to add of what. You can be pretty sure nitrogen will be something they're adding (all plants use nitrogen quickly), so you could ask if they prefer organic or inorganic forms of nitrogen in their potting soil mixes. Ask how they sterilize their potting soil mixes, or otherwise know that it doesn't contain plant diseases or insect pests. Ask if they produce custom soil mixes, for various kinds of crops, or if one mix is used for everything. Ask what kinds of ingredients need to be brought in, versus what they can provide on-site. Ask if they compost any of their own materials, and if they do, how often do they turn their piles, how hot do they get, and how this compares nutritionally to their other soil amendments. If I tell you anymore, I'm going to be writing you a 3 page report anyway. Maybe that's what your teacher is really trying to accomplish here as well. :) It sounds like this question will involve the “soil samples and blah blah blah” part (the “blah blah blah” part maybe being the most important part?) So, I’m going to guess this is a nursery that makes their own potting soil, or that otherwise is growing something in their existing soil.

You could ask them what nutrients the native soil is lacking, and how much they need to add of what. You can be pretty sure nitrogen will be something they’re adding (all plants use nitrogen quickly), so you could ask if they prefer organic or inorganic forms of nitrogen in their potting soil mixes. Ask how they sterilize their potting soil mixes, or otherwise know that it doesn’t contain plant diseases or insect pests. Ask if they produce custom soil mixes, for various kinds of crops, or if one mix is used for everything. Ask what kinds of ingredients need to be brought in, versus what they can provide on-site. Ask if they compost any of their own materials, and if they do, how often do they turn their piles, how hot do they get, and how this compares nutritionally to their other soil amendments.

If I tell you anymore, I’m going to be writing you a 3 page report anyway. Maybe that’s what your teacher is really trying to accomplish here as well. :)

]]> By: katwoman http://www.freegardeninghints.com/questions/please-help-with-a-question-about-a-flowersoilgarden-place/comment-page-1/#comment-1328 katwoman Wed, 10 Mar 2010 21:00:42 +0000 http://www.freegardeninghints.com/questions/please-help-with-a-question-about-a-flowersoilgarden-place/#comment-1328 I am a soil freak too. I live in Ga where everyone complains about how hard it is to grow in our clay. However, clay is the most vitamin rich soil, because it is colloidal (attracts water). It is this property that makes it bind together. So we break it up with organic material and sometimes sand. Ask them if they use a grower's mix for planting, or if they make their own mixture. If they mix their own, what do they combine and why? Do they grow a variety of plants. Possibilities include annuals (plants that live one season and don't come back unless reseeded), perennials (plants that go dormant, but the same plant comes back next year), vegetables or herbs, shrubs and trees. Do they use different soil mixtures for different plant types? Do they grow plants from seed or liners? Liners are tiny seedlings usually about 1" or 2" tall. Some growers buy them, putting them straight into the pot they are sold in. Seeds are usually seeded up in a tray and then transplanted. If they start their own seeds, do they use a different soil mixture for seed starting than they use for potting in the sale pot? Do they use a grower's mix that includes fertilizer, or do they fertilize through the watering system? Good luck, hope I helped. I am a soil freak too. I live in Ga where everyone complains about how hard it is to grow in our clay. However, clay is the most vitamin rich soil, because it is colloidal (attracts water). It is this property that makes it bind together. So we break it up with organic material and sometimes sand.

Ask them if they use a grower’s mix for planting, or if they make their own mixture. If they mix their own, what do they combine and why?
Do they grow a variety of plants. Possibilities include annuals (plants that live one season and don’t come back unless reseeded), perennials (plants that go dormant, but the same plant comes back next year), vegetables or herbs, shrubs and trees. Do they use different soil mixtures for different plant types?
Do they grow plants from seed or liners? Liners are tiny seedlings usually about 1″ or 2″ tall. Some growers buy them, putting them straight into the pot they are sold in. Seeds are usually seeded up in a tray and then transplanted. If they start their own seeds, do they use a different soil mixture for seed starting than they use for potting in the sale pot?
Do they use a grower’s mix that includes fertilizer, or do they fertilize through the watering system?
Good luck, hope I helped.

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