What brand of potting mix do you prefer to use or do you make your own potting mix?

I used Miracle Grow potting mix last year, and I ended up with a fungus gnat infestation! I was under the impression that potting mix is sterilized during manufacturing, but I guess it doesn't stay sterile. The Miracle Grow potting mix was also very powdery, and turned into a hard brick over the winter which was difficult to wet if I let it dry out too much when trying to control the fungus gnats.

I used to buy potting soil components. But it was hard to find all that I wanted. Now I buy a good organic potting/container mix. It's hard to find it now without fertilizer but I try,. Then I customize it adding Perlite or sand, peat,bark or whatever the plant I am potting up needs. This year I am pleased with Kellog Organic potting mix from Home Depot It has manure in it though.

I have two kinds, the regular potting soil for use for my tropical plants and cactus mix for the succulents. I still add pumice or perlite in both of them when I use it to make the media open and nicely well draining. Later after a year, I can just add a little compost to the mix if repot is needed. I like to top dress the soil with a mix of either poultry grit (insoluble crushed granite), aquarium gravel and pumice, it helps from soil splashing around during watering time, protects the base of the succulents and in our intense heat area it helps cool down the roots that are too near the surface.

I never liked Miracle Gro soil, due to their too water retentive additive and the fertilizers added.

ShadyGreenThumb said:This year I am pleased with Kellog Organic potting mix from Home Depot It has manure in it though.

I don't think I've ever seen Kellog Organic potting mix in any stores around where I live. The selection is limited to Jobes, Miracle Gro, and Pro Mix.

Out of curiosity, does the manure give off any odours?

tarev said:I still add pumice or perlite in both of them when I use it to make the media open and nicely well draining.

Seeing that amending potting mixes with perlite is a common practice, I will definitely try doing the same this year.

I used to like Pro- Mix but do not see it around here anymore. As far as Miracle Grow I like their Organic Choice better then their reg. it seems to have better drainage.

ProMix here although this year they changed the packaging and the blend seems too dry and difficult to rehydrate.

Pretty much any peat-based potting mix is somewhat difficult to rehydrate once it's been allowed to dry out, I believe. I like Miracle Grow well enough, but I don't get the "moisture retention" kind. If I have a bag of it that's really dry I put some in my "tub trug" and keep adding water and mixing it up until it's holding the moisture. I'd much rather do that than have a bag that was sitting out in the rain for a long time and is totally saturated...

I make my own potting soil. Buying peat, vermiculite, perlite and some sand in bulk helps. Each Winter, I make a whole trashcanful of it. I sift it through 14" wire mesh to eliminate chunks in the peat.

As Is, good for seedlings. With some slow-release 2-6-6 organic fertilizer, it is good for flowerpots.

Buying the prebagged stuff is too expensive, and usually has synthetic fertilizer in it.