Being a skeptic, I have a hard time believing the garbage company is interested in selling me a quality product. What you might not realize is that "Living Earth" is owned by Republic Waste-one of our large, national, garbage companies ( ). (I don't think basic soil tests do a microbe analysis, let alone check for herbicides, etc.) I don't think the BBB or Living Earth will be able to do much for you unless they can offer some money back. Even if she has the soil tested, I would bet and certainly hope, it only shows slight nitrogen deficiency. It wasn't with Living Earth specifically, but same deal: I purchased a "garden mix" suitable for veggie growing from a local company. As I said above, I had the same problem back in '04 or so. I don't think HoustonMellie's problem is that uncommon. Ask the organic gurus here, they'll know. You might need some seaweed extract or the like. I would think alfalfa pellets would be too slow to save your current veggies. If you're hoping to go organic, you'll have to ask for advice from those more experienced than me. (I used 20-20-20 Miracle Grow sprayed on through a hose-end sprayer once a week.) However, that said, I also learned that, due to the extreme growth of tomatoes in Houston's weather, it's quite essential to fertilize regularly. It seems that the decomposing organisms in "green" compost actually use nitrogen in the soil and prevent plants from accessing this vital nutrient for growth and development.Īfter a couple of veggie planting seasons, all was well and that garden performed magnificently for me. Various theories by Gardenwebbers were proposed for my situation, but the most consistent explanation was that the compost in the mix was "green" (i.e. I purchased a bag of ammonium nitrate from our local farm store, began side dressing, and everything became a lot happier. After sending a sample for testing off to TAMU, the only obvious thing missing was nitrogen. I had the same problem a few years ago when we filled my raised veggie bed with a local company's garden soil mix. Much more on the topic here (click link). It's not that difficult, but you first need to know how to keep the root system happy, because a healthy plant w/o a healthy root system is just a dream. Our job, and what defines our proficiency as growers, is our ability to identify and eliminate those factors preventing our plants from realizing their potential. Your plants already have what it takes to be spectacular specimens. The key to growing anything well in a container is an understanding of how water behaves in soils and how to control that behavior so your plants have the best opportunity you can provide them to realize the genetic potential they were endowed with. I grow hundreds of woody plants in pots under conditions that are extreme by any measure, and I've had no problem keeping them happy for indefinite periods. Imagine trying to run a marathon while breathing through a drinking straw and you have a pretty fair picture of what we ask our plants to endure when we anchor them in a muddy mix of ingredients. Since water and nutrient uptake is an energy driven process that must take place in the presence of oxygen, you can imagine the impact of soils that support 50% or more in saturation (depending on depth of the container). Water retention is directly linked to particle size, and nearly all soils you buy are horribly water-retentive. It's not likely you'll find an appropriate soil in a bag from a nursery or greenhouse because nearly all commercially prepared soils for retail are based on fine particulates like peat, compost, coir, composted forest products, sand.
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