What is the best "soil" mix for a 4' x 8' garden vegetable planter?

Lynn Armstrong
by Lynn Armstrong
Does Living Earth Technologies have a good option?

  5 answers
  • Linda Wilson Linda Wilson on Aug 19, 2017

    You can buy it from someplace like Gardeners.com. If you don't do that, be sure it is NOT soil. It is too heavy and will destroy your planter. Soil also compacts and the plants will not produce as much. A planter mix will have compost, peat moss or coir, perlite, dried seaweed, if you can find it, worm castings, again if you can find it, soil (no more than 1/3 of mix.) You are looking for a fluffy mix that has good "food" for the plants. Mix it up in wheelbarrel and dump into planter. When you first plant your seedlings, use only a light sprinkling of fertilizer for root growth (like you are salting your eggs.) Then, when the fruit sets on the plant, add more fertilizer (about double that amount) and then every 2 weeks after that. I have changed from an in-ground garden to all raised planters. I have less bugs, etc and more produce, by far. Good luck and have fun.

  • Landsharkinnc Landsharkinnc on Aug 19, 2017

    any commercial potting soil -- I use ProMix with the purple label -- think it's 360

  • Nancy Turner Nancy Turner on Aug 19, 2017

    I use potting soil and add peat moss at least a third to half the amount of the potting soil. If short on potting soil, I do 1/3 top soil, 1/3 potting soil and 1/3 peat moss. I also add a sprinkle of weed preventer because all the potting soil and top soil do bring a few weed seeds. I have good luck with those recipes in both pots and in ground gardens. When I put a new plant in the garden I always dig a bigger hole and plant it with this soil to enrich the soil to give it a good start. I use a sustained release fertilizer on my gardens and renew as directed.

  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Aug 19, 2017

    regular packaged garden soil will be fine and it will be a lot simplier