Specialty Gardening: Container Soils - Water Movement and Retention III , 1 by tapla

tapla wrote:
Well, that was an exceptionally kind compliment. Thank you!

You don't become an accomplished container gardener by luck or accident. Someone brand new to container culture can become accomplished in a VERY short time if someone is willing to provide the basic framework. Once growers acquire the knowledge, it's time to let it bear fruit through its practical application, and it doesn't take long.

I'm limited in what I can say without it sounding boastful; at least I think I am. I'm not good at determining how I come off to others in my day to day posting. 10 years ago, I wouldn't have allowed myself to be as direct about how important soils are in determining a grower's ability to consistently produce attractive and productive plants. Light is important, but a grower can change the light by moving the pot, leaving your soil as undoubtedly the single most important consideration for your conventional container plantings. Yet, outside of those who belong to a forum site or MAYBE a garden-related club, soils are rarely the topic of conversation. That's something akin to your doctors ignoring anything to do with your heart.

This is the part that sounds boastful, but I think it's something that should be said, no matter if someone does happen to think it a boast. I've taken hundreds, maybe thousands, of new and struggling growers under my wing, and taught them exactly what I'm sharing here, + some information about nutritional supplementation. Never, has anyone regretted it, that I know of. Every person was very excited about their new found ability to grow plants very notably better than they were formerly able, and better than a high % of other growers with years and years more experience than the fledglings. Growers that have no knowledge of the concept outlined in the OP are at a distinct disadvantage - there is little question about that. I'm not saying that because I wrote it, I'm saying it because the thousands of growers I've had intercourse with prove it to be true beyond any question.

For the most part, though, they did all the work. I would primarily forward links to various threads I wrote that explained things. All I did on those threads was assemble some knowledge from various sources, including my own experience, that I thought important - trying to put it in a form that could be understood by everyone. I'll take credit for that small part, but essentially they did all the work, their enthusiasm and open minds being their greatest assets when it came to learning and ensuring their progress.

I've been around long enough to have learned that the value of experience varies from less than worthless to critically important. You might ask, "How can the value of experience ever be less than worthless?" It can, when it's an impediment to progress. As an example, I'm certified as a CCW (carry concealed weapon) instructor, as well as being certified to teach several other disciplines. In many cases, students arrive thinking they know much more than they do (most often the young men), and with a lot of baggage - translated, that means bad habits they acquired as a result of their 'experience'. People are often reluctant to change anything they're doing when someone suggests there might be a better way. That stubbornness comes from an inability to admit to themselves that anything about their habits could possibly inferior. Stubbornness doesn't get you any farther in your growing abilities than it does in a firearms discipline class, the difference being clinging to old, less than desirable habits in a firearms class isn't an option. Here, it's completely optional & no one cares if you do or don't avail yourself of the information, but that doesn't change the potential effect it could have on the growing experience. Those that understand the concept will always be able to use it to enrich the growing experience. Those that aren't aware of the concept, don't understand it, or ignore it altogether, might not see any change in their growing experience (which in itself is a bad thing), but the hit comes in the form of lost potential - what could have been if the concept was put to work for the grower, instead of it being ignored so it works against the grower.

OK - end of the line for my musings. Thanks again, Speedie.

Al