Matching mixes

Here’s the “dirt” on growing media: Don’t let Steve Jarahian, a.k.a. “The Jolly Gardener,” ever catch you calling growing media “dirt.” Jarahian has devoted most of his life to creating the perfect soilless mix for all manner of growing and landscape applications, so he knows a thing or two thousand about the subject. And during a recent interview, he made it abundantly clear that his “babies” and dirt aren’t even kissin’ cousins.

“The perfect soilless media mix,” he said, “contains ingredients that adjust pH levels, as well as organic material that works with a plant’s root system to promote healthy, rapid growth that ordinary soil – and certainly ordinary ‘dirt’ – can’t match.”

But that’s just part of the story concerning the “Artist Formerly Known as Dirt,” which you’ll be using in your installations and that homeowners will use once the landscapes and container gardens have been established.

Today’s sophisticated customer expects more bang for his or her buck, a bang that manifests in earth-friendliness and ease of maintenance.

Then there’s also the “X” factor: geography. Wherever it is you’re installing or maintaining a landscape has unique traits, from climate conditions to special irrigation needs, from consumer preferences based on experience to plant and media compatibility issues.

Never mind that you’d also like to turn a tidy profit on your projects. To that end – to all those ends – here are four soil/soilless mix options you might want to explore during installations and certainly during maintenance.

What is it? Back to Earth Professional Landscaper Mix from Soil Mender Products Why should you use it? This 100-percent-organic composted soil builder consists primarily of composted, aged woods and composted cotton burrs. It contains no chemicals or chemical residue, no weeds or weed seeds and no insects or insect larvae. Professional Landscaper Mix is specifically formulated to add premium organic matter to poor soils, promoting an environment for healthy microbial and biological activity. Where to find it? www.soilmender.com


What is it? All Purpose Potting Soil from ASB-Greenworld Why should you use it? ASB-Greenworld brand All Purpose Potting Soil is a universal mix for all indoor, outdoor and container plants. The soil features a combination of elements providing fast-release fertilizer needs and slow-release needs up to nine months. Where to find it? www.asbgreenworld.com

What is it? Soil mixes from Jolly Gardener Why should you use it? Jolly Gardener mixes provide complete, balanced growing media for gardens and landscapes. Just as important, the company has done a great job of marketing its retail line (see the packaging here), so customers often ask for it for landscape projects. Jolly Gardener is part of the Oldcastle Lawn & Garden family, which provides a wide range of soil mixes for landscaping applications. Where to find it? www.jollygardener.com; www.myoldcastle.com

What is it? The Foxfarm natural soil product line Why should you use it? As the “green movement” continues to gain steam, products that are natural also have value with customers. Foxfarm is known as the “Microbrewery of Premium Plant Foods and Soil Mixes,” and all its products are built around the use of earthworm castings, one of nature’s finer soil amendments. Where to find it? www.foxfarmfertilizer.com

The author is publisher and editor of Garden Center magazine. Send him an e-mail at
yyoungblood@gie.net.