What is the best combination of dirt to use?

[Guest]

For those of you who have beds inside your greenhouse to grow things over winter, please tell me what is the best combination of dirt to use?

Compost, screened topsoil, straw, potting soil, pear moss? Keeping in mind this is basically raised beds inside, and will not be tilled.

 

[Denise]

I used all that plus seaweed compost-perlite-vermiculite,worm castings bonemeal.

[Callie]

I have heavy clay soil.. we brought in 2 dump truck loads of top soil. i put the clay mixed with pine shavings on the bottom (25% shavings). Then I added the too soil mixed with a garden soil i found at lowes. It lookes like shredded peanut shells mixed with potting soil. It is very light. I mixed it again 25% to 75% top soil. I topped the beds off with 3 in other potting soil. I mulched with straw and more wood chips which will gradually be mixed in. I added an extra cup or two of nitrogen to offset what the wood chips and straw will use.

[Sue]

Consider your winter watering if you disconnect hoses, etc. Peat moss or coconut coir can get hydrophobic so they cannot be let to dry out. Mulching over the beds will help conserve the water and insulate the soil. Lightweight, "Well draining" mixes can be overdone if you want to keep the water in the soil.

[Batman]

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