Container garden [todays progress]

Went out with a 2 litre plastic sody bottle. Cut the top of with a utility knife to where the bottle was same size on the neck. Filled it about half full with yesterday's mix I done for the top portion of the new box. Put water in, slipped the top cut off down inside the bottom portion and shook it up. Sitting out back now and settling.

Transplanted two flowers in 10 inch pots and stuck the remaining 5 flowers in a corner of the boxes I have tomato and peppers in. I had two ten inch pots with beets started in them. I dumped those two in the cement mixing pan which made about 5 gallons as each 10 inch container hold about 2 1/2 gallons. Dumped the vermiculite I had remaining from the 8 quart bag I purchased. There was one gallon of vermiculite left. Mixed that all up and refilled the two ten inch containers for the flowers. Had some left in the pan so I used that with the flower transplants in the vegetable boxes after I dug the hole in the corner. When I dug the little holes in the corner of the tomato box I seen tomato roots all the way to the corner that looked healthy.

Got ready to leave after cleanup I checked the settling bottle and seen it was still clouded up but had a layer of flotation stuff on top about 1/4 inch thick.

I shopped around for vermiculite and found I can buy a two cubic foot bag at Home depot for less money per quart than the 8 quart bag I purchased. Did not see the larger bag when I was shopping for vermiculite. Save about 1/3rd in cost.

Got to thinking about this black cow and mushroom mix. Once the nutrients are leeched out I will just go to Tractor Supply and buy a bag of garden mix fertilizer. Why buy black cow or mushroom mix every year just to get the nutrients. Once the container is established with the proper mix for growing, Just buy a bag of the fertilizer I mentioned. All this nonsense  of removing and replacing the top portion mix can get old and costly every year.

May go and exchange that wire screen today I mentioned last night.