Switched from bagged potting soil to homemade compost mix and my peppers exploded

I've been using that cheap Miracle-Gro potting soil for years on my container garden, spending like $8 a bag every spring. Last April I finally tried mixing my own compost with some coarse sand and peat moss from the local nursery. My bell peppers went from getting maybe 3 or 4 small fruits per plant to producing over a dozen big ones each. The drainage was way better too, no more water pooling on top or root rot. I think the compost added more nutrients and the sand helped air get to the roots. Cost me about the same after buying a bin and sourcing materials from the city compost site for free. Has anyone else noticed a big difference going with homemade mixes over store bought?

2 comments

2 Comments

ryan_kim632d ago

Exploded" is doing a lot of heavy lifting here. I'd need to see some actual numbers before I'm convinced your $8 bag of dirt was the only problem.

emery6031d ago

Used to roll my eyes at stuff like this but honestly that post changed my mind completely.