The co-op greenhouse mix beat my store bought potting soil by a mile
Last spring in Portland I planted two identical trays of basil, same seeds, same light, same watering schedule. One tray got the cheap big box potting soil, the other got the mix the local co-op makes with compost and perlite. By week six the difference was ridiculous, the co-op tray was twice as tall with darker leaves and no yellowing. The store soil compacted hard after about three waterings and I could see the roots struggling to push through. I checked the pH too, store stuff was sitting at 6.8 while the co-op blend stayed around 6.2 which basil seems to love. It cost me $4 more per bag but I wasted less seed and time fighting damping off. Has anyone else tested local nursery mixes against national brands for a specific plant?
Man, I saw a guy on a gardening channel test like five mixes side by side and the local compost blends blew the big brands out of the water every time. Maybe it's just me but that perlite ratio in the cheap stuff is always way off.