Was busy... I had just gotten back from Europe.

Didn't read through the thread, but decided to just add my question in here.
Im starting up my container garden.  Will be gardening out of 5 gallon buckets 3x1x1 containers and whatnot.  Plan to grow  vegetables, tomatoes, eggplant and leafy greens from seeds.  Planning to start the seeds in the buckets/containers then let them grow out, wont transplant.  Im trying to figure out what kind of soil I need.  Do I start with potting mix, Top soil?  Any brand recommendations?

Been out of country for a little bit.  Just got back. 

I used Hawaiian Earth Products Potting Mix (purple bag).  Each bag is $5.45 if you pick it up from them.  It's even cheaper if you get it by the truckload; that is, if you have the space for that.

I'll upload a picture of my garden later.  It's going pretty good.  I'd say tomatoes are the easiest to grow.  I've also got bell peppers, pole beans, soybeans, and kale.  Too hot for lettuce now...

I'd just like to say, many on here are a great help!

Just came back from Peru and ate Cuy (guinea pig).  Very good stuff!  A little boney, but very good meat!

Good stuff!  Reloading 201!  For precision!

yah I tried rinsing them off.  too late it's dead Jim. 

at least the basil is rocking.  making pesto next  

update:  pesto rocked! blended with pine nuts, EVOO, parm and sea salt.  tossed in pasta and 21/25 shrimpos - YUM

bad news now the damn white fly/powdery crap is attacking everything, the hawaiian chili and the bok choy.  the plants with delicate leaves.  unaffected the pineapple and the kumquat so far.  the lilikoi is farther away in the yard and no problem yet.  oh yeah and the dragon fruit "limbs" doing ok too really got to move them to permanent loc where they will cascade down a rock wall

What's the update for the white fly/powdery stuff?

Did you buy the bag or did you get bulk from the yard?

I assume you got it in bulk.

Anyway, the amount of cinders in the bagged product is very minimal.

You want a MINIMUM of 2:1 compost to drainage media.

Ahh ok.  That sounds like a lot.  I'll try cut back on watering. 

And no... I have the bag product.

Did you add drainage/aerating media, i.e. cinder rocks?

The Menehune Magic Potting Soil is supposed to include cinder...

Anyone know what's going on here?  The edges of my polebean leaves are drying up.  The dried portion are very dry and "crispy" feeling.  The inside of the same leaf feels almost normal.  It works its way from the rim of the leaves to the insides, as you can see in the 2 leaves in the back.

Thanks

You don't need any right now unless you see deficiencies.

The bottom leaves of my tomato plants are yellowing.  They get adequate water.

No, dish soap does not hurt the leaves. You have to use as 'pure' a soap as possible, so dawn scent free is the best.

The soap is necessary because it strips the smothers pests and helps penetrate the waxy coating of their exoskeletons, which allow organic pesticides to enter their body more readily.

You can also use diatomaceous earth, but that is pretty much a last resort for organic approaches, as it is indiscriminate.

Good to know.  Thanks!