[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.100″ background_layout=”light” saved_tabs=”all” text_font=”The Girl Next Door|700|||||||” text_orientation=”justified” header_font=”Leckerli One||||||||” header_text_align=”center” header_text_shadow_style=”preset1″]
by Claudia Johnson, Feb. 15, 2018, Rose Hill Farm
One of my favorite things about Lux’s Garden are the shepherd’s hooks and other means of hanging plants. I began with only a few that I had recycled from past gardening attempts or that I found at salvage stores or yard sales. Over time, I have added about a dozen more in various sizes, heights and strengths. Some are for hummingbird feeders, and some are for hanging plant baskets.
One of the biggest problems I had with hanging baskets was the weight of the soil, especially if they became supersaturated after a rain. I was telling Barky Beaver’s president, Nick Patterson, this one day, and he said the solution was for me to try the professional growing mix. I tried it, and seriously, this is not only perfect for growing plants in pots, it is the only thing to use for hanging plants. It is so lightweight that you can use even a hanging basket or pot and not have to worry about your hook falling over.
When I called Nick to tell him how much I loved the product and ask what the magic is about it, he explained that traditional potting soil has a combination of peat/perlite/vermiculite/bark, and that is not terrible, it’s just not what I really needed. You can see the pots in the photo above and tell which ones have the traditional potting soil and which ones have the professional mix I got from Barky Beaver.
Barky Beaver starts with the a high quality of three components – peat, coir and pine bark – and then adds a good amount of quality wetting agent, quality starter charge and lime.
Nick explained that the peat is selected for its hi-cation exchange capacity, it lightens up the mix, chemically balances other ingredients, holds water on the outside and improves the texture. The coir also offers hi-cation exchange capacity and is a natural wetting agent that holds water on the inside. It offers high aeration – more than 20%. Coir provides natural suppression of algae and fungus gnats, is slow to decay and doesn’t shrink. The pine bark in Barky’s mix is biologically active, yet chemically stable. Increases aeration while retaining moisture, is relatively acidic and adds just the right about of weight. The pine bark is 100% natural.
All of this information is really cool and certainly explained why my hanging pots were so light, but it also explained why my seeds and small plants grew so much faster the year I started using the Barky Beaver product. This is not the only Barky Beaver product designed to make growing plants better. The potting soil, soil conditioners, compost and other products work great too. I just love how this immediately solved a problem for me. I guess that is why since it was introduced so many professional growers have started using it in their large greenhouses and nurseries.
I love it when a quality, natural product makes my brown thumb a little greener – well, actually a lot greener.
Follow us on www.barkybeaver.com/luxsgarden to follow the progress this amateur gardener and the quest for a greenhouse.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_image _builder_version=”3.0.98″ src=”http://www.barkybeaver.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/IMG_2959-copy.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” align=”center” always_center_on_mobile=”on” force_fullwidth=”off” show_bottom_space=”on” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ saved_tabs=”all” /][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.98″ background_layout=”light” text_font=”The Girl Next Door||||||||” text_orientation=”center” saved_tabs=”all”]
I love saving money but having a colorful garden. The basket, bowl and plate are from Dollar Tree. We drilled a drainage hole in the plate and bowl and used the lightweight soil mix made by Barky.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″][et_pb_image _builder_version=”3.0.98″ src=”http://www.barkybeaver.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/IMG_2950-copy.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” align=”center” always_center_on_mobile=”on” force_fullwidth=”off” show_bottom_space=”on” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ saved_tabs=”all” /][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.98″ background_layout=”light” text_font=”The Girl Next Door||||||||” text_orientation=”center” saved_tabs=”all”]
I’ve solved my hanging basket problem thanks to a special soil mix by Barky Beaver. I can grow heavy plants like cane and even add ornaments, and basket is light and the roots have room to really grow.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]