Looking to make my own soil. Need some advice first.

[veggielover2012]

Hi,

This is my first year doing any kind of vegetable gardening.

My wife and I live in an apartment out in the country and though we don't have our own garden, I decided to go the route of container gardening.

Ok so to the crux of my question. Rather than just buy potting soil, I want to make my own soil mixture. I have vermiculite already and some bagged cow manure, but I'm not sure about what kind of soil to buy.

Around here naturally we have heavy clay soil so that probably won't work.
Should I buy miracle grow potting soil? Garden soil?" Top soil?

I have liquid and solid fertilizer for vegetables already and I plan on growing Tomatoes, snap peas, garden beans, bell peppers, yellow fatali peppers, spinach, wax beans, lettuce, and broccoli in containers.

Any advice here would be greatly appreicated. Thanks!!!

[rainbowgardener]

Not top soil for containers, neither your native clay nor bagged topsoil. Too heavy and dense for containers, tends to pack down and turn into a brick. What you want is either potting soil or just mix your manure and vermiculite with peat moss or coconut coir. Coconut coir is a more sustainable/renewable product, not mined and easy to grow.

[Kisal]

You will need potting soil. Anything else will not drain properly. You can add whatever amendments you wish, but use a light hand with the compost. Depending on the shape and size of its particles, it can hold too much moisture for container plants.