Potting mix

Dynebag · Aug 7, 2014

Sorry if this has been asked before but I couldn't find anything on the search.
What do you guys use as a potting mix?
Currently I'm using 6 parts Miracle-gro potting mix soil, 1 part vermiculite. 1 part sand, 2 parts perlite. When potting up I mix in some fertiliser, bonemeal and Epsom salts, watered in with some fish emulsion.
Feel free to critique my method so I can hopefully improve for next years bonanza

Beelzeboss · Aug 7, 2014

for potting soil i use Edna's best organic potting soil mix with all purpose sand

Swartmamba · Aug 7, 2014

at the top of the page their is a great sticky. http://thehotpepper.com/topic/10245-all-about-soil-a-great-resource-i-thought-i-would-share/

All you need to know is there, enjoy!

Devil Created Pods · Aug 7, 2014

nice mix except the miracle gro ewwwww. lol. i hate that stuff. i usually mix my own with compost, sand, blood meal, bone meal, azomite, perlite, vermiculite, mycorrihzae, worm castings and peat moss. i use fish emulsion as fertilizer too its good stuff!

Swartmamba · Aug 7, 2014

That is allot of ingredients Frankie, mostly unecessary.

no need for the blood meal too much nitrogen with that. otherwise not bad

Dynebag · Aug 7, 2014

Thanks guys.
Glad to know I'm not completely inept

Is there anywhere online I can order some good compost besides Miracle gro? It's a bit hard for me to find decent stuff in the uk, especially since I don't drive.
Edit: would any multipurpose compost do? What percentage peat is a good amount?

Proud Marine Dad · Aug 7, 2014

Swartmamba said:
That is allot of ingredients Frankie, mostly unecessary.

no need for the blood meal too much nitrogen with that. otherwise not bad

I made my own as well. 1/3 home made compost/EWC (the most important ingredient), 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 5/16" red lava rock, Espoma Tomato Tone, Kelp meal, Alfalfa meal, Crab meal, Neem cake, Gaia Green glacial rock dust.
I will never buy soil from a store again as I can make soil better than anything on the market.

Swartmamba · Aug 7, 2014

got to love tomato/garden tone wish we got it here.

Proud Marine Dad · Aug 7, 2014

Dynebag said:
Thanks guys.
Glad to know I'm not completely inept
Is there anywhere online I can order some good compost besides Miracle gro? It's a bit hard for me to find decent stuff in the uk, especially since I don't drive.
Edit: would any multipurpose compost do? What percentage peat is a good amount?

I would mix 1/3 peat, 1/3 compost and 1/3 aeration amendment (small lava rock, perlite, etc).
Can you find someone nearby selling good home made compost?

Devil Created Pods · Aug 7, 2014

Proud Marine Dad said:
I made my own as well. 1/3 home made compost/EWC (the most important ingredient), 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 5/16" red lava rock, Espoma Tomato Tone, Kelp meal, Alfalfa meal, Crab meal, Neem cake, Gaia Green glacial rock dust.
I will never buy soil from a store again as I can make soil better than anything on the market.

awesome mix! hows the gaia green? been wanting to try it but havnt decided yet, i use elemite rock dust too, its good stuff. and the sea-90 minerals and compost tea from boogie brew

Swartmamba said:
That is allot of ingredients Frankie, mostly unecessary.

no need for the blood meal too much nitrogen with that. otherwise not bad

HATER !!!!!!!!!

AlabamaJack · Aug 7, 2014

I get my soil, or part of it from a recycling place about 3 miles from my house...I usually get 3 yards at a time..it is 60% compost/40% cushion sand...when I get ready to pot up, I mix about
50 % of the compost mixture
35 % of a good grade potting soil (no nutrients)
15% rabbit pellets...

Dave2000 · Aug 8, 2014

Think long term and compost your yard waste. Twigs, grass, pulled weeds, the remains of last year's crops (leaves, stems, roots AND seeds), pine needles, leaves, pine cones, etc. etc. plus kitchen waste like coffee grounds and egg shells, any vegetable scraps..

Age that for at least few months keeping it damp then mix that in with soil already on your property. If that soil will grow grass/trees/etc, then with compost added it will be that much better. If the result is too dense then add enough peat moss to fluff it up. If it rains a lot then add some sand too. The amount needed depends on how dense the soil started out.

To be more specific to the mix you listed, substitute 2 parts peat moss for 2 of the 6 parts MG potting soil. You can skip adding the epsom salts because being a salt it completely dissolves in water and can be applied later with equally good results.

Chewi · Aug 8, 2014

AlabamaJack said:
I get my soil, or part of it from a recycling place about 3 miles from my house...I usually get 3 yards at a time..it is 60% compost/40% cushion sand...when I get ready to pot up, I mix about
50 % of the compost mixture
35 % of a good grade potting soil (no nutrients)
15% rabbit pellets...

15% rabbit poo?

AlabamaJack · Aug 8, 2014

yes sir...clean and full of nutrients

KevinH · Aug 9, 2014

I am having great success with 50/50 mix of Happy Frog/Ocean Forest. I mixed them dumped a gal of water in then mixed again. Let sit for 10 days. Next year I will let it sit longer and ad perlite and oyster shell and bone meal. I have yet to see a need for fertilizer I am go on week 4 in this soil.

Proud Marine Dad · Aug 9, 2014

Frankie Ruiz said:
awesome mix! hows the gaia green? been wanting to try it but havnt decided yet, i use elemite rock dust too, its good stuff.

It is pretty good but after consulting with experts I think basalt rock dust is a little bit better. Diversity is always a good thing so put both if you can.

Proud Marine Dad · Aug 10, 2014

The red lava rock contains basalt so that will add a little as well. It's also great for housing bacteria in all those little holes in the lava rock. :cool:

Pr0digal_son · Aug 10, 2014

Proud Marine Dad said:
I will never buy soil from a store again as I can make soil better than anything on the market.

How much do you charge per cu. ft.?

KevinH said:
I am having great success with 50/50 mix of Happy Frog/Ocean Forest. I mixed them dumped a gal of water in then mixed again. Let sit for 10 days. Next year I will let it sit longer and ad perlite and oyster shell and bone meal. I have yet to see a need for fertilizer I am go on week 4 in this soil.

Not exactly sure what you mean here. These both have a charge,30 days probably. Why are you watering and letting it sit 10 days before planting? Get your plants in as soon as possible. When your other amendments start to kick in,the initial charge will be spent and everything will be seamless for your plants,no lag.

AlabamaJack · Aug 11, 2014

I need to amend my post for soil composition...edit in blue

AlabamaJack said:
I get my soil, or part of it from a recycling place about 3 miles from my house...I usually get 3 yards at a time..it is 60% compost/40% cushion sand...when I get ready to pot up, I mix about

50 % of the compost mixture

40 % of a good grade potting soil (no nutrients - or soil from the previous years grow - 2015 will be all new potting soil)

10% rabbit pellets...dropped from 15%

KevinH · Aug 11, 2014

By letting the soil sit mixed with the water it starts to jump start the growth of beneficial fungi as well as let's the soil come alive. The other thing is letting it cook is to kill off and and all bugs that may or may not be in the soil.