Whats a good brand of soil?

[ogplatinum]

Roots Organic has never done me wrong. Highly recommended.

First soil I tired for indoor gardening and I think it'll be the last one. Not as much exp. as Alien here, BUT i recommend it as well. And the fire this guy cranks with it....theres got to be somethin there!

 

[Hemptress101]

Sunshine #4 Advanced worked really well for me!

 

[basement botany]

I am going totally against the grain here from the looks of these posts. But I would recommend mixing your own soil from scratch. I say this because I live 40 miles from the nearest grow shop which are way over priced to begin with. All this talk about this number mix and that number mix makes my head spin. Look at what most of those products primary componiets are a few different things and in almost every case incomplete to begin with meaning you will have to ammend everyone of them to grow anything in it. So why not buy all the items in bulk and seprately to begin with and in the end you will know exactly whats in there. There are no regulations on those companies that sell those premixes either meaning they just throw whatever is laying around in there. Go to a local gardening center save yourself alot of money.

 

[CT Guy]

I am going totally against the grain here from the looks of these posts. But I would recommend mixing your own soil from scratch. I say this because I live 40 miles from the nearest grow shop which are way over priced to begin with. All this talk about this number mix and that number mix makes my head spin. Look at what most of those products primary componiets are a few different things and in almost all case incomplete to begin with meaning you will have to ammend everyone of them to grow anything in it. So why not buy all the items in bulk and seprately to begin with and in the end you will know exactly whats in there. There are no regulations on those companies that sell those premixes either meaning they just throw whatever is laying around in there. Go to a local gardening center save yourself alot of money.

There's definitely nothing wrong with mixing your own soil, that's a very good point. My only caution on this is that it takes a little bit of work and research to make a good mix. Couple of recommendations off the top of my head:

1. Keep biology in the foremost of your mind when making your mix. This means 25% of your mix is a high quality compost or earthworm castings.

2. 25% should be for aeration, meaning perlite, pumice, calcined de, pyrolized rice hulls, etc....

3. Peat is a good option for the other 50%. I like Alaska or Premier brand.

4. Don't forget to add nutrients and minerals. Many people don't get good mineral content in their soils. There's much better options than lime.

5. Let your soil cook before planting.

6. Less is more in most instances.

7. Kelp meal is a must-have in my opinion.

Just what I came up with while typing my response. I'm sure there's more I'll think to add later, and this is a really rough guideline....

 

[basement botany]

There's definitely nothing wrong with mixing your own soil, that's a very good point. My only caution on this is that it takes a little bit of work and research to make a good mix. Couple of recommendations off the top of my head:

1. Keep biology in the foremost of your mind when making your mix. This means 25% of your mix is a high quality compost or earthworm castings.

2. 25% should be for aeration, meaning perlite, pumice, calcined de, pyrolized rice hulls, etc....

3. Peat is a good option for the other 50%. I like Alaska or Premier brand.

4. Don't forget to add nutrients and minerals. Many people don't get good mineral content in their soils. There's much better options than lime.

5. Let your soil cook before planting.

6. Less is more in most instances.

7. Kelp meal is a must-have in my opinion.

Just what I came up with while typing my response. I'm sure there's more I'll think to add later, and this is a really rough guideline....

Excelent post. My break down with pics to back it. I do 18 plants at a time one 1000 watt HID and a light mover. I buy almost all ingredients locally except kelp meal and green sand. It costs me roughly 10 dollars to make 30 gallons of soil I usually make 60 gallons each time. You are exactly right it is alot of work all that mixing your arms will fall off. Thats why I use a cement mixer.
10 gallons 50% peat in my case readily available and cheap.
2.5 gallons 25% perlite. I buy it 11 cubic feet at a time lasts a year or so
2.5 gallons 25% scotts humus and chicken liter $2.96 30lb bag home depot again because it's cheap and there is no worm castings to be found here. I have found this to be an excellent replacement having actually used wormcasting ordered on line.
bloodmeal 1/2 cup
bonemeal 1 cup
kelpmeal 1/2 cup
greensand 1/2 cup
hydrated lime 1 cup
This represents a full cement mixer to make 60 gallons I do 4 runs. Peatmoss will resist being moisened so a bit of dawn dish soap and 2 teaspoons per gallon liquid karma to get the micro heard off and running. Do not drench the soil you only want to moisten it nicely. Mix well and let sit for a couple weeks. Use a garden claw to turn it every few days until you are ready. I transplant into this from one gallon pots of more of the same just half the strenth to 3 gallon pots. From here you can just water till they are done. However I still hit them with superthrive and liquid karma and molasses here and there through the flowering cycle and maybe a shot of netunes harvest mid flower organic mix. The follwing pics are what you can expect to see using this simple method. Forgot to mention these still have about 20 to 27 days to go in the oven. Made this batch of black gold on saturday for my next run which will start right after this one ends. I also keep a bit of soil in the bins at all times. Kinda like sour dough bread. That way the micro heard has a head start.

 

[Illmind]

sunshine rainforest mix. great airy mix that needs watered like its coco. roots is good mixes but expect filler and some areas pests. bio bizz also make good soils.

 

[mike hunt]

Good source for rice hulls and pumice?

 

[CT Guy]

Good source for rice hulls and pumice?

Depends where you are in the country. Concentratesnw.com in Portland is awesome!

 

[mike hunt]

Thanks, CT.

 

[caregiverken]

I know most will scoff at this and I have posted before but I'll post it again...

This is what I use...(Have you seen my trees?)

5 bucks for 1.5cf at lowes

Really... Its got good stuff in it and it work for me

Just trying to help

 

[CT Guy]

Here's one of my biggest problems with these commercial products. These bagged soils don't breathe well, get stored out in the hot sun, dry out, and have all manner of things happen to them before they get to the shelf. Some of the larger companies listed here like FoxFarm and Roots have had consistency issues.

You want your soil to be biologically active if you're growing organically! This is very important for proper nutrient cycling to occur and you plant to grow happy and healthy.

That's why I use the KIS soil, since it is shipped directly from the company and not packaged until ordered. I would also recommend making your own soil mix, as it's a wonderful learning process and can save a ton of $!

 

[Udyana Peace]

Thanks for the reply. Do you have any pics of a grow that used this soil?

Water only - fermented Comfrey teas will be added to the soil this week and sprayed with Lavender extracts with Aloe Vera, Horsetail Fern extract and BioAg Pure Fulvic Acid for pesticide, fungicide with the plants extracts and the Fulvic Acid functions by moving some of the minerals directly into the plant's vascular system through the leaf's stomata - a plant steroid shot.

As of this evening they're just under 6' tall.

Udyana Peace

 

[justiceman]

I like Ocean Forest and Roots Potting soils indeed but I have to agree with CT guy on the biological activity of the commercial soil mixes. That's why when I use them I immediately feed the soil with a compost tea to wake up and enrich the microbial diversity.

I mixed up a batch of Sub's super soil last season and it was pretty awesome no doubt.

Recently though I purchased this Master Nursery potting soil that seems to be quite good especially at $10 for 2 cubic ft.

Here are my girls in that soil. I have given them a couple compost teas and some Earth juice catalyst so far in their life span.

 

[chess]

pro mix or sunshine are great,being you know what u put with it.

 

[onaeun]

Me, I'm looking at the a1 soil here on the farm....
Wouldn't be surprised if it was KILL.

 

[redman420]

Empire Builder is great soil.:banana1sv6:

 

[StonerScience]

Gardener and Bloome organic, 10-11$ for 2 CF. good stuff, being using them for years.

 

[Mogrow]

its free

i amend it with a shovel

:banana1sv6:

 

[oil]

Hell yeah Zonkerly Dr earth is some good stuff. Rather potent though so i like to dilute it a bit with basic $2 a bag mushroom compost and perlite. Right now Im running sour d with "just right mix". not sure how I feel about the stuff. Ran into ph and cal/mag problems during veg. I transplanted into 5 gal buckets for flower, added more dolomite and a touch of dr earth and boom they flourished. Dr earth is really great for top dressing along the way as well.

 

[Mississip Hip]

x2 on the homes depot soil.

Patio blend rocks.

Caps bennies, ACT , Sensi AB (I wont pay for AN, Greenleaf works better) and a few more goodies will put you there...