freeskierpj
Member
So I was asking about soil and soil-less mixes because I didn't really understand what went into a very simple and cheap mix that would work well. I went through grow log after grow log to see what different people used for the foundations of their soil/soil-less mixes and found that peat moss, perlite and vermiculite are solid and cheap mediums that many growers use as a base for more complex soil mixes. I checked around to see what you could do with only peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite and I came up with a nice, simple, airy soil-less mix that retains moisture very well so I hope that this will be helpful for people that need a quality mix to put their plants in on a budget.
Before we begin please note that when possible do not use Miracle Grow (MG) products, they will work and it is what I used in the mix that I made however that was simply because it was the cheapest option I had and I could get all of the products at a Walmart which is right near my apartment. If you have a choice between MG Peat Moss and a different brand and don't mind paying a few extra bucks then you really should stay away from the MG stuff but again if you can't find anything else or are in a pinch it WILL still work!
One of the best parts about this mix is that you can feel free to throw in any soil additives that you want such as; blood meal, bone meal, kelp meal, worm castings, powdered dolomite lime, home-made compost/mushroom compost, bat guano, humic/fulvic acids, hydrated lime, and the list goes on (I just wanted to give a bunch of additive examples as to what I have seen other growers use and what I came across while researching to make this thread) I'm not sure with the additives as to what ratios you would want to use them with this mix so if you wish to use additives then please research and figure out what would be the best ratios to add them in at.
ON TO THE PICTORIAL!!!
First off you're gonna want to grab your materials which can all be found at Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, ect (or online if you'd rather buy them there). This will only end up costing you maybe $15 at the most (depending on if you buy MG products or spend the extra money to stay away from them) for 1 bag each of peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite which was enough for me to fill 3 10" round pots that were about 10" tall and it left me with plenty of vermiculite for later use seeing as the ratio is 3-3-1, peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite respectively.
Peat Moss:
Perlite:
Vermiculite (I don't think MG even makes vermiculite btw):
PERLITE WARNING: When using perlite be careful not to pour it straight out of the bag and kick up a bunch of dust because that dust is very bad to breath in, also use gloves when mixing up your soil because it isn't good to have a lot of skin contact with perlite.
Now I take the contents and mix them together at a ratio of 3 parts peat moss, 3 parts perlite and 3 parts vermiculite into my pot. Mix this up well so that when it's dry it should look something like this:
Now take it over to the sink and get some water into it...Do this slowly and mix the water in evenly so that your mix only drips out a few drops of water when you pick up a handful and squeeze it tightly. Your mix should now look like this:
Before we begin please note that when possible do not use Miracle Grow (MG) products, they will work and it is what I used in the mix that I made however that was simply because it was the cheapest option I had and I could get all of the products at a Walmart which is right near my apartment. If you have a choice between MG Peat Moss and a different brand and don't mind paying a few extra bucks then you really should stay away from the MG stuff but again if you can't find anything else or are in a pinch it WILL still work!
One of the best parts about this mix is that you can feel free to throw in any soil additives that you want such as; blood meal, bone meal, kelp meal, worm castings, powdered dolomite lime, home-made compost/mushroom compost, bat guano, humic/fulvic acids, hydrated lime, and the list goes on (I just wanted to give a bunch of additive examples as to what I have seen other growers use and what I came across while researching to make this thread) I'm not sure with the additives as to what ratios you would want to use them with this mix so if you wish to use additives then please research and figure out what would be the best ratios to add them in at.
ON TO THE PICTORIAL!!!
First off you're gonna want to grab your materials which can all be found at Walmart, Lowes, Home Depot, Ace Hardware, ect (or online if you'd rather buy them there). This will only end up costing you maybe $15 at the most (depending on if you buy MG products or spend the extra money to stay away from them) for 1 bag each of peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite which was enough for me to fill 3 10" round pots that were about 10" tall and it left me with plenty of vermiculite for later use seeing as the ratio is 3-3-1, peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite respectively.
Peat Moss:
Perlite:
Vermiculite (I don't think MG even makes vermiculite btw):
PERLITE WARNING: When using perlite be careful not to pour it straight out of the bag and kick up a bunch of dust because that dust is very bad to breath in, also use gloves when mixing up your soil because it isn't good to have a lot of skin contact with perlite.
Now I take the contents and mix them together at a ratio of 3 parts peat moss, 3 parts perlite and 3 parts vermiculite into my pot. Mix this up well so that when it's dry it should look something like this:
Now take it over to the sink and get some water into it...Do this slowly and mix the water in evenly so that your mix only drips out a few drops of water when you pick up a handful and squeeze it tightly. Your mix should now look like this:
