Cheap Homemade Soil

[JBotts420]

So i am looking to throw together a homemade soil, just need something basic that is cheap to make. I have about 60$ to spend right now. Trying to have the least amount of things to buy to have. Would prefer something that wont burn seedlings (like the roots did to me already, but look AWESOME now) and can take all the way to flower. I do have bottles of Budda bloom and grow, of course organic and safe for the worms. Wanting to stay away from peat to not have to worry about adding lime. 

[t-pain]

compost

bag of worm castings

sand from your yard

toss in a coco brick?

vermiculite/perlite

mycoryhza

 

pllenty of soil recipes here http://michiganmedicalmarijuana.org/topic/17706-organic-soil-recipes/

 

can grow in 100% compost too, just make sure you get good finished compost (it will smell neutral, look like black dirt) and not stuff with lots of wood in it.

 

does your city have a free compost pile?

http://www.kalamazoocity.org/free-firewood-woodchips-compost

yes it does. city compost piles often are terrible, you'll have to check it out and see.

 

i found the city mulch/woodchips is mixed with a bunch of leaves so it breaks down into perfect food for worms outdoors. so you can consider that as a mulch topping maybe.

 

compost is 100% free if you are smart or can wait or dont mind asking around for free ingredients.

kitchen scraps, yard waste, your neighborhood's leaf bags, local grocery store food waste etc.

 

so thats why people do the vermicompost aka worm compost. all you do is buy worms (or harvest worms from your yard) , put them in a worm farm, add kitchen scraps , and they wrok endlessly to turn it into worm poop (castings) and worm tea. you can grow in 100% castings its the best for plants. worm tea is also the best way to water a plant.

 

 

just remember to water without chlorine. buy a filter or use rain water etc.

[t-pain]

if you want to go cheaper, do compost/castings and grind up a bunch of leaves (can use a lawn mower) and mix it together with composted manure (manure that has sat outside for 1 year).

 

can find people giving away manure or manure+bedding on craigslist. mostly horse farms wanting to get rid of it.

 

put the composted manure and leaves to sit outside for a month, should be ready after that.

[trichcycler]

a bag of promix is 20 bucks, and a bag of happy frog is the same, mixed together I couldn't beat the cost,  ease and performance of that choice myself.  

[JBotts420]

sounds easy. how will that mix in with roots organic? thats what i have right now. 

[Norby]

a bag of promix is 20 bucks, and a bag of happy frog is the same, mixed together I couldn't beat the cost,  ease and performance of that choice myself.  

13.95 for happy frog and ocean forest at most hydro stores around Flint at the moment.

[trichcycler]

good price if its the big one. Roots Organics would probably recommend the same mix. I know a grower who switched from salts to Roots a few years ago and fell in love. He uses the pro mix/ happy frog scheme and grows great smoke, um, so I'm told.

[JBotts420]

would i need to add any perlite with promix and roots? I also have a 20lb bag of ewc, and oreganism XL.

 

Would this promix work?http://www.menards.com/main/mobile/outdoors/gardening/lawn-plant-care/all-purpose-professional-growers-mix-2-cubic-feet-compressed/p-1727153-c-10116.htm and would be fast acting lime plus ast?

 

Ok, here is a list of a few things I found at mermaids since they have 11% off everything.

 

Fast Acting Lime Plus AST

Vermeculite

Mushroom Compost

Sphagnum Peat moss

Brick of Coir

Bone/Blood meal

And that bag of promix^^^

There is also a few top soils also. Anything I can make with that and not have to cook it. And since I plan on recycling my soil what amendments would have to be added?

Edited March 24, 2014 by JBotts420

[trichcycler]

nothing but water would need to be added to the pro mix happy frog. You will need to decide what food source to feed your plants once they enter the flowering stage.

I suggest advanced nutrients mother earth tea. nothing more is necessary. I've recycled the same soil for three years no issues.

 

I'm not familiar with the pro mix you listed. I would stick with a proven mix .I wont change the one I use.

Edited March 24, 2014 by grassmatch