Sharon Peters
Member
Going to try to start growing indoors. What is the best soil you recommend?
Soil
- Thread starter Sharon Peters
- Start date
TCH
Well-Known Member
Thats not soil.
For simplicity, Fox Farms has some good options. Happy Frog and Ocean Forest are the most common. Also referred to as FFHF and FFOF on the forums.
Yes it's not "soil" but it's certainly easier than. Fox farm. Problem with those products is they come pre loaded with fertilizers or organics that feed the plant, and in turn that screws up the timing of when you use fertilizers. Coco is nice because it is a sterile medium and you can feed immideatley and allows for better control
Fallguy111
Well-Known Member
Many of the premixed soils are great, I like FFOF. For 20+ years I've been making my own and I wouldn't turn back. Its much cheaper and the basic coots mix is easy and you should be able to find everything or substitutes locally. The experience gained is priceless.
TCH
Well-Known Member
Coco is easier than FFOF? I mean if mixing nutes and watering multiple times a day is easier than just watering every couple of days, then yeah, I guess it's easier. Granted, there is a little learning on how long the nutes in FFOF last and what your plants need, but thats not hard.
Fallguy111
Well-Known Member
Clackamas Coot Soil Mix
By volume mix the following...
1/3 Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss (CSPM)
1/3 Aeration - I use 3/8" pumice (aka volcanic glass - completely inert)
1/3 Vermicompost
When it comes to CSPM it does not matter one iota as far as the brand as long as it's designated as CSPMA (Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association) which is a partnership between the handful of authorized harvesters and the Canadian government. CSPMA sets the harvest limit and not market demands.
You should ind this at Home Depot and Lowe's in 3.8 cf bales and if it is not available at your local stores then order it online (HomeDepot.com) and have them 'ship to store' at your store of choice. No charge for shipping and handling!
A cubic foot is about 7.20 gallons or 115 cups...
To this I add the following amendments to each 1 cubic foot..
1 cup kelp meal
1 cup neem meal or an equal amount of neem & karanja mix
1 cup of limestone or more exactly Calcium Carbonate CaCO3 so Oyster Shell Powder/flour can also be used as it is also a pure Calcium Carbonate material
1/2 cup Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) available at all DIY stores but you must get the material in the garden section and not in the home remodel section. There are 2 forms of gypsum so make sure you get the one for soil and not walls...
Finally there is the rock dust which I recommend 3 cups of either basalt or granite. Only these 2 materials are 'paramagnetic' which is an integral part of the CeC discussion (Cation exchange Capacity).
Rock dusts like Azomite, bentonite, zeolite and others are called 'colloidal minerals' - alumina-silicate. For example Azomite is a brand name. A geologist would know it as "Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate" and it's known as "Montmorillonite clay"
This clay has been used in France to built ceramic bread ovens which look like a bee hive. They have a small door in the front of the oven where loaves of bread are move in and out using what is called a peel.
While it makes a great ceramic oven I can't find much to cause me to recommend it in a true living soil that is supposed to last 'forever' if taken care of using organic methods
By volume mix the following...
1/3 Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss (CSPM)
1/3 Aeration - I use 3/8" pumice (aka volcanic glass - completely inert)
1/3 Vermicompost
When it comes to CSPM it does not matter one iota as far as the brand as long as it's designated as CSPMA (Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association) which is a partnership between the handful of authorized harvesters and the Canadian government. CSPMA sets the harvest limit and not market demands.
You should ind this at Home Depot and Lowe's in 3.8 cf bales and if it is not available at your local stores then order it online (HomeDepot.com) and have them 'ship to store' at your store of choice. No charge for shipping and handling!
A cubic foot is about 7.20 gallons or 115 cups...
To this I add the following amendments to each 1 cubic foot..
1 cup kelp meal
1 cup neem meal or an equal amount of neem & karanja mix
1 cup of limestone or more exactly Calcium Carbonate CaCO3 so Oyster Shell Powder/flour can also be used as it is also a pure Calcium Carbonate material
1/2 cup Gypsum (Calcium Sulfate) available at all DIY stores but you must get the material in the garden section and not in the home remodel section. There are 2 forms of gypsum so make sure you get the one for soil and not walls...
Finally there is the rock dust which I recommend 3 cups of either basalt or granite. Only these 2 materials are 'paramagnetic' which is an integral part of the CeC discussion (Cation exchange Capacity).
Rock dusts like Azomite, bentonite, zeolite and others are called 'colloidal minerals' - alumina-silicate. For example Azomite is a brand name. A geologist would know it as "Hydrated Sodium Calcium Aluminosilicate" and it's known as "Montmorillonite clay"
This clay has been used in France to built ceramic bread ovens which look like a bee hive. They have a small door in the front of the oven where loaves of bread are move in and out using what is called a peel.
While it makes a great ceramic oven I can't find much to cause me to recommend it in a true living soil that is supposed to last 'forever' if taken care of using organic methods
TCH
Well-Known Member
I dont debate that coco is great or can create monsters. I only debate that coco is easier than an amended soil.
xtsho
Well-Known Member
There are going to be so many opinions on this. You can make it easy or complicated. Just get any decent bagged soil that doesn't contain timed released nutrients. When I say decent I mean something with compost, perlite, worm castings, etc... Stay away from anything that says composted poultry manure in the ingredients like the Kellogg's brand. Make sure it's a potting mix for containers. I've used FFOF, Happy Frog, Black Gold, and many others all with the same great results. Then just use a simple base nutrient when it's time to start feeding.
Others have mentioned coco. If you go that route there is no need to add perlite. 100% coco is perfectly fine and requires less watering than a coco perlite blend.
Good luck
Others have mentioned coco. If you go that route there is no need to add perlite. 100% coco is perfectly fine and requires less watering than a coco perlite blend.
Good luck
pahpah-cee
Well-Known Member
Coco is not soil. OP asked about soil and you’re spouting off about being sterile. You’re derailing the thread and providing bad advice. I want critters and living biology in my soil. That’s like the whole point.
A lot of people ask the generic "soil" question and don't specify weather they want actual soil or Pete or coco.
I'm not derailing anything. The question was pretty generic.
If u want "critters" in your soil then that's yiur problem. I've had weeds growing in FF soil, and not the kind I intended, and I'm pretty sure I've also gotten ants and other "critters" before I switched to coco
Wizzlebiz
Well-Known Member
Yes because a Brand new grower should immediately delve into a controlled grow where it is your duty to constantly feed and water daily.
Absolutely nothing that can go wrong here....
bk78
Well-Known Member
Nice and simple
obijohn
Well-Known Member
I like Ocean Forest, much easier than mixing your own or going soiless IMO. I've never had it mess with my feeding, it will give the plants what they need for months before I need to start feeding. And if you pay attention, it's simple to know WHEN to start adding nutes
MtRainDog
Well-Known Member
Make your own, it's easy and cost effective. All of these ingredients are readily available on Amazon or at Walmart/Lowes/Home Depot
Base:
50% - ProMix HP
25% - Perlite
25% - Earth Worm Castings (EWC)
Amendments per cubic foot (7.5 gallons):
1-4 Cups - Azomite (or Glacial/rock dust)
1 Cup - Garden Lime (for pH buffer)
1/2 Cup - Espoma Tomato Tone (or similar)
1/2 Cup - Alfalfa Meal
1/2 Cup - Kelp Meal
Base:
50% - ProMix HP
25% - Perlite
25% - Earth Worm Castings (EWC)
Amendments per cubic foot (7.5 gallons):
1-4 Cups - Azomite (or Glacial/rock dust)
1 Cup - Garden Lime (for pH buffer)
1/2 Cup - Espoma Tomato Tone (or similar)
1/2 Cup - Alfalfa Meal
1/2 Cup - Kelp Meal