My plan for Soil mixture. What do you think?

After my last grow, I realized that I really like the organic approach and I am going to try to take it in that direction this time.

My soil mix is going to be as follows:

-1 part vermiculite
-4 parts Miracle Grow Organic Choice Potting Soil
-1 TBSP per gal. of soil of Fox Farm's Happy Frog Fruit and Flower Fertilizer/ soil ammendment
-1 TBSP of Dolomite per gallon of soil

I chose Fox Farm's product because I have heard such good things from everybody. The Dolomite is there because it acts as a good calcium/ magnesium supplement, and I always get a magnesium deficiency with any potting soil. Of course, the vermiculite is for drainage/ aeration purposes when I need to flush. It will also retain some water when I don't.

What do you think? Would it be worth the extra wait and money to go with Fox Farm Original potting mix instead of the Miracle Grow Organic Choice soil? I can't do the Fox Farm Ocean one because I am fatally allergic to crab.

Have you ever considered coco?

Coco? What is that.

Vermiculite isnt for drainage, its for retention, you want perlite for drainage and maybe some sand on the bottom of your containers. As far as the rest of your ideas I wouldnt know, im new to making all organic soil mix but im doing it this year. I will share some of what I learn in the coming days on this thread, maybe you can do same and pool our info and learn. Best of luck.

forget the vermeculite, use perlite.

here's a good mix...

-2 part perlite
-3 parts Miracle Grow Organic Choice Potting Soil
-2 parts worm castings
-2 TBSP per gal. of soil of Fox Farm's Happy Frog Fruit and Flower Fertilizer/ soil ammendment
-1 TBSP of Dolomite per gallon of soil
-1 TBSP of blood meal per gallon of soil
-1

You don't want to have more than about 20% of your mix to be perlite or worm castings. If you get more than 1/4 perlite in your pots, it will slowly float up when you water as the rest of the soil settles downward and then you get a big gob of thick mud that is a pain in the ass to work with. Extra worm castings can also make your soil too heavy. That's what happened to me on my first grow. I think lighter soil is better because you end up having to water it a little more often, so you keep your roots free of salt buildup. A light soil is also easier for your plants' roots to grow through and has better oxygen penetration to the roots.

I say remember to go lightweight and spongelike on the soil and then you can get more worm castings, blood meal, bone meal, Fox Farms ferts, etc. into the mix by mixing them with water and making a fertilizer tea to feed them.

davalaban said:

You don't want to have more than about 20% of your mix to be perlite or worm castings. If you get more than 1/4 perlite in your pots, it will slowly float up when you water as the rest of the soil settles downward and then you get a big gob of thick mud that is a pain in the ass to work with. Extra worm castings can also make your soil too heavy. That's what happened to me on my first grow. I think lighter soil is better because you end up having to water it a little more often, so you keep your roots free of salt buildup. A light soil is also easier for your plants' roots to grow through and has better oxygen penetration to the roots.

I say remember to go lightweight and spongelike on the soil and then you can get more worm castings, blood meal, bone meal, Fox Farms ferts, etc. into the mix by mixing them with water and making a fertilizer tea to feed them.

Click to expand...

I use 50% perlite and I have never ever had any problems with "big gobs of thick mud" forming after the perlite floats to the top. If any perlite floats to the top it is only from the top inch of soil from when the water settles on top for a second before going down to the roots

mr.magic said:

forget the vermeculite, use perlite.

here's a good mix...

-2 part perlite
-3 parts Miracle Grow Organic Choice Potting Soil
-2 parts worm castings
-2 TBSP per gal. of soil of Fox Farm's Happy Frog Fruit and Flower Fertilizer/ soil ammendment
-1 TBSP of Dolomite per gallon of soil
-1 TBSP of blood meal per gallon of soil
-1

Click to expand...

I definitely wouldn't use any more than what a fertilizer company recommends on their packaging, and Fox Farm recommends 1 TBSP per gallon. Its a good company, so I trust their judgment.

oh yeah my bad i must have accidentally added the 2. sorry.


a good organic vegging fert is fish emulsion. try it.

It'd be cool if we could use this thread as the universal, "Hey, What Chu Think Of My Mix?!" or "Hey, What Mix Should I Use For XXX Scenario!?" threads.

MrBaker said:

It'd be cool if we could use this thread as the universal, "Hey, What Chu Think Of My Mix?!" or "Hey, What Mix Should I Use For XXX Scenario!?" threads.

Click to expand...

Yeah or just to compare trade secrets. I had a helluve time finding a thread with Q and A reguarding is this an ok mix and still havent really.
Being that soil mixes are no small matter I was surprised, unless there is one buried somewhere, I would have thought there woulda been a sticky.
Than again I coulda missed it, thats why they call it dope.

Purplekrunchie said:

Yeah or just to compare trade secrets. I had a helluve time finding a thread with Q and A reguarding is this an ok mix and still havent really.
Being that soil mixes are no small matter I was surprised, unless there is one buried somewhere, I would have thought there woulda been a sticky.
Than again I coulda missed it, thats why they call it dope.

Click to expand...

Why not make one? I'll do so and post a link later tonight. BTW, my final choice was this, based on the feedback I recieved:

10% Vermiculite
10% Perlite
80% Miracle Grow Organic Choice (2 Gallons)
-This includes Bone/ Blood meal and Peat Moss
3TBSP Dolomite
3TBSP Happy Frog Flower Fertilizer by Fox Farm

Here is a link back to that thread. I hope this gets going so people like myself and others can get their questions answered quickly by experienced growers:

https://www.rollitup.org/organics/185384-organic-soil-methods-q.html#post2393801

Be careful with that Miracle grow.. Used it twice.. Got bugs twice.. fungus Gnats to be exact.. I reccomend if you already have the stuf to freez it good before using it.. It should kill a lot of the little fuckers.. Then get a hot shot air bug killer from Home Depot.. They'll eat at your babies roots and they can do some damage if not kept under control..

davalaban said:

You don't want to have more than about 20% of your mix to be perlite or worm castings. If you get more than 1/4 perlite in your pots, it will slowly float up when you water as the rest of the soil settles downward and then you get a big gob of thick mud that is a pain in the ass to work with. Extra worm castings can also make your soil too heavy. That's what happened to me on my first grow. I think lighter soil is better because you end up having to water it a little more often, so you keep your roots free of salt buildup. A light soil is also easier for your plants' roots to grow through and has better oxygen penetration to the roots.

I say remember to go lightweight and spongelike on the soil and then you can get more worm castings, blood meal, bone meal, Fox Farms ferts, etc. into the mix by mixing them with water and making a fertilizer tea to feed them.

Click to expand...

ive seen on here a thread were a guy started his clones in clear 12 ounce cups with only perlite and water so they will grow in it for sure

you made a pretty good mix for a begginer

grodrowithme said:

you made a pretty good mix for a begginer

Click to expand...

Heh. I do what I can. Hopefully it works out well. I wish I could use the Fox Farm Ocean soil, because I heard it is really good. Problem is, I am allergic to sea food, so I don't want to grow (or smoke) my herb in something that could make me die.

Is the Original Fox Farm soil good too?

the original and happy frog is really good and they have 2 really good 100% organic soils and nutes also

plz plz plz find a local hydrostore even if you have to drive an hour, it's worth it... pick up a couple bag of roots its coco based and amazing you dont need to add anything unless you add a ton of casting. I recomend using more pearlite as well def. more than 20%.. Subcool uses roots, I switched from MG and it was the greatest thing ever, I've never heard of any1 having any probs... My 2 cents

If you are usin MG organic choice:
1-10gal bag MG
10-15lbs of casting
1/2 gal compost
pearlite (however much your comfortable with)
2tbs greensand a gal
1tbs bloodmeal a gal
1 tbs bonemeal a gal
1 tbs dolomite a gal
2 tbs humic acid per 5gal cont.
i used this for almost a year, my second year growin.. water only