Need some quick help with a soil decision guys!!

Ok so heres the deal guys I need some advice asap, I'm in the middle of trying to transplant my seedlings.

So long story short, I bought some "soil" a while ago, got it because it said all organic, and it was like 1.95 a bag, which I thought was pretty good. So any I just go to use this "soil" and find out it isn't soil, but all organic compost. It say it is 1.5%n, 1% phosphates, and 2% potash. This dosen't seem that high, but the bag says not to use it as soil. I was planning on mixing my "soil" 3 parts "soil" 1 part perlite, and 1 part vermiculite. Do you think this would work ok or even well, with this compost, should I up the amount of perlite, or verm inorder to make it better, or should I go buy some actual soil, and just add some of this to it to fortify the soil more? I wanted to get this done now, before I have to go to work, and I don't have time to go to the store now. So either I use this, and tranplant, or I wait till monday or tuesday which I would rather not do. I just don't want to burn the plants, and not give them something god to grow in. I'm going to be transplanting one more time after this, at which point I can change things agian if nessecary. so what do you guys think, I could use some advice. The seedlings are young, but the roots are starting to pop out of the peat plugs, so I wanted to get them in soil asap. THanks! TC

Anybody even gonna look at this, lol?

I know the product you are refering to,i saw the bags in your grow thread,i would not use that product as the base of your mix,i would use it in conjunction with potting soil,it looks like a good product for soil amendment but not to swell as the base grow medium,im pretty sure that the medium you have will stay wet for long periods.

I would add equal parts perlite with whatever amount of the compost you end up using that way the perlite would help keep the wet compost oxygenated much better.

Ive never really liked using composted materials in my pots,every time ive used them ive had problems with too much water retention in the soil.

Hmm to much water retention so then would it be good to skip the water crystals? I was thinking about going ahead and trying it, and maybe mixing 1-1-1, compost, verm, perlite. What do you think of that? I'm geting more seeds in a couple days so worst case they die, but I'd rather not have that happen. I also won't be able to do this again till tuesday, and the peat plugs are alrady showing roots.

BUmp bump bump bump

Thundercat said:

Hmm to much water retention so then would it be good to skip the water crystals? I was thinking about going ahead and trying it, and maybe mixing 1-1-1, compost, verm, perlite. What do you think of that? I'm geting more seeds in a couple days so worst case they die, but I'd rather not have that happen. I also won't be able to do this again till tuesday, and the peat plugs are alrady showing roots.

Click to expand...

Im a bit confused here.

You have water crystals,vermiculite & compost,all of these hold/retain water ,is there a reason your making a soil mix with so much water retention ?

here is what i do


5 gall bucket compost 5gal. of perlite 5 gal. of quality topsoil dnt plant in too large of a pot to soon or you will have overwatering problems it only stays too wet if there is too much soil to root mass ratio... one of the reasons to transplant... you want the roots to grow into each pot so the final pot has a nice full rootmass

thats not to say that it's the only way to do it just the way i do ...... plants can grow fine put in the pot their life will be lived in too just diffrnt ways of growing

i like promix. it is great!

I think I'm gonna end up getting some promix. I have to go to lowes before work tomorrow. Thanks for the input guys. I'm planting in 2 liter bottles with drainage holes in the bottom , then I'm gonna transplant to something larger in a couple weeks.

grab some fox farm

Pro Mix organic in the green bag works extremely well but you won't find it at Lowe's. It is $8 a bag and will have to find a Greenhouse that carries it. You can go to their website and it has a link to find dealers in your area.