Soils ain't soils - Bunnings, supermarkets, specialty stores, compost?

[Squire]

The best way to test your potting mix is grow something in it. This is a water only mix I get from a local landscaper supplies.
Not cheep half a cube mtr is $200 .
There is around 6 large leaf Italian Basil plants in the one pot . I fill the saucer twice a day with water 30 c at the moment. I did let it dry out one day so it is going to seed . Still I feel it will do the job for my girls when the seed arrives.

 

[Billygoat]

The best way to test your potting mix is grow something in it. This is a water only mix I get from a local landscaper supplies.
Not cheep half a cube mtr is $200 .
There is around 6 large leaf Italian Basil plants in the one pot . I fill the saucer twice a day with water 30 c at the moment. I did let it dry out one day so it is going to seed . Still I feel it will do the job for my girls when the seed arrives.

500L for $200 is very, very cheap.

 

[Squire]

500L for $200 is very, very cheap.

I guess that depends how much is your wallet at the time

 

[Billygoat]

I guess that depends how much is your wallet at the time

How so?

Pay peanuts…

 

[Old fox]

I guess that depends how much is your wallet at the time

Fill 10 x 50litre pots. A plant in each pot can yield 12-16 ounces each. Not a bad return of nearly ten pounds of flowers for a $200 outlay. Sell an ounce for $300, and you're wallet is all square again.

 

[Squire]

Fill 10 x 50litre pots. A plant in each pot can yield 12-16 ounces each. Not a bad return of nearly ten pounds of flowers for a $200 outlay. Sell an ounce for $300, and you're wallet is all square again.

Sounds like a plan

 

[OZIOZIAUTO]

Hi all,

What Aus. acquired soils are you using?

Is there anything decent from Bunnings and chain stores?

Apparently soils for tomatoes will work for cannabis.

The last tomato soil I bought from Bunnings was full of woodchips which I hear will toxify the soil for cannabis.

Tips, techniques, ratios - compost/soil to perlite to coco, etc.

Is there an 'all in one' mix you can pot up and good to go?

Which soil for seedlings vs soil to transplant into.

I remember back in my day, you just bought potting mix and it worked fine but a year or so ago I haven't had much luck. The seedling gets to a certain size then slows right down/stops growing (could be shonky seeds) and I'm willing to give this another crack indoors and then outdoors when the weather fines up.

All advice welcome.

j

I have Used only
Searles Premium,
Searles Perlite,
For my Autos for the last five years.
I do have a strict preparation beforehand,but have always had success indoor and outdoor.

 

[Aye Shroomer]

So is the soil pre mixed and sold as a super soil?

My local landscaping has 1cube meter for $80. That’s premium garden blend for raised beds and such.

 

[durban kid]

have a look on 7 east site they have a soil mix there that looks like a really good one
or go to your local landscape supplies place and check out what they have my local one has a veggie mix with duck poo in it its the best stuff i have used to date for my veggie patch and 70 bucks a trailer load it has reduced my need to use supplemental feeding a lot but see what you bloke has and then mabey add to it some extra bat guano or whatever
i still like the idea or burying a big old snapper like the kiwis do and planting on top slow release feeding from the start

 

[ozzy420]

I have been reading this thread and the views are many and varied and we all find what works for US.
For me i used Searls premium organic potting mix that i sived most of the bark and sticks i could remove then did a mix of 70% potting mix 30% coco and found it worked a treat fed power feed every 2-3 weeks after the seedling stage then fed some pot ash in last 4 weeks or so of flowering and to date it has never done me wrong and that is with no adjusting of PH of the water before or after mixing of the power feed or pot ash.
Indoors or out i am of old school of KISS method keep is simple stupid less is more...

 

[VinDeezle]

I use yard soil mixed with brunnings Coco fibre and perlite. 2:2:1 ratio, usually make up 50L at a time. Costs like $6 for the Coco, nothing for the yard soil and $12 for the perlite, so $18 for 50L. Still a bit more than cheap store bought mix, but far better from my experience.

I do however add around 2/3 cup of combo rock dust and a cup of kelp meal for micros. The Combo rock dust is a mix of palagonite, basalt, volcanic and glacial dust alongside gypsum, magnesite, soft phosphate and diatomaceous earth.

I use the mix by itself in 3L starter pots and then add 2tbsp of 3:1:3 organic slow release per 5 gallon pot at repotting around week three or so. The mix will get around 6 weeks by itself, and has managed a couple of auto runs on tap water once you add some slow release.

Here's a mix of yard soil, Coco fibre and rock dust, with perlite or pumice yet to be added.


I get the bricks of Coco for $3 from Coles, yard soil is free and the slow release is like $6. Last run for over 100 days on tap water, and this run is at 63ish days with no issues yet.

I have found I do far better with this simple mix compared to the stuff I tried from Bunnings.

 

[Bigfoot (aka Lil’ Wristy)]

The best soil is the stuff you create yourself, I know not everyone has the ability or the patience to do this but I literately never have to buy soil anymore by making my own RICH soil.
Years of composting , Worm Castings and just tilling the soil one a week or so.
The only thing i add is maybe 5% perlite when i actually intend to plant just for airation in the soil.

Bunnings soil is dead contains no biological activity its sterile.

 

[itchybro]

The best soil is the stuff you create yourself, I know not everyone has the ability or the patience to do this but I literately never have to buy soil anymore by making my own RICH soil.
Years of composting , Worm Castings and just tilling the soil one a week or so.
The only thing i add is maybe 5% perlite when i actually intend to plant just for airation in the soil.

Bunnings soil is dead contains no biological activity its sterile.

what benefit are you achieving by tilling your soil once a week or more ?

 

[VinDeezle]

The best soil is the stuff you create yourself, I know not everyone has the ability or the patience to do this but I literately never have to buy soil anymore by making my own RICH soil.
Years of composting , Worm Castings and just tilling the soil one a week or so.
The only thing i add is maybe 5% perlite when i actually intend to plant just for airation in the soil.

Bunnings soil is dead contains no biological activity its sterile.

Can confirm all my gnat issues went away as soon as I started using well composted yard soil. Was absolutely blown away by the hypoaspis population.

Have tried many bagged mixes, even organics, from Bunnings and the like and they always end up gnat magnets.

I noticed the bagged mixes were devoid of life as they don't heat up easily when you add whole amendments. The yard soil heats up overnight once you add shit and seal it up.

 

[Indy]

Is there a organic substitute that you can use against gnats? I've never experienced them before until just recently with a very small colony (10-12). I bought Mosquito Bits, but never got to try it out.

 

[VinDeezle]

Is there a organic substitute that you can use against gnats? I've never experienced them before until just recently with a very small colony (10-12). I bought Mosquito Bits, but never got to try it out.

You can use Neem as a drench, but I haven't had too much luck with it. Tired Neem top dress previously with no luck as well. Diatomaceous earth as a top dress, but it's messy as all hell.. I have found the Neem oil drench will kill larvae but not deter the mothers. Peroxide will also kill larvae.

Mozzie bits/bacillus thuringiensis is the best bet however from what I have heard.

Nothing beats hypoaspis miles though. Absolute powerhouses.

 

[Bigfoot (aka Lil’ Wristy)]

what benefit are you achieving by tilling your soil once a week or more ?

Not tilling in the traditional sense but, yeah keep the soil turned over regualry slowly adding compost to keep it aerated most soil goes rock hard and clay like after its had water running through it constantly it gets compacted
Aerated soil promotes life.

 

[Indy]

You can use Neem as a drench, but I haven't had too much luck with it. Tired Neem top dress previously with no luck as well. Diatomaceous earth as a top dress, but it's messy as all hell.. I have found the Neem oil drench will kill larvae but not deter the mothers. Peroxide will also kill larvae.

Mozzie bits/bacillus thuringiensis is the best bet however from what I have heard.

Nothing beats hypoaspis miles though. Absolute powerhouses.

Yeah, Neem oil has been a bit hit 'n miss for me too with other pests, but I dare not use it once a plant has flowered either.

Fortunately with the recent colony, I kept them controlled by upping the Peroxide in the hydro system (DWC).

 

[Bigfoot (aka Lil’ Wristy)]

I keep a small compost heap on the right hand side that's not usable and on the left is the stuff i can use that's completely broken down.
I have a main compost Heap in a barrel, and a worm farm that adds fresh Castings.
Both sides are 4 feet deep

 

[VinDeezle]

I keep a small compost heap on the right hand side that's not usable and on the left is the stuff i can use that's completely broken down.
I have a main compost Heap in a barrel, and a worm farm that adds fresh Castings.
Both sides are 4 feet deep
View attachment 28546

Lovely little patch you have going there. I'm a bum and in uni accommodation hiding my whole setup.

Oh how I would kill to have that little space as a getaway.