What is a fair price for cooked living soil?
- Thread starter myke
- Start date
youraveragehorticulturist
Well-Known Member
That's an interesting question. Usually people buy un-bagged soil by the truckload. I wonder what the market is like for "Craft Soil Blends."
Richard Drysift
Well-Known Member
Some dickhead at the hydro store wanted to sell me a homemade “super soil” mix for $15 a pound. That was a few years ago. A 10 lb bag of subcool’s TGA mix used to go for $45. Don’t know if they even sell that anymore.
kratos015
Well-Known Member
Bale of peat moss = $13 for 6 cuft
Bag of perlite = $20 for 3.5 cuft
Compost from hardware store = $8 for 2 cuft.
16lb bag Basalt = $30 from BuildASoil with free shipping
5-5-5 Dr Earth = $15 for a 5lb bag.
Making your own batch of dank soil on the cheap? Priceless.
Seriously though,
1 bale of peat moss, 2 bags perlite, 2 bags compost, basalt, + Dr Earth mix = ~$115 for 16 cuft (120 gallons) of soil.
Same amount of money will net you 9 cuft of FFOF, or equivalent.
One time cost for me as I run no-till, just plant new plants in the same pots, top dress with your preferred organic amendment mix, cover that with compost. Done deal.
That 16 cuft of soil will last you multiple years before it fully decomposes, then it becomes your compost input for your next batch of soil.
Only requires maintenance costs in the form of organic amendment mixes and compost.
Bag of perlite = $20 for 3.5 cuft
Compost from hardware store = $8 for 2 cuft.
16lb bag Basalt = $30 from BuildASoil with free shipping
5-5-5 Dr Earth = $15 for a 5lb bag.
Making your own batch of dank soil on the cheap? Priceless.
Seriously though,
1 bale of peat moss, 2 bags perlite, 2 bags compost, basalt, + Dr Earth mix = ~$115 for 16 cuft (120 gallons) of soil.
Same amount of money will net you 9 cuft of FFOF, or equivalent.
One time cost for me as I run no-till, just plant new plants in the same pots, top dress with your preferred organic amendment mix, cover that with compost. Done deal.
That 16 cuft of soil will last you multiple years before it fully decomposes, then it becomes your compost input for your next batch of soil.
Only requires maintenance costs in the form of organic amendment mixes and compost.
kratos015
Well-Known Member
Check the 4-4-4 mix you plan on using, any amendment mix worth its salt will have kelp meal in it. Find another mix if it doesn't IMO.
No shame in grabbing bagged soil if that is your most affordable option. Just my opinion, but growing shouldn't ever break the bank.
Do what's affordable, and what works for you.
Just been my experience that building my own soil is cheaper, but in hindsight I was completely ignorant of prices in other locations around the world so my apologies there.
A non-cheap part of Canada I guess. Here in Ottawa Valley area in Eastern Ontario, farm supply seed & feed outlets are your friend. Canadian Tire often has sales on the Pro-mix bales, especially this time of year. Redflagdeals is a good site for watching. Ritches seed & feed sells those HUGE bags of perlite for about $26 with all taxes in. Alfalfa pellets are even cheaper by the 50 pound seed bag. I don't use Gaia green or anything else that is manufactured/processed and comes in plastic tubs, so I can't comment on that one. I just don't see the need with my grow style. No idea what "humis" is, or why I would need it either. I'm a very simple grower. Lol
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The extra price is because it takes a very special super soil to properly circulate in a hydro system. Lol /s
Heres a place that sells no-till living soil in the U.S. Thought it might give you some idea
1.5cuft for $27.99
1 yd for $375
1.5cuft for $27.99
1 yd for $375
myke
Well-Known Member
Ya thanks. That’s US$ here in Canada it’s a little more then a dollar a litre. So that 10g bag here would be about $50.