If you're just starting out gardening in 2020, this inexpensive set of tools from Amazon can get you and your garden up and running this spring! I know there is a fevered and renewed interest in gardening and many of you are seasoned vets. But remember that there's a whole population out there that hasn't gardened before. Let's help them out and encourage as much as possible! Affiliate links below: Amazon USA: amzn.to/2xXLfbG Amazon Canada: amzn.to/3aoN1AN Amazon U.K.: amzn.to/2XrQA5A The 10x20 nursery trays are a gardener's NECESSITY. Use the Amazon Afilliate links below to find the right ones! Amazon USA: amzn.to/2JFB4uM Amazon Canada: amzn.to/2wQCeBd Amazon U.K.: amzn.to/2xepyEi And if you can't find coconut husks locally: Amazon Canada: amzn.to/2Vg7Kk4 Amazon USA: amzn.to/3efHSxE
Hi Jeff thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise with us. I was wondering the 10×20 tray is great looks sturdy, what can I used it for seeing there is no holes in it? Thanks 😊 Oh I just starting to plant potatos will move on to garlic next 😋
I was hoping to understand the "for a fraction of the cost" a little bit more. However, you didnt have a comparison between total cost or simple mixes or difference in fertilizer amendment. Please point to a video you've already done or discuss this topic further. At this time I'm not my second go around, but I never seem ti have enough dirt or healthy soil. This will be my season year composting and I'm making some fertilizer on my own, like ground up banana peel and dried, crushed egg shell. I'd love to be able to tell ans in actually saving time and money, or will i end up spending just as much in the long run. 🤔🤔🤩 Please help!
Thank you for taking the time to answer questions and providing such valuable information! I have already replanted some of my potted plants but for the rest I will get the ingredients needed to make my own soil for sure!
Ok I'm so glad I found this. After my first 100 bare roots that failed I finally tried making my own with coco fibre but now this is going to super charge my plants.
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms This might be a stupid question, but are all of the additives fine for growing vegetables for human consumption, or only for flowers? I ask because I'm looking at this product -- www.amazon.com/Pounds-Azomite-Organic-Essential-Minerals/dp/B00AJALC2G/ -- and it says "Azomite is not certified for human consumption".
@@matthewingerson I ONLY grow vegetables to eat. What amazon means by "not safe for human consumption" is that you can't eat the stuff. Lol. It's fine as as soil fertilizer/amendment. :-)
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms - I searched your videos and didn't see anything on growing long beans. Long beans were the star performer in my garden last year. I planted about 30 seeds and harvested about 30 gallons over the season. I got about 1.5 quarts every 3 days. The beans are about 18 to 24 inches long and about the thickness of a pencil. They are great when stir-fried, good in soups and stews, and they make amazing pickles. You won't be disappointed.
Was handy, I use CZcams instead of google and there’s thousands of clips so I comment on the ones that are most informative so I get a supply of good content. Ur doing everything right bro! I’m in a cool coastal climate with a short summer so it’s a battle to grow anything..
I'm trying this for my first fall planting today. I'm looking forward to see how well it does! I'm in zone 6a, so I'm doing a make-shift low tunnel, but I think it will work just fine
Thanks! Its not always the case. Everyone always has setbacks.....but after growing and knowing a space for years....you know how to push the limits of what to grow and not to grow. Once there's little room left to experiment....there's also little room left for error! Cheers, happy growing!
OK I am the loudmouth viewer that complained about the $200 worth of additives i bought!!! Sorry, I did not see the small part about the 10% of the mixture going into your huge mix of potting soil and Coco ground up whatever it is. But I bought it all at Amazon because I did not have one inch of any of it in my potting shed. I have always just used potting mix and used a well know fertilizer that u mix with water, yeah that one. Well it works great but I am turning a new leaf and want to see what I can do organically this year. I apologize to you profusely and I will keep my loving comments to myself from now on until I make sure I have it correct. lol No, really I do apologize, it might have cost u some viewers and I sure hope not. You are a good farmer and you know what u are talking about because I would not have purchased all that stuff if not. I assume I will have even some left until after St. Peter comes because I am a 74 yr old little brat that has been gardening all my life and I never spent that much on a few items, but, I have all the confidence it will do me justice and my tomatoes and all my veggies I grow yearly will be bigger, better and more sumptuous than anyone's that grow the ones I grow!!! lol, Ok, so I apologized and I also had to look up most of the words I used because I cannot spell anymore and I used to know how to spell anything, but lately me and old Webster have been a couple. I hate that guy!!!! You are very handsome and that is why I listened to u in the first place which cost me: no I will not tell it again!! My boyfriends and all my husbands were dark haired like you are and were just as cute. I hope your wife appreciates you and if I am ever in your town of_____________USA I will stop by for tea, even though I drink coffee and coke mostly. I hate tea and water, but they do go together well. Ok, see you again and please tell how to grow more southern plants as I live in hot, hot Florida and in the northern region of it, where it is still hot, hot. Good Day all and God Bless!!!
Thought that was so nice of you to admit your wrong and apologize for it. More people should take their cues from you. We as a community should admit a fault but even more forgive those who do. You are a great example of how more people should be.So Thank You . By the way I'm do it all the time when baking. Someday I remember to read a recipe completely through and then go back in second check and make sure my measurements are right before I start baking
Pretty sure you can only make the calcium available by chemical reaction with an acid like cider vinegar. Otherwise would take years to break down enough to be available.
Dude, I just watched your "baking soda" video and the frame where you didn't have your hat, I thought you had a wig, now watching this video and I realize that's your hair! 🤣
How much/% of each of those above product are you incorporating into your potting soil? Also what is the source of K? Thank you so much; I really like this!
Hi! Quick question, do you make your own organic compost? If so, how do we make that? If store bought, what brands do you recommend that are good quality and not too expensive? Thanks! I am just now starting my gardening journey, and I am so excited! I took a Cannabis Science course at St. Louis University, and it made me realize that knowing how to grow plants is a great skill to have, and it is so fun!
Wow, I love that you have Amazon Canada links!! Rarely do people do this even when they are based in Canada. All the additives you suggest, how much of each additive would you put in say a 5 gallon container? BTW thanks for posting these great videos!!
Hey Cathy, thanks for watching! Remember too, a lot of this stuff can be found local, although usually in large quantities. Some bulk bag-your-own places exist as well. For the amendments, I try to make the total amendment load around 10% of the total volume of the mixture. I don't measure, just eyeball it. You can't burn or harm the plants with these things, so a little bit extra won't do any damage. All the best this season!
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms ... I think the question Cathy had (and me too) is not how much of the ready-made amendmend you add to the potting mix, but how much of each amendment ingredient do you use to make the amendment mix. Do you use equal amounts of each or do you need more of the salt versus the rock phosphate, etc.?
You inspire me in container gardening. I’ve been watching your videos for over a year now, I used your links to order supplies and make my own soil. I hope you don’t mind sharing your recommended brand of organic compost and I hope it’s also available here in US. TIA
@@TheRipeTomatoFarmsthank you so much. I have another question, sorry I just thought of it now as I keep rewatching this video, is it okay to premix the amendments altogether in a tub and store them that way for future use?
hiii jeff! i noticed you didn't use perlite in your mix. do you find that its sufficient for drainage? doesn't coco coir hold lots of water? I feel like we're always being sold vermiculite and/or perlite into our potting mixes and I worry that without it, my plants won't do well but I noticed your veggies are growing great. so maybe it's not necessary after all..
@TheRipeTomatoFarms Yes, buried deep in the soil, they are good for providing a serious nitrogen boost. Can you imagine someone throwing that away? It's crazy!
I’m just getting started down this glorious rabbit hole. Do you mix all the amendments mentioned in this video to your seed starting mix? Which ones would you say are the most important to always add to a homemade soil mix? Thanks for putting out such great information.
Hey, thanks for watching! Seed starting mix is a bit different... Seedlings don't need all those nutrients because they have all they need from the seed insides for a couple weeks. It won't hurt, but generally, seed mixes are nutrient-lacking.
Great video. I ordered all my ingredients, but I'm one of those people that like to use a recipe. Could you give measurements, at least for the amended ingredients?
Thanks Erika, thanks for watching! Honestly, if you start with a dynamite compost, then mixing it 50/50 with the coco-fiber you're actually pretty good. If you do want to add anything, shoot for the Alfalfa and the Rock Dust. Those are the two that I never miss and are also the most inexpensive. Remember also, this isn't a mix to be filling raised beds with. This is a potting/seedling/container mix. Unless you're a pro-style operation, you won't be going through yards of this stuff. Cheers!
Hello, I am new to your Chanel and thank you for all the wonderful techniques. I already applied your technique on my strawberries. Anyways I do raised beds here in Jax FL; do you happen to have recipe for garden bed soil? Thank you in advance and look forward to more of your teachings.
Thanks Rosemarie! Cheers to you! This video right here my recipe for potting mix, but you're right, no economical to fill raised beds with. I think you'll have to source that out. Its the one drawback of raised bed gardening....that initial cost of both the beds and the soil.
I am new to your channel and love all the info, however, I am a little confused. I have some of the amendments, can I use all that I have using 50% compost/peat and 10% amendments with my existing plants that are in flower boxes/vegetables in garden/herb cuttings directly around the plants or am I too late in the game? Also, are there amendments or formula's that I should stay away from/use for different vegetables/herbs/flowers or is it one size fits all kind of thing?
I just found your channel and I am enjoying the content and how you present it. I live on Vancouver Island as well, probably just north of you. Where do you buy Natura Beyond Peat? I have been buying Sunshine Mix #4 but it has peat in it and I would like to change to a peat-less mix instead. Thanks.
So awesome Lynn....small world! Beyond Peat you can get in 2 and 4 packs at Home Hardware and Buckerfields. Home Depot has a different brand, but same thing/price. :-)
I know you said 10% of the final mix is the added amendments. I'm wondering if you add equal amounts of each of the things on the list to the base mix of coir and compost?
Thanks Francis! Coco fiber blocks usually become more available as we get into spring. Home improvement stores and garden centers everywhere carry them
hi ! im on my way to grow chilli plants indoor because i get some great seeds. But this is the first time a try to grow a plant from seeds. The plants grow nicely, but i will need to put them a bigger place somtime. All this ingridients what you mention ( the meals) only can i get in my country as rabbit and horsefood compact little tablets for forage. The oyster is for fishing. Can i use them for planting??? Are they bio stuff? is the same what you buy bigger dose? great channel thx
Yes, for planting growing plants is great....but for seeds and seedlings, they don't need any extras. Seeding soil doesn't need any of those additives.
hey, ive got a question..cocopeat is expensive where i live. so i was thinking if i could use sawdust instead as substitute or maybe mix them in certain ratio.. would it work? i just learnt that saw dust sucks off nitrogen from soil, just wondering if i could increase the amount of vermicompost in that mixture to compensate that nitrogen...it wpuld be cheaper for me to use twice the amount of vermicompost and saw dust than using cocopeat n compost...any suggestions??
Hey, thanks for watching! I would not use sawdust in my soil. I would either puff up the soil with rice husks, super shredded straw, or some other light material. I think you'll be in for really bad results with sawdust, even if you compensate with extra nutrients. HOWEVER.....I would 100% experiment with it....and in fact, I'm going to as well!! Let's figure it out!
Forgive me if i missed it, but what are the ratios of the amendments? I know they comprise 10% of the entire finished mixture, but how much of each amendment in the amendment mix?
It’s June 2023 here in zone 5b, and we’ve had a record May rainfall, and June looks about the same.too much of a good thing. I’m worried about all my plants, whether it’s in grow bags, raised beds, or in ground. I’ve tried to keep many of them covered, but I can’t cover them all. Adding soil amendments has been a challenge because everything is already wet! Other than adding soil amendments like slow release fertilizer and bone meal, fish emulsion for the washed out nitrogen and other nutrient deficiencies, do you have any other suggestions? How can I add oxygen to the soil to prevent root rot when everything is already wet? What about fast acting fertilizer like miracle grow (just a small home garden not organic)? Should I add it even if everything is already wet and doesn’t need water? Thank you soo much for your expertise, I love your garden quickies!
Hi great video, excellent information. Now, you said that the ammendments make up approximately 10% of your mix...but...what is the ratio of each of the amendments?
I have a question. You said 1 part coco to 1 part compost. What is your unit off measure? Pounds? volume? Is it wet volume or dry volume. how do I measure the volume of coco? I need a lot for 20 grow bags at seven gallons per grow bag makes a total of 140 gallons of potting mixture. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Hey ricky, weed seeds popping up in your home compost is definitely a concern for a lot of people. I'm not hugely afraid of weeds with my growing style (no-till, layers of mulch), because by design, the way I plant smothers any new unwanted plants from getting established. But for sure, fresh compost, bare, exposed, right on top of your garden beds could sprout weeds, no question.
#New Hi there, I have called all our nurseries and gardening supplies stores in our province and the following items are not found in South Africa: 1.Alfalfa Meal 2. Glacial Rock Dust 3. Oyster Flakes 4. Canola Meal 5. Rock Phosphate 6. Elemental Sulphur Yes, there are only two items I can get here. My question is - can i continue with my planting without these other amendments?
Hey Ladovica..I would look for some other amendments. Crushed seaweed (either homemade or store bought), other legume powders.....there's always something you can use!
I heard from Gardening in Canada Channel that peat moss made in Canada is sustainable, unlike ones in Europe. Would fungus gnats would still lay eggs in this recipe or do they lay eggs only in soil?
Fungus gnats lay eggs in EVERY soft medium. As for the sustainability of peat moss....I've seen it harvested, I wouldn't exactly call it sustainable. Perhaps there's enough to keep replenishing itself, but bogs are some of the most fragile ecosystems around. Just because there's enough peat, doesn't mean we should go around annhilating every bog we see.
Thank you Sir for sharing👍 Incredible channel & excellent information. Could you explain what the ratio of the ammendments? I understand the compost and cocopeat is ratio of 1 to 1 but how do you measure each of the other ingredients and amount used to make the potting soil complete. Eg. If using 5 gallons each of the compost and cocopeat how much is the combined ammendment and their individual quantities? 2. Do you use all the ammendment listed? If not which ones u use combined? Lastly can you explain how you do the peppers hardening so they can be place outside in garden? Thank you.
Hey, thanks for watching and for the support! Once I have the 1:1 mix of compost and coco, I take my amendment mix and make it 10% of that volume. So if I made 10L of the base mix, I'd add in 1 more liter of the amendments. They can be whatever quantity, and sometimes I don't have all of them on hand. Honestly, if you just had the rock dust and the alfalfa meal you'd still be golden.
For peppers (or any plant), I simply take them outside on calm overcast days at first for a few hours....every day for a week. Then start increasing the duration and within about 3 weeks most plants are fully hardened off! Check out this video: czcams.com/video/MsMCG01krRc/video.html
You can super heat it to kill the weed seeds....unfortunately you also kill the LIFE that's in that soil. To me, that s not worth the trade off, so I never bake my soil. I simply mulch my garden beds heavily to choke out any weeds that may spring up.
Question for The Ripe Tomato Farms - Given all the compost and other nutrients in the mix, is there a need to fertilize at all before indoor seedlings are planted outside? Generally, how long will the nutrition last in the mix before additional liquid fertilizations needs to be applied?
That's just it....there isn't any need for it! And when the plants go outside, they are being planted into heavily compost-amended beds with lots of organic mulches.....I haven't bought a commercial fertilizer in nearly 10 years. I do augment with Seaweed fertilizers, compost teas, and fermented weed fertilizers....but that's it! :-)
A very basic question that is hardly ever answered. Where from I get organic potting mix? Which company / brand is the best? All those amendments, their brands? And where from to buy. Is it from Amazon ? We need a very detailed material list , their names and where from to buy . Is it from Amazon? Thanks
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms i guess we will have to agree to disagree. not being a jerk just passing info along. just a FYI did you know that Canada has over 20% of the worlds bogs at over 100 million acres and peat moss grows 50-60 times faster than it is harvested, and when it is harvested and they move to a new spot that area becomes some of the best wetlands for the wildlife, and starts making more peat moss. and i do think it's funny that when the coco coir came on the market is close to the same time when all this about peat moss harvesting being bad started. interesting to me. lol reminds me of when all the fake sweeteners started out, propaganda everywhere. i don't take any ones word for anything research is all i believe in. and even that is getting hard with all the fake stuff out there.
thank you for sharing.. I am just starting to do highrise veg patch.. the Veg I buy from the wet market , sometimes has a bitter taste in it.. Was it a crop rotation problem? What is the time allow for the soil to recover after harvesting? thank you.
Hey Jessie. Taste can be a function of heat, maturity, water content, and yes, even nutrient levels. I haven't seen low nutrients cause bitterness, but I wouldn't discount the possibility! Soil doesn't have a timeline to recover, I prefer to re-use my potting mixes using a couple different techniques: czcams.com/video/EG6Fwkudw6M/video.html Cheers!
Thanks for the support Samina!! Yes, now that the growing season is underway our attention will definitely need to turn to fertilizing the smaller containers and pots that are closed systems and require more inputs. Definitely on the way!
I stumble upon your channel. YOu are very informative and to the point. I am going to start growing food and am watching all your videos. question on the soil mixture. If i am just growing regular plants/flowers/non edible stuff, is this soil mix too much as far as cost is concern?
Great question man. I would definitely just stick with a coco-fiber and compost mixture with maybe some Alfalfa Meal or Canola Meal for shrubs and flowers. No need for all the other stuff if its not for food. Keep the costs down! Cheers!
Hello, thank you for your exceptional knowledge on potting mixes. I do have a question. When mixing the compost and coconut fiber with the additional ingredients/amendments, how much of each must I use in order to get the right mixture, as all the these come in various pound ratios. To get to 1 percent is very confusing. Thank you in advance for your help.
No worries Fred, hopefully I can clarify. The coco fiber/compost is easy....you want a 50/50 ratio. To have the amendments at 10%, you'll need 9 parts coco-fiber/compost to 1 part amendments. If the amendments are all at an equal ratio....just make a batch using equal parts. Add 1 part of the amendment "mix" to 9 parts of the coco-fiber/compost mix. It doesn't matter actual liters.....just get measuring scoops and do it all in parts. Mix all amendments together in equal ratios...at 1 part of it to 9 parts compost mix.....done. :-)
Nice videos, I like your work,,,,,Question,,,,when we talk about soil, compost and manure, if we obtain these products from our local nursery how can we be certain that they are safe to grow food in? Is there a way we can test to be sure that they are getting quality in their loads that they provide to their customers? Im not talking about OMRI listed bags of these products, but large piles that they have for sale there. I need to be sure that what Im growing in is safe,,,, TY for all your videos
Therein lies the problem. You have to simply trust the source. Unless you have the technology to test for toxins, chemicals, or heavy metals, how can you know for sure? Might have to do some digging (no pun intended) to find their source....backtrack to the origins of the materials. Until you can sufficiently supply yourself, there's not much else you can do.
@@Mohamed.musthafa No probs. And if you're doing something like a single-harvest microgreen, go with the Rock Dust for pure remineralization and nutritional value.
That's right Dwight, it isn't. Organic matter is carbon-based compounds from either living or dead organisms. Perlite is amorphous volcanic glass....so no...not organic. :-)
Thank you for sharing this great DIY. I am really just starting out,. I don’t have a garden per se, I made raised beds that sit on my deck. When mixing your amendments do you use a 1 to 1 ratio of each “amendment”? Then using a 10% ratio of that healthy amendment mixture to your potting soil mixture?
Hey there, yes, I try to stick to a 1:1:1:1:1 etc ratio of whatever amendments that I add. And that amendment mix comprises 10% of the total mix. Cheers!
If you're just starting out gardening in 2020, this inexpensive set of tools from Amazon can get you and your garden up and running this spring! I know there is a fevered and renewed interest in gardening and many of you are seasoned vets. But remember that there's a whole population out there that hasn't gardened before. Let's help them out and encourage as much as possible! Affiliate links below:
Amazon USA: amzn.to/2xXLfbG
Amazon Canada: amzn.to/3aoN1AN
Amazon U.K.: amzn.to/2XrQA5A
The 10x20 nursery trays are a gardener's NECESSITY. Use the Amazon Afilliate links below to find the right ones!
Amazon USA: amzn.to/2JFB4uM
Amazon Canada: amzn.to/2wQCeBd
Amazon U.K.: amzn.to/2xepyEi
And if you can't find coconut husks locally:
Amazon Canada: amzn.to/2Vg7Kk4
Amazon USA: amzn.to/3efHSxE
@Benjamin Owen right in Benjamin! Happy growing!
Do you ad a potash later?
Hi Jeff thanks for sharing your knowledge and expertise with us.
I was wondering the 10×20 tray is great looks sturdy, what can I used it for seeing there is no holes in it?
Thanks 😊
Oh I just starting to plant potatos will move on to garlic next 😋
@@pearlblackburn1224- would you drill/ 12345- holes?
I was hoping to understand the "for a fraction of the cost" a little bit more. However, you didnt have a comparison between total cost or simple mixes or difference in fertilizer amendment. Please point to a video you've already done or discuss this topic further. At this time I'm not my second go around, but I never seem ti have enough dirt or healthy soil. This will be my season year composting and I'm making some fertilizer on my own, like ground up banana peel and dried, crushed egg shell. I'd love to be able to tell ans in actually saving time and money, or will i end up spending just as much in the long run. 🤔🤔🤩 Please help!
Thank you for not only giving out great info, but even including links to the ingredients in the description. Greatly appreciated!
Hey no problem, thanks for watching!
I search many, many DIY potting soil videos, and this is the best one. Thank you!
Thanks so much! Really appreciate that young Jedi! :-)
I was only able to find a fraction of these ingredients last year and my tomatoes and plants loved it. Looking forward to using it again this season.
Thank you for pointing out the disadvantages of relying on peat. Stella
Hopefully if enough people change.... ;)
Started using Coco coir/compost/worm castings for basically everything this year. Great stuff
It is for sure Dennis. Plus it smells nice and is so easy to work with!
Dennis: What % of each do you use? I have all three, but not sure how to mix.
@@jdmInteriors Mix the same amount for all three pretty much
Where do you get the oyster flakes and canola meal?
@@alysonwright5544 Amazon
Thank you for taking the time to answer questions and providing such valuable information! I have already replanted some of my potted plants but for the rest I will get the ingredients needed to make my own soil for sure!
Right on Patricia, let us know the results! 🙂
Ok I'm so glad I found this. After my first 100 bare roots that failed I finally tried making my own with coco fibre but now this is going to super charge my plants.
Right on Julian, best of luck!! :-)
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms This might be a stupid question, but are all of the additives fine for growing vegetables for human consumption, or only for flowers?
I ask because I'm looking at this product -- www.amazon.com/Pounds-Azomite-Organic-Essential-Minerals/dp/B00AJALC2G/ -- and it says "Azomite is not certified for human consumption".
@@matthewingerson I ONLY grow vegetables to eat. What amazon means by "not safe for human consumption" is that you can't eat the stuff. Lol. It's fine as as soil fertilizer/amendment. :-)
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms -- Thank you so much! First timer here. I could ask plenty more questions, but I'm just going to wing it. Thanks again!
This is one of my favorite videos about potting soil mix. Thank you for sharing, brother.
I just found your channel and couldn't agree more with your choices. Your videos are a fantastic resource.
Thanks so much Ben! Appreciate the support! :-)
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms - I searched your videos and didn't see anything on growing long beans. Long beans were the star performer in my garden last year. I planted about 30 seeds and harvested about 30 gallons over the season. I got about 1.5 quarts every 3 days. The beans are about 18 to 24 inches long and about the thickness of a pencil. They are great when stir-fried, good in soups and stews, and they make amazing pickles. You won't be disappointed.
You have inspired me & Dog to start our container garden and start a video blog on CZcams. ❤❤❤😊 thanks. You are the BEST 😍😍🥰🥰👏👏🤩🤩
Thanks from New Zealand 🇳🇿 Appreciate it!
Cheers Caley, thanks for watching! :-)
Was handy, I use CZcams instead of google and there’s thousands of clips so I comment on the ones that are most informative so I get a supply of good content. Ur doing everything right bro! I’m in a cool coastal climate with a short summer so it’s a battle to grow anything..
I'm trying this for my first fall planting today. I'm looking forward to see how well it does! I'm in zone 6a, so I'm doing a make-shift low tunnel, but I think it will work just fine
Your plants always look super healthy 😍
Thanks! Its not always the case. Everyone always has setbacks.....but after growing and knowing a space for years....you know how to push the limits of what to grow and not to grow. Once there's little room left to experiment....there's also little room left for error! Cheers, happy growing!
OK I am the loudmouth viewer that complained about the $200 worth of additives i bought!!!
Sorry, I did not see the small part about the 10% of the mixture going into your huge mix of potting soil and Coco ground up whatever it is. But I bought it all at Amazon because I did not have one inch of any of it in my potting shed. I have always just used potting mix and used a well know fertilizer that u mix with water, yeah that one. Well it works great but I am turning a new leaf and want to see what I can do organically this year. I apologize to you profusely and I will keep my loving comments to myself from now on until I make sure I have it correct. lol
No, really I do apologize, it might have cost u some viewers and I sure hope not. You are a good farmer and you know what u are talking about because I would not have purchased all that stuff if not. I assume I will have
even some left until after St. Peter comes because I am a 74 yr old little brat that has been gardening all my life and I never spent that much on a few items, but, I have all the confidence it will do me justice and my tomatoes and all my veggies I grow yearly will be bigger, better and more sumptuous than anyone's that grow the ones I grow!!! lol,
Ok, so I apologized and I also had to look up most of the words I used because I cannot spell anymore and I used to know how to spell anything, but lately me and old Webster have been a couple. I hate that guy!!!! You are very handsome and that is why I listened to u in the first place which cost me: no I will not tell it again!!
My boyfriends and all my husbands were dark haired like you are and were just as cute. I hope your wife appreciates you and if I am ever in your town of_____________USA I will stop by for tea, even though I drink coffee and coke mostly. I hate tea and water, but they do go together well. Ok, see you again and please tell how to grow more southern plants as I live in hot, hot Florida and in the northern region of it, where it is still hot, hot. Good Day all and God Bless!!!
Ha ha never any worries Carolyn! Let us know how the new mix works out for you this year! Epic bounties I hope! :-)
Thought that was so nice of you to admit your wrong and apologize for it. More people should take their cues from you. We as a community should admit a fault but even more forgive those who do. You are a great example of how more people should be.So Thank You . By the way I'm do it all the time when baking. Someday I remember to read a recipe completely through and then go back in second check and make sure my measurements are right before I start baking
Great information! Thanks! I will use this with my compose made from last winter.
Awesome that diy compost will have to make some and need some new rsised beds for some peppers and cucumbers
For sure! Remember though, that this is purely a potting mix.... Don't go filling an entire raised bed with it! $$$$!! Ha ha!
I recommend this video to everyone in the world...great video! 😃
Wow thanks for all this info- I hope I can find it here in Melbourne Australia 👍🏼😊
Right on Susanna, best of luck with your DIY soil and your garden this year!
I have no idea where to even buy all those extra ingredients.
I've never seen them at our stores
Me either
Online is the answer, pretty much as always.
What about adding crushed eggshells as an amendment? I save and freeze my eggshells and then put them through a blender to add to my soil mix.
Definitely! Extra calcium, why not! :-)
I actually powder my eggs shells in a nutra bullet, this makes the calcium available right away. Happy gardening!
Pretty sure you can only make the calcium available by chemical reaction with an acid like cider vinegar. Otherwise would take years to break down enough to be available.
Add a few tablespoons of 5% vinegar to your two gallon hand watering can. This makes a HUGE difference in absorption of calcium and nutrients.
Dude, I just watched your "baking soda" video and the frame where you didn't have your hat, I thought you had a wig, now watching this video and I realize that's your hair! 🤣
Thank you for that, it was really very useful information. Guess I'll never forget that now! God bless!
Even if you do forget it, Google ensures that it will always be here for you to watch again, LOL! Thanks, stay safe!
Great stuff. Can you make a video on to maintain or refresh this every season? Can we re use , if so to what extent?
How much/% of each of those above product are you incorporating into your potting soil? Also what is the source of K? Thank you so much; I really like this!
Hi!
Quick question, do you make your own organic compost? If so, how do we make that? If store bought, what brands do you recommend that are good quality and not too expensive? Thanks! I am just now starting my gardening journey, and I am so excited! I took a Cannabis Science course at St. Louis University, and it made me realize that knowing how to grow plants is a great skill to have, and it is so fun!
He has a compost video if you haven't seen it already!
Great video. The amendments are numerous. I may just buy potting soil.
Yeah, it's one of those things where you don't need them all.... But each one does certainly add to it
Wow, I love that you have Amazon Canada links!! Rarely do people do this even when they are based in Canada. All the additives you suggest, how much of each additive would you put in say a 5 gallon container? BTW thanks for posting these great videos!!
Hey Cathy, thanks for watching! Remember too, a lot of this stuff can be found local, although usually in large quantities. Some bulk bag-your-own places exist as well. For the amendments, I try to make the total amendment load around 10% of the total volume of the mixture. I don't measure, just eyeball it. You can't burn or harm the plants with these things, so a little bit extra won't do any damage. All the best this season!
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms ... I think the question Cathy had (and me too) is not how much of the ready-made amendmend you add to the potting mix, but how much of each amendment ingredient do you use to make the amendment mix. Do you use equal amounts of each or do you need more of the salt versus the rock phosphate, etc.?
@@silentepsilon888 Yeah he Never really explained that
He did - equal portions of all the suggested amendments.
You inspire me in container gardening. I’ve been watching your videos for over a year now, I used your links to order supplies and make my own soil. I hope you don’t mind sharing your recommended brand of organic compost and I hope it’s also available here in US. TIA
I've been using Sea Soil brand for the last 4 years or so. I think it's available in the Pacific Northwest...... Not sure where else though
@@TheRipeTomatoFarmsthank you so much. I have another question, sorry I just thought of it now as I keep rewatching this video, is it okay to premix the amendments altogether in a tub and store them that way for future use?
@@Grace-bq8qg yeah, I've found if you keep it on the drier side, it stores quite well.
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms You are a blessing! This is going to be my first time gardening. I hope all goes well.
Cool beans. Hope I can find coconut husks.
If not, Amazon sells them. But they are usually readily available even at hardware stores this time of year!
I never knew about coconut fiber! Kool idea thanks.
Definitely much better alternative than peat moss. Thanks for watching!
I liked your video. I wish you had this in print form in the description so I could take a screenshot.
Definitely Jan! Blog is coming soon where all of the videos will be released as articles! SOON!🍅🍅🍅
Thank you for sharing! I love your channel, I'm learning as I go and plant new vegetables.
Right on Ana! Thanks so much for watching. Always happy to have new gardeners along for the journey! 🎋🌱🍈🍓🌶🍆🍍🍅
Thanks for the video. Just way I was looking for.
Awesome! Appreciate the support!
Thank you, this will help more than you think!!!
hiii jeff! i noticed you didn't use perlite in your mix. do you find that its sufficient for drainage? doesn't coco coir hold lots of water?
I feel like we're always being sold vermiculite and/or perlite into our potting mixes and I worry that without it, my plants won't do well but I noticed your veggies are growing great.
so maybe it's not necessary after all..
Someone threw away several boxes of organic, dried spinach flakes and i was there to rescue them. They have done wonders for my garden! 😊
Dried spinach flakes? I didn't even know that was a thing! Did you use them as a fertilizer?
@TheRipeTomatoFarms Yes, buried deep in the soil, they are good for providing a serious nitrogen boost. Can you imagine someone throwing that away? It's crazy!
@@Anne--Marie that's so epic... I must investigate...!
I’m just getting started down this glorious rabbit hole. Do you mix all the amendments mentioned in this video to your seed starting mix? Which ones would you say are the most important to always add to a homemade soil mix? Thanks for putting out such great information.
Hey, thanks for watching! Seed starting mix is a bit different... Seedlings don't need all those nutrients because they have all they need from the seed insides for a couple weeks. It won't hurt, but generally, seed mixes are nutrient-lacking.
Great video. I ordered all my ingredients, but I'm one of those people that like to use a recipe. Could you give measurements, at least for the amended ingredients?
Thank U for explanations and going straight to the point. I wonder if you can suggest a more economical way to enrich the soil.
Thanks Erika, thanks for watching! Honestly, if you start with a dynamite compost, then mixing it 50/50 with the coco-fiber you're actually pretty good. If you do want to add anything, shoot for the Alfalfa and the Rock Dust. Those are the two that I never miss and are also the most inexpensive. Remember also, this isn't a mix to be filling raised beds with. This is a potting/seedling/container mix. Unless you're a pro-style operation, you won't be going through yards of this stuff. Cheers!
Newbie question: when you say mix 1:1, is that by weight or by volume?
Hello, I am new to your Chanel and thank you for all the wonderful techniques. I already applied your technique on my strawberries. Anyways I do raised beds here in Jax FL; do you happen to have recipe for garden bed soil? Thank you in advance and look forward to more of your teachings.
Thanks Rosemarie! Cheers to you! This video right here my recipe for potting mix, but you're right, no economical to fill raised beds with. I think you'll have to source that out. Its the one drawback of raised bed gardening....that initial cost of both the beds and the soil.
Thanks for sharing. More power to you!
I am new to your channel and love all the info, however, I am a little confused. I have some of the amendments, can I use all that I have using 50% compost/peat and 10% amendments with my existing plants that are in flower boxes/vegetables in garden/herb cuttings directly around the plants or am I too late in the game? Also, are there amendments or formula's that I should stay away from/use for different vegetables/herbs/flowers or is it one size fits all kind of thing?
If you live in a remote area and most of the ingredients are not available what do you do. All we have is some compost cow , shhep and chicken dung
I just found your channel and I am enjoying the content and how you present it. I live on Vancouver Island as well, probably just north of you. Where do you buy Natura Beyond Peat? I have been buying Sunshine Mix #4 but it has peat in it and I would like to change to a peat-less mix instead. Thanks.
So awesome Lynn....small world! Beyond Peat you can get in 2 and 4 packs at Home Hardware and Buckerfields. Home Depot has a different brand, but same thing/price. :-)
Man, you gonna have to up that price for those plant starts if you put all those amendments.
Ha ha, its expensive initially....but a little goes a long way and even large batches of potting mix only use up relatively little.
So very helpful, thank you! Love your channel.
Awesome Zahida, thanks so much for the support!
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms You are welcome!
I know you said 10% of the final mix is the added amendments. I'm wondering if you add equal amounts of each of the things on the list to the base mix of coir and compost?
Yes Mary, equal parts of all amendments by volume.
Just what I was wondering but you have answered Mary so thanks
@@tassiegirl1991 Cheers Avril, glad to have helped by proxy, lol!
Can you look at this example 10% of 5 gallons of coco/peat = 0.5 gal (1.9L) of dry amendments ?
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms Hey , great work you do , I have learnt so much from you in a short space of time . Keep up the great content 👍🏾🙏🏾.
Bro started it like a David Attenborough documentary. lol
Thanks for the quick response.Last question. Thinking of growing my own pickling cukes and also wondering if this potting mixture will work.
Most definitely Francis. Cucumbers love the light, airy mixes!
I just brought miracle grow soil. I didn’t buy the additional items. Hope my plant grow.
Love your channel and thanks for sharing. One questionis where I can buy the coconut fibre. Thanks again.
Thanks Francis! Coco fiber blocks usually become more available as we get into spring. Home improvement stores and garden centers everywhere carry them
Good video Thank you kid from Australia
It's ideal composition with the amendments but I guess this cost much money than save.
hi ! im on my way to grow chilli plants indoor because i get some great seeds. But this is the first time a try to grow a plant from seeds. The plants grow nicely, but i will need to put them a bigger place somtime. All this ingridients what you mention ( the meals) only can i get in my country as rabbit and horsefood compact little tablets for forage. The oyster is for fishing. Can i use them for planting??? Are they bio stuff? is the same what you buy bigger dose? great channel thx
Yes, for planting growing plants is great....but for seeds and seedlings, they don't need any extras. Seeding soil doesn't need any of those additives.
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms thx for the answer cheers
You should make that and sell it hell I would buy it I don’t really have the stuff to make compost or get all of that stuff
Phase II of The Ripe Tomato Farms would LOVE to see that happen! :-)
Thank you for sharing! Do you have a recommendation for replacing Canola meal? I am allergic to canola
hey, ive got a question..cocopeat is expensive where i live. so i was thinking if i could use sawdust instead as substitute or maybe mix them in certain ratio.. would it work? i just learnt that saw dust sucks off nitrogen from soil, just wondering if i could increase the amount of vermicompost in that mixture to compensate that nitrogen...it wpuld be cheaper for me to use twice the amount of vermicompost and saw dust than using cocopeat n compost...any suggestions??
Hey, thanks for watching! I would not use sawdust in my soil. I would either puff up the soil with rice husks, super shredded straw, or some other light material. I think you'll be in for really bad results with sawdust, even if you compensate with extra nutrients. HOWEVER.....I would 100% experiment with it....and in fact, I'm going to as well!! Let's figure it out!
Forgive me if i missed it, but what are the ratios of the amendments? I know they comprise 10% of the entire finished mixture, but how much of each amendment in the amendment mix?
It’s June 2023 here in zone 5b, and we’ve had a record May rainfall, and June looks about the same.too much of a good thing. I’m worried about all my plants, whether it’s in grow bags, raised beds, or in ground. I’ve tried to keep many of them covered, but I can’t cover them all. Adding soil amendments has been a challenge because everything is already wet! Other than adding soil amendments like slow release fertilizer and bone meal, fish emulsion for the washed out nitrogen and other nutrient deficiencies, do you have any other suggestions? How can I add oxygen to the soil to prevent root rot when everything is already wet? What about fast acting fertilizer like miracle grow (just a small home garden not organic)? Should I add it even if everything is already wet and doesn’t need water? Thank you soo much for your expertise, I love your garden quickies!
Hi great video, excellent information. Now, you said that the ammendments make up approximately 10% of your mix...but...what is the ratio of each of the amendments?
I have a question. You said 1 part coco to 1 part compost. What is your unit off measure? Pounds? volume? Is it wet volume or dry volume. how do I measure the volume of coco? I need a lot for 20 grow bags at seven gallons per grow bag makes a total of 140 gallons of potting mixture. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks
Always volume
THANKS FOR THIS INFORMATION
Cheers James, thanks for watching! 🙂
Thanks for this very informative video. However, can you give the ratio for the amendment additives, please.
I use the amendments in equal parts (1:1:1:1:1:1:1 etc) to a total of around 10% of my total mixture.
No need for something like vermiculate?! Perfect!
Im a new subscriber. You have great content bro.
Right on, thanks so much Dennis! Appreciate the support!
When you say compost. What about weed seeds sprouting
Hey ricky, weed seeds popping up in your home compost is definitely a concern for a lot of people. I'm not hugely afraid of weeds with my growing style (no-till, layers of mulch), because by design, the way I plant smothers any new unwanted plants from getting established. But for sure, fresh compost, bare, exposed, right on top of your garden beds could sprout weeds, no question.
Like you receipt for planting mixture, where do you purchase small quantities of these ingredients..
#New
Hi there,
I have called all our nurseries and gardening supplies stores in our province and the following items are not found in South Africa:
1.Alfalfa Meal
2. Glacial Rock Dust
3. Oyster Flakes
4. Canola Meal
5. Rock Phosphate
6. Elemental Sulphur
Yes, there are only two items I can get here.
My question is - can i continue with my planting without these other amendments?
Hey Ladovica..I would look for some other amendments. Crushed seaweed (either homemade or store bought), other legume powders.....there's always something you can use!
Instead of using oyster flakes, could I not substitute egg shells for calcium amendment? Thanks!
Definitely! Egg shells work great! And they are free because we already have them when we eat the eggs...win-win!
I was thinking that same haha thanks
I have the tiny pebble calcium supplement I feed my chickens....wonder if that would work as well....
Hi how are you today and yours? I was wondering can you use the organic potting soil for the beds of your garden as top soil???
For sure you can Paula. Either store bought or make your own! :)
Oh boy getting those amendments individually,
I use peatmoss or coc with compost and vermiculite
Nice! Should be a good mix!
I heard from Gardening in Canada Channel that peat moss made in Canada is sustainable, unlike ones in Europe. Would fungus gnats would still lay eggs in this recipe or do they lay eggs only in soil?
Fungus gnats lay eggs in EVERY soft medium. As for the sustainability of peat moss....I've seen it harvested, I wouldn't exactly call it sustainable. Perhaps there's enough to keep replenishing itself, but bogs are some of the most fragile ecosystems around. Just because there's enough peat, doesn't mean we should go around annhilating every bog we see.
Can you add fertiliser 16-16-16 and mix it together? What about adding chicken poo?
Depending on your use case and your goal, you can add that stuff, for sure.
Thank you Sir for sharing👍
Incredible channel & excellent information.
Could you explain what the ratio of the ammendments? I understand the compost and cocopeat is ratio of 1 to 1 but how do you measure each of the other ingredients and amount used to make the potting soil complete. Eg. If using 5 gallons each of the compost and cocopeat how much is the combined ammendment and their individual quantities?
2. Do you use all the ammendment listed? If not which ones u use combined?
Lastly can you explain how you do the peppers hardening so they can be place outside in garden?
Thank you.
Hey, thanks for watching and for the support! Once I have the 1:1 mix of compost and coco, I take my amendment mix and make it 10% of that volume. So if I made 10L of the base mix, I'd add in 1 more liter of the amendments. They can be whatever quantity, and sometimes I don't have all of them on hand. Honestly, if you just had the rock dust and the alfalfa meal you'd still be golden.
For peppers (or any plant), I simply take them outside on calm overcast days at first for a few hours....every day for a week. Then start increasing the duration and within about 3 weeks most plants are fully hardened off! Check out this video: czcams.com/video/MsMCG01krRc/video.html
Great video and Can that soil be used for carolina reaper, hot chillis, cubcumber, sunflower and cabagge
100% Robin. Without question. If your compost pH is near 7, skip the Dolomite and Elemental sulphur and you're golden! Cheers!
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms thanks and can i have youre email
@@robingw2615 Sure, its theripetomatofarms@gmail.com
My compost pile has weed seeds in it. What can I do to make it a better quality?
M.A. Enriquez it need to get hot in order to kill the weed seeds.
You can super heat it to kill the weed seeds....unfortunately you also kill the LIFE that's in that soil. To me, that s not worth the trade off, so I never bake my soil. I simply mulch my garden beds heavily to choke out any weeds that may spring up.
Can I use the potting mix to grow potatoes in a container?
DEFINITELY. I used it for both potatoes and carrots last summer and it worked amazing.
Question for The Ripe Tomato Farms - Given all the compost and other nutrients in the mix, is there a need to fertilize at all before indoor seedlings are planted outside? Generally, how long will the nutrition last in the mix before additional liquid fertilizations needs to be applied?
That's just it....there isn't any need for it! And when the plants go outside, they are being planted into heavily compost-amended beds with lots of organic mulches.....I haven't bought a commercial fertilizer in nearly 10 years. I do augment with Seaweed fertilizers, compost teas, and fermented weed fertilizers....but that's it! :-)
A very basic question that is hardly ever answered. Where from I get organic potting mix? Which company / brand is the best?
All those amendments, their brands? And where from to buy. Is it from Amazon ?
We need a very detailed material list , their names and where from to buy . Is it from Amazon? Thanks
just a FYI update on peat moss it is sustainable and not harmful to the environment. check out what the are doing in Canada in the peat moss industry
I live in Canada and I've visited peat bog extraction sites....and I disagree.
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms i guess we will have to agree to disagree. not being a jerk just passing info along. just a FYI did you know that Canada has over 20% of the worlds bogs at over 100 million acres and peat moss grows 50-60 times faster than it is harvested, and when it is harvested and they move to a new spot that area becomes some of the best wetlands for the wildlife, and starts making more peat moss. and i do think it's funny that when the coco coir came on the market is close to the same time when all this about peat moss harvesting being bad started. interesting to me. lol reminds me of when all the fake sweeteners started out, propaganda everywhere. i don't take any ones word for anything research is all i believe in. and even that is getting hard with all the fake stuff out there.
thank you for sharing.. I am just starting to do highrise veg patch..
the Veg I buy from the wet market , sometimes has a bitter taste in it..
Was it a crop rotation problem?
What is the time allow for the soil to recover after harvesting?
thank you.
Hey Jessie. Taste can be a function of heat, maturity, water content, and yes, even nutrient levels. I haven't seen low nutrients cause bitterness, but I wouldn't discount the possibility! Soil doesn't have a timeline to recover, I prefer to re-use my potting mixes using a couple different techniques: czcams.com/video/EG6Fwkudw6M/video.html
Cheers!
For the nitrogen aspect..would mixing coffee grounds work?
It can't hurt Sheri. People have great success with it!
After watching your video i wondered if all the amendments are in equal parts by weight or by volume?
New subscriber.... pls do a video how you fertilize your container plants
Thanks for the support Samina!! Yes, now that the growing season is underway our attention will definitely need to turn to fertilizing the smaller containers and pots that are closed systems and require more inputs. Definitely on the way!
I stumble upon your channel. YOu are very informative and to the point. I am going to start growing food and am watching all your videos. question on the soil mixture. If i am just growing regular plants/flowers/non edible stuff, is this soil mix too much as far as cost is concern?
Great question man. I would definitely just stick with a coco-fiber and compost mixture with maybe some Alfalfa Meal or Canola Meal for shrubs and flowers. No need for all the other stuff if its not for food. Keep the costs down! Cheers!
Could I also use this recipe in my raised garden beds?
Definitely... But I wouldn't fill the whole bed with it... Just the top layer.
Do you top dress with the amendments through out the grow? Or supplement teas instead? When and how often during a grow cycle?
Wow! Thank you.
No problem, thanks so much for watching!
perlite is bad? I think it can be in organic gardens...
Hello, thank you for your exceptional knowledge on potting mixes. I do have a question. When mixing the compost and coconut fiber with the additional ingredients/amendments, how much of each must I use in order to get the right mixture, as all the these come in various pound ratios. To get to 1 percent is very confusing. Thank you in advance for your help.
No worries Fred, hopefully I can clarify. The coco fiber/compost is easy....you want a 50/50 ratio. To have the amendments at 10%, you'll need 9 parts coco-fiber/compost to 1 part amendments. If the amendments are all at an equal ratio....just make a batch using equal parts. Add 1 part of the amendment "mix" to 9 parts of the coco-fiber/compost mix. It doesn't matter actual liters.....just get measuring scoops and do it all in parts. Mix all amendments together in equal ratios...at 1 part of it to 9 parts compost mix.....done. :-)
The Ripe Tomato Farms thank you so much. It now makes sense.
I’m curious is the canola meal does anything to resell insects as canola oil is often used in pesticides
Such a nice recipe for potting soil 👍 Can this be used for raised beds too?
Thanks VS. Definitely.....although don't fill the whole bed with it...use it more as a topping mix. :-)
Nice videos, I like your work,,,,,Question,,,,when we talk about soil, compost and manure, if we obtain these products from our local nursery how can we be certain that they are safe to grow food in? Is there a way we can test to be sure that they are getting quality in their loads that they provide to their customers? Im not talking about OMRI listed bags of these products, but large piles that they have for sale there. I need to be sure that what Im growing in is safe,,,, TY for all your videos
Therein lies the problem. You have to simply trust the source. Unless you have the technology to test for toxins, chemicals, or heavy metals, how can you know for sure? Might have to do some digging (no pun intended) to find their source....backtrack to the origins of the materials. Until you can sufficiently supply yourself, there's not much else you can do.
Sir please tell us single item to mix with cocopeat. Instead of many items for seedlings.
For seedlings.....probably Alfalfa meal.....its the best, on its own, for seelings.
@@TheRipeTomatoFarms thanks.
@@Mohamed.musthafa No probs. And if you're doing something like a single-harvest microgreen, go with the Rock Dust for pure remineralization and nutritional value.
Thank you good sir!
I have a question about perlite. Are you saying that perlite is not organic?
That's right Dwight, it isn't. Organic matter is carbon-based compounds from either living or dead organisms. Perlite is amorphous volcanic glass....so no...not organic. :-)
Thank you for sharing this great DIY. I am really just starting out,. I don’t have a garden per se, I made raised beds that sit on my deck. When mixing your amendments do you use a 1 to 1 ratio of each “amendment”? Then using a 10% ratio of that healthy amendment mixture to your potting soil mixture?
Hey there, yes, I try to stick to a 1:1:1:1:1 etc ratio of whatever amendments that I add. And that amendment mix comprises 10% of the total mix. Cheers!
Thank you 😀🖼