Why Smart Gardeners Have Stopped Buying Potting Mix

Comments · 544

• TH

  @the-lady-sows · 8 months ago

  We get through so many bags of multi purpose and it is not only getting really expensive but it seems to have more woody bits in it these days.  I'm definitely going to give this a go.

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• AR

  @Argentumッ · 7 months ago

  Last year, my mom just put a bunch of leftover rotting apples from our trees in a bucket with a bit of potting mix. It was horrible, but she never threw it away. I said it was anaerobic and it'll kill her chilies. She used it anyway, and grew the biggest most vigorous chili plants I've ever seen. Kinda mad honestly.

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• AW

  @awesomeTai · 8 months ago

  I’m so glad you posted this. This is going to be my second gardening season and I’m trying to do it at the lowest possible cost - not for lack of funds, but just to build a valuable skill and try to add value to my household. Great video, thank you so much!

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• HU

  @huporhaha1 · 5 months ago

  When we moved from Cornwall and lived in the NW Highlands of Scotland, I transformed three quarters of an acre of bog into a garden. We were allowed to gather shell sand and seaweed. We made raised beds. The local sheep were self shedding so we could collect their wool. We used some of the wool as insulation for tender plants in winter. When we made compost we used a layer of grass cuttings, a layer of cardboard, a layer of sheeps-wool, a layer of washed up seaweed that we had left outside for the rain to wash the salt off, and a layer of shell sand. We had potatoes until potatoes came again; plums in abundance, raspberries, tayberries, red ,white, and black currants,  carrots, turnips, greens, peas, beans; and in the greenhouse we had peppers, tomatoes, courgettes, cucumbers, and other vegetables. It took us a number of years to build a shelter belt and to deer-proof the garden but we were rewarded with an abundance of crops. Even our beloved departed working dog provided nutrition for a tree planted over him!  In bye-gone years the crofters would build leaking dams into the local harbours. When the tide went out, a number of fish were trapped without water. The trapped fish would be mashed down to pulp and dug into the poor soil. Back in Cornwall, if I have a chicken, I make stock from the bones and grind the bones for bonemeal. I save my egg shells and put them in the blender to add to the Cornish clay soil. My late husband built a number of raised beds in our much smaller garden back in Cornwall. Oddly, some of the veg that thrived in the harsh climate of the NW Highlands don't do as well back here in Cornwall. It is almost as though our inventiveness up there can't be applied down here. We can't just gather shell sand, sheeps-wool, and washed-up seaweed without questions being asked. With the current lack of "fertiliser" worldwide, we need to make sure we can make fertile productive soil without the use of artificial fertiliser. Whatever organic matter we have be it potato peelings, fallen leaves, or clippings from ornamental bushes, we need to make use of them. We have become too much of a thow away society. This channel shows us how to make good use of everything. I love it!

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• ME

  @MetalAsFork · 4 months ago

  :face-purple-wide-eyes:What a sweet little helper muppet.

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• SN

  @Snotra24 · 6 months ago

  This channel has everything it needs for gardening 🧑‍🌾 ❤

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• SU

  @susannefogh889 · 7 months ago

  In Denmark, where I live, coir is more expensive than potting mix, so the price aspect does not hold up. However, the stor bought potting mix contains peat moss, which we really should not use, seen from an environmental perspective. So I will still try to make my own potting mix, taking inspiration from your video 😊

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• CH

  @chilijim · 7 months ago

  I have found the best seed starting mix here in Indonesia is 1 part fine worm castings, 1 part fine and fermented/pasteurized coco coir, and 1 part carbonized rice husks.

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• MA

  @margodeheij8976 · 8 months ago (edited)

  Grit? What an incredible coincidence! I'm doing major maintenance on my larger aquarium at the moment. After some ten years it's time for a new soil. I moved all the fish and shrimp (and snails) to a temporary tank and drained all the water. Now I have all this grit that I was going to chuck in selected spots the garden, but perhaps I should hold some back for making potting mix. It's got fabulously rich fish poop in it, too. I am sure my pepper plants are going to love that :)

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• SH

  @shaunrainbow2344 · 3 months ago

  I brought a deal of 4 x bags at £15. I thought it was a bargain. It was full of wood and also slugs. &nbsp;The damage they caused nearly ruined my whole season. I brought Miracale grow and it has (sort of) rescued my season, but still no Chilli&apos;s or Peppers 😢<br>I have saved tjis video and I will be doing your mix next year. Thanks for the videos and please keep them coming 👍

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• CO

  @corvuscorax9900 · 8 months ago

  The video wouldn&apos;t be the same without your great supervisor! 🐶😁

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• SE

  @sergeleinweber9147 · 8 months ago

  Perlite is essentially tiny shards of volcanic glass; inhaling it can cause permanent lung irritation or &quot;nuisance dust&quot; respiratory issues. <br><br>To stay safe: <br>- Wet it down before pouring to stop the dust. <br>- Wear a mask (N95/FFP2) if mixing dry. <br>- Gloves help too, as it sucks the moisture right out of your skin.<br> <br>Great for drainage, but don&apos;t mess with your lungs!

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