How to Make An All Purpose Garden Soil from 3 Bagged Products: Cheaper & Better Than Any Bagged Mix!

This is my annual video on making your own garden soil that is better and cheaper than anything you can buy. Use this mix for potting up, containers, raised, and earth beds. A great all purpose garden soil that can be built upon as you wish. Yes you can substitute the leaf compost with other quality compost that is high in organic matter.

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[Earthy-Artist]

Since learning them a few years ago, my 'go to' raised bed/container mix has been and continues to be your recipe from a few years ago containing manure, peat, topsoil & granular fertilizer & a touch of garden lime. I also rely on your sterilized seed starting mix recipe containing sterilized peat, vermiculite, & then adding worm castings. I like the sound of todays new recipe it's nice to have alternative 'options' using whatever is available nowadays. Your recipes work wonderfully & thank you so much for sharing your wealth of knowledge & making gardening more affordable and accessible! 🍄🌶🧄🧄🥒🥕🧅🍇🍅🍆🥔🌿

[JeanneKinland]

I just purchased 2 bags of peat moss at Menards for $14.99 each bag of 2.2 CF same brand. Plus I get 10% off rebate. We just cut down a huge tree last fall and the guys shredded it and left a huge pile next to my garden so that's free stuff. I added the leaves and greens from mowing the lawn in the fall. My husband just added a truck load of cow manure from a local organic dairy farm. Plus he throws the ashes from our wood burning stove over the garden all winter long and tills all that stuff into the garden. I almost forgot the worm castings. We are just using the wood chips in the walking paths between the rows to suppress weeds.

[CiaofCleburne]

Great video, I’m sure but I just wanna take a second for gratitude. I am so thankful I have acres of fabulous organic, nature-created soil for my new gardens. I just want to thank the trees, the elements and the organisms that created my beautiful garden soil.

[SR]

THIS Is why I love your channel! Great info as always. Thanks Gary.

[rockyusa]

$13 to $24 wow that's a huge jump in price. I do agree making your own potting soil is better. (It is also fun. Who doesn't like playing in dirt)

[andysbucketgarden]

I was literally just watching your old ones! Interesting how things change

[teakatt]

I was glad I had most of a bag of peat moss from last year when I saw the prices increase, my county recycling center offers free compost and mulch and it's been integral in making this mix on a small budget. Last year I mixed worm castings in with your recipe for seed starting mix after cooling - seedlings did great but this year I decided to save the worm castings for the planting hole with some leftover granular and simply start my seeds later/plant them out sooner - most won't need weeks of fertilizer indoors. This is such a great all purpose mix that can be tweaked for individual needs, the one thing I change is my beds/containers for carrots and other root vegetables is less compost, and more pearlite right along the rows (like a "this seems silly" amount of pearlite, but it finally was the change that got me success with carrots last year!).

[ceecee-thetransplantedgardener]

Can't find Leafgro in my area but a 2.2 cu ft bag of peat is still around $15-16. Lose some, win some. :) I mix my own soil as well - I use a big kiddy pool. BTW - your "soil recipe" basics saved my raised beds last year when I got less than stellar stuff from a local supplier. You can take any of these basic components and amend planting mediums for better results. I am proof. Thanks Gary!

[sandradunn]

Thank you for all the information you give us. This video in particular is so helpful as the costs have gone up considerably.

[nadia_rem]

I just realized it was your videos i watched when i was setting up my first raised bed 2 years ago and didn't want to buy the $$$ bagged stuff. Learned alot of valuable info from your videos. I'd since been using your technique of mixing your own. Too bad about the peat moss price increase though. 😢

[cynthiacarr]

Tyfs Gary always a Blessing You are!❤😁👏🏾 love your videos and this makes it more affordable on retirement funds keep it up!

[wakamoli]

You can use any compost such as bulk, it doesn't really matter what brand, they all come from various sources that contained their own unique composition of npk and micronutients. I usually buy the cheapest compost or even cow manure because they all are just fillers, if you think about it like hydroponics only think of a soiless component that used to hold the plant and roots in a container full of water but you add nutrients to the reservoir which is the same as soil containing the same ingredients. Sometimes the compost may be lacking so npk ingredients are added such as bonemeal and etc.

[jameswahl]

Always interesting and always learning from you. Thanks.

[johac]

My only additive would be, Alfalfa pellets/cubes, I use fresh ones, as well as have a compost bin full of the Alfalfa waste from making a tea all summer long for watering, or for those that live where Alfalfa hay is baled it works in the tea barrel too, then composted.

[cb]

From $12 to $24... yea that's an insane price increase. Just checked local big box, and my god you are sadly correct.

[marygrott]

Great information! Thanks so much, Gary.

[steveott]

Gary, thanks for all you do to inspire us newbies to jump into gardening. I have a couple of questions. Considering peat moss is compressed, should I use the expanded volume in mix recipes? Also I started a large shredded leaf mould pile in the fall which is starting to break down but has a way to go. Could I use this in the mix if using for raised beds or will it consume nitrogen as it continues to break down? Thanks.

[alicias]

Do you have any episodes that talk about fertilizer and what the numbers mean? What is the difference between 10-10-10 and 3-3-3? One is stronger?

[destinyandpurpose]

I have some hardwood (mostly oak) shreds left from sawing seasoned (1yr) firewood last Oct that I bagged up and stored. I had hoped to use them as a filler in the bottom of a raised bed. I worried about the nitrogen issue so I have not used them yet. They are still light colored and there is only a small amount of dust. Could I use this as the hardwood mulch for this mix with my mushroom compost and sphagnum peat moss??? I am so excited to announce that after peeking into your garden, I have installed my first cattle panel trellis!!! Thank you so much for sharing your ideas and all of the helpful advice and information!! You are the bomb, lol!