Making your own soil mix can be fun!

[Bobberman]

MB3 nice link for all those potting mixes. I wonder why one mix has white sand. I think anything white in the soil lets the light reflect to the under leaves making the plants grow better! Green sand and white sand how about river sand!

[rainbowgardener]

Re my potting mix: I just noticed this morning that a lot of my pots of seedlings have a bunch of little grayish mushrooms sprouting in them. I imagine that is from the mushroom compost, which logically seems like it could have lots of mushroom spores. They are tiny yet, but I may see if I can grow some out. If it is a commercial mushroom growing operation, you wouldn't think they would be growing any poisonous mushrooms. I don't remember that happening last year when I was using mushroom compost. It is a different brand in case that makes any difference. Otherwise conditions are pretty much all the same - except for substituting rice hulls for perlite in the mix, but I don't see what that could have to do with it.

Anyway my mushroom compost now seems to have sprouted a bunch of mushrooms. Anyone else use mushroom compost? Have this experience?

[Bobberman]

When I got it from the mushroom farm I got lots of mushrooms every 11 days I think that was the time line. Put them in the dark and they may produce but your seedlings need light! Good luck!

[rainbowgardener]

So I went back and looked last night and couldn't find a single mushroom. Apparently all those mushroom babies spending a day under the lights drying up just disappeared. So maybe I had them other years and just didn't happen to look at the right time.

[applestar]

You could experiment with pasteurized used coffee grounds
Stop by a local Starbucks and ask for some -- they use those pressured machines so fresh used grounds are pre-pasteurized and pre-moistened. Put them in a container, mix in a quantity of your mushroom compost (5:1 would be a good ratio), cover with plastic and put in a warm dim lit corner. (I think that would do it)

[IndyGerdener]

I enjoy making my own soil, and my kids do too!!! I lay out a tarp and make 3 tubs worth at a time. We mix it with our feet, my kids LOVE getting dirty with dad!!

I start with (1) 5 gallon bucket filled 2/3 with water, 1 cup fish emulsion and 2 cups bone meal. I stir it up and add the coir to fill it to the top of the bucket, and let it sit and hydrate the coir.

Then we pour out 2 bags of the "Pro Mix" potting soil with 2 bags of mushroom compost, 1/2 bag of perlite, and 1-2 bags of sand. Then we add the bucket of the coir mix.

After this is all on the tarp we get in and dance around, kick, and stomp the soil until it is all mixed well. Since it is on a tarp you can lift up on the corners and gather the whole pile up. Then we put them into the 25 gallon tubs and place them in the greenhouse for planting!!!

I have added rock dust, and other nutes, but the basic method works fine.

[Bobberman]

Watch that bone mill it can cause infections to your feet unless you wear boots! Sounds like a good mix!