I’ve had some questions and confusion about Mel’s Mix vs. my suggestion for Modified Mel’s Mix (My Mix) vs. other garden soil options. I’ve decided to write specifically about each choice.
Go here to read about Mel’s Mix.
My Mix
This is the mix I use–on my site I’ve often referred to it as “modified Mel’s Mix.”
- 1 part peat moss
- 1 part vermiculite
- 2 parts compost (as many kinds as you can find)
As with Mel’s Mix, avoid steer manure–it’s high in salt.
I have found that My Mix has enough peat moss and vermiculite to make the soil light and fluffy, and it helps retain water. Since compost is often the least expensive ingredient, this mix is more cost-effective than traditional Mel’s Mix.
Mix As You Go Method
This is how I prefer to mix it. Pour in a bag or two of compost, add an equal amount of vermiculite and peat moss, then mix with a rake or pitch fork. Repeat. I find that in the end, I end up using my hands and arms, and needing a shower. Smelly, but highly effective.
Happy gardening!
I buy mine at Home Depot (N’Rich) and IFA (local ag cooperative).
Great information!
Just wondering, where do you find compost? All I saw at Lowes was the Nutrimulch (turkey droppings), and I read here that isn’t the best because of bugs. So, where is the best place to get bags of compost, and what am I looking for in a good compost? Don’t know much about compost.
Thanks!
It’s 6” Emily. Thanks for the help!
Kim–how tall is your bed? For a 4×4 that is 6″, you would need 2 cubic feet. For 12″, 4 cubic feet.
I figured it would be more expensive. I will buy it in a larger bag online. I guess I was mainly wanting to know how much of the vermiculite do I mix into the 4×4 bed along with the compost and peat moss?
Thanks!
Kim
Kim–it will be so expensive to buy it that way. Did you check this post about vermiculite? It might be better to buy in bulk online. 1 cubic foot=30 quarts.
Hi Emily,
I am doing your version of “Mel’s Mix” and am wondering how many 8 dry quart bags of Vermiculite that I will need to fill a 4×4 raised bed. I can only find the small bags where I live.
Thanks for your help!
Kim Boggs
OMG! You just helped me out tons! Cant tell you how grateful I am! I thought I needed 6 yards for both beds! Thank goodness I dont. Math is not one of my best subjects.
4′x16′=64 square feet x1/2′=32 cubic feet. You need to fill two gardens, so that means 64 cubic feet. If you buy ingredients by the bag, make sure it adds up to 64 cubic feet.
There are 27 cubic feet in a cubic yard, so you need 2 1/2 cubic yards to fill both your beds. I just found a fantastic product called N’Rich by Kellogg. It’s carried at the Home Depot. It has rice hulls in it, which act like vermiculite. So you could combine this with bales of peat moss, maybe add one or two other composts, and be done.
If you’re going to do this, I would say do 1 part peat to 2 parts compost. That means 21 cubic feet of peat moss (probably four 3-cubic foot bales, compressed. When you open them they expand to more like 5 cubic feet) and 45 cubic feet of compost. I would buy twelve 3-cubic foot bags of N’Rich (36 cubic feet) and then get about ten 1-cubic foot bags of one or two kinds of compost as available at your store. Maybe mushroom, chicken, turkey, etc. Stay away from steer (loaded with the salt they feed the steer to fatten them up.)
I hope this helps.
I’m building 2 4x16x6 inch deep garden beds. I’m not sure how much soil I need when I did the math I needed 3yards for just one bed. Did I do the math right? also how do I split them into parts? I cant buy in bulk seeing as theres none who sells in bulk around here. So Im gonna have to buy bags. Know about how much itll cost to buy the soil like that?
thank you emily! i got 2 parts mushroom compost, 1 part perlite, and 1 part peat moss. my bed is 4 foot by 4 foot and is framed by bricko blocks (to save money even though its ugly). Bricko blocks are 12 inches deep, but i also had wet cardboard and old leaves in there getting all nice and yucky. i put the mix on top of that. i did not stamp it down, i just left it all fluffy. what depth of mix do you recommend while its all fluffy–i know it will prolly settle?
This is considered “soil” very much like a potting mix. What it does not contain is dirt.
so…no “soil” at all? like no potting mix? i feel stupid for asking but do these components make up “soil”?
I`m using Dr Earth Veggi,and Herb soil as a compost in Mel`s Mix .I also add a %25 Worm Poop to Soil ratio..having very good results.Has anyone else tried this?
I just bought a premade mix from Millers LLC in Hyrum Utah (you can google them – they supply garden centers all over the intermountain west) and they did several tests to get a better pH and balanced nutrients in a clean and organic mix. I haven’t planted anything yet (it snowed yesterday) but it’s nice and fluffy and if you live nearby their plant you can pick it up in bulk. It cost me $80 for 1 cubic yard and was more than enough for my 10×3 foot 10 inch deep bed. They even scrubbed the bucket clean before scooping it and placing it in our truck. Does that sound like an okay price? This is the first time I’ve done square foot gardening although I’ve got two row gardens out back (we have high winds and need the harder soil for the plants that could blow away otherwise). I like that it was easy. I’ll keep you posted if it grows anything.