I'm doing a veggie garden for the first time in about 20 years this year. I'll be growing tomatoes, peppers, okra, and green beans. I'll be using these elevated beds from Tractor Supply, along with some 15 gallon grow bags. My question is what to fill them with. Here in Georgia, my soil is basically red clay.
I'm considering the Soil3 product for raised beds. $200 for 1 cubic yard delivered. The specs are:
The core ingredient of Veggie Mix is our OMRI Listed compost, delivering essential nutrition and beneficial soil microorganisms.
The other 25% contains:
• Aged Bark Fines: Enhances drainage, acting as a natural soil conditioner
• HydraFiber Refined Wood Fibers: Further improves drainage and regulates water retention
• Activated Charcoal: Protects plants against persistent herbicides, a crucial ingredient for healthy vegetable gardens with today's environmental challenges
It basically works out to $7.40 per cubic foot. Is there something better/cheaper I could use? If I do get this, do you think it will need any amendments? There are so many options…
by Clean_Following5895
2 Comments
I use James Prigioni’s mix that he explains on his YouTube channel. I get my coco coir from Costco, it’s by far the cheapest I’ve found. I got the vermiculite and perlite in the biggest bags I could find on Ebay. I got my compost locally from a trusted farm (no grazon). I buy my activated charcoal from The Andersons.
I’m not sure about Georgia pricing and availability. A similar mix would probably be about $40 per cubic yard in California. It wouldn’t include delivery, but that would fit in more large truck beds. The activated charcoal portion is kind of marketing bs. Otherwise I’m sure it’ll work just fine.