I need a large amount of soil for a very low cost. I’m not looking for perfection, and can feed nutrients as needed. I’ve read about people amending soil using cow manure/compost, so this is my idea:
I want to mix 1 part store bought cow manure/compost to 3 parts garden soil/topsoil.
Will the cow manure harm the plants in any way? I’ve read that manure/compost will contain seeds that grow weeds. Do you think this will be an issue?
I know this soil will be far from perfect, but something like fox farms is simply not in budget. I just want to know if the cow manure/compost is a bad idea.
Not a good idea. Your mix will be: out of PH range, too dense, too hot and not enough flowering nutes. If you can’t mix soil correctly you would be better off buying it.
If you are going to use manure: composted chicken manure is better. Bat guano is best. You’ll need dolomitic lime or oyster flour, peat or coco and a bunch of micro ingredients.
@Myfriendis410 is spot on here. You can’t afford to cheap on soil or you will lose the soil and your seeds too. Sometimes money spent is smart, money saved can cost you everything. Personally, I’ve never recommended Miracle Grow soil, BUT, if you are determined to use cheap soil, consider following along with @Dennis62 grow journals and follow his techniques to the T. Dennis does things in that soil that shouldn’t be possible but he has paid his dues, put in the time and figured it out, he has some beautiful grows, worth your time to read all his info…..
Most bag soils are composted and manures are aged. The problem lies in the PH of these soils, they are geared towards house plants, cannabis needs lower ph.
Not sure what you mean by large amount but you may be able to buy bulk compost from local nursery. I bought a couple cubic yards when we built garden at work, i think it was $60/yard.
I tried the cow manure and compost unless you add tons or perlite or peat it’s going to clump up and suffocate your roots, will be way too hot, your pH going to run wild and your run off is never going to be a safe for sure read due to clumped manure holding or releasing nutrients.
Would be better off digging a hole in your yard and using that over manure.
Now again if you can add enough perlite or peat to it to keep manure from clumping it’s still gonna have wide ranging numbers and will be supre hot as in killing 60-70% of seedlings and will also cause strange fungus on seeds.
Is there anything affordable that I can add to regular soil to give it better drainage? The amount of perlite I’d need to buy would be more expensive than anything else combined and is not on budget at all.
Can I mix organic mulch into fine soil to give it better drainage?
I’ve grown in straight up dirt before, I just want something that’s going to work and not kill my plants. Perfection or industry standard is far from my goal.
Or even aquarium stones the very small ones might be able to fill larger areas if mixed correctly. Would be some trial and error for sure but once right should have same natural effectiveness as if was just placed outside.
DISCLAIMER
Before using any stones do a wash and then rinse and after rinse let them sit in natural rain water or 6.0ph water for 24-36 hours.
I Would not do this for anything indoors or only as a last option on large 5ftx5ft area at the least.
If I was going to use 22mm stone on an outside gardenbed I’d would think I would have to dig down around 18in and line the bottom 3in with stone, then get my soil stone mix and lay it on top of the bed or stones, it’s effectively like making a drainage ditch out of 2B stone and dirt. If mixed right will allow the water to glide throughout but not “waterfall” and create sinkholes. Hope this helped
I’m a bit embarrassed to ask these questions because I know I SHOULD be using a more ideal dedicated soil.
I hope y’all can bare with me being broke and cheap and not hate me for cheaping out.
But I could either wait and do nothing til I have more money, or work with what I do have now to grow at least something in the meantime until more money comes in for better supplies.
Again I would only do this if I had no other options. But again back in the day they didn’t have perlite or what not so stones and great soil were common practices.
I really do hope this has helped and as for any feelings of embarrassment ,I’m poor got a house, gonna cost me over $8k to get power turned back on, and have to fully rewire the house so started gutting it lol. also that’s why I switched to hydro. I’m already paying for the medium why not use it lol
Reminds me that I just went a whole year without running water because the bill got jacked up like crazy. I’m blessed enough to say I no longer am living that way. Yeah your advice has helped. Thanks!
Char makes a pretty good loosening amendment as well. Grind the clinkers of char down to perlite size. Don’t add raw char or it will soak up all the nutrition in your soil. The char needs to be soaked in fertilizer solution 2 weeks or in some urine. 10 days if you are in a hurry.
Just the coals left after a wood stove or campfire. Or a grower emptying out the carbon in the stink filter. Mixed with the gravel you should get some decent drainage for low or no cost,
appreciate the vote of confidence 
