In short, my local grow shop is closing down(blaming economy and internet competition) and along with it my supplier for Roots Organic 707. I’m roughly 2 months out from needing a new supplier or soil vs attempting to make a simple(fewer ingredients) coco/perlite mix myself. There are some suppliers an hours drive away carrying fox farms, roots organics, etc. Even a living soil company wanting $40 per 5 gallons of soil. I reckon I’m asking if it’s economically smart to make up 30 gallons vs just buying a few bags. I’ve been growing just over a year now and I think improving my soil game is the next evolutionary step for me. Any links to recipe articles will be greatly appreciated.
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If you can get a huge bale of promix hpcc i would do that. Alot of ace hardwares carry promix bx which is solid. I always add 30-50% coco to all my mixes these days (not HPCC, its already there)You can do that with those cheap bricks.
You’ll also want to add your castings or manures. I love castings but im not paying the ridiculous prices anymore, so i go for blak kow manure lately.
As far as mixing your soil goes, i would start with a solid all purpose or blend. Down to earth has several good ones. Just read the back and make sure your calmag needs are covered. If you dont see azomite as an ingredient i would add that as well. Not saying you have to do this, its just my experience and worked well.
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Alot of growers use black gold too.
This will be a good thing in the long run, you will see. You’ll save loads of money and will be able to make a superior product
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Where are you located roughly?
Black gold has been garbage for me for cannabis, but it’s done well in raised beds outside 
I think it holds a lot of water compared to promix. Promix bales. Coco bricks/perlite/hydroton and a bag of compost or castings will get you going
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I don’t for weed, but do make my own soil for veggies. You’re still going to need a supplier to source your materials.
Are you in the states? There’s someone around who deals Roots. If you can’t find roots, I’ve been considering Dirt Craft. I source a lot of my dirt and nutes from Seven springs farm. They do group buys for all over. Check them out, see if it helps you.
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BFE, Missouri. Roughly halfway between KC and Columbia or Jefferson City. I don’t mind making the drive to Columbia or Jeff City for supplies, I just don’t want to show up and buy something dumb.
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Ordering soils comes with the added cost of weight shipping. I can take the hours drive away for the supplies and I guess that’s where making improvements in my growing medium comes in.
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You “order” into a group buy. Usually in spring, the grow shop up here does one, they preorder and it all gets shipped into the shop, and then come and pick it up.
I saw in your profile you’re in Missouri, that’s too far out for this company currently, but someone out there does the same.
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Check out
And a place called Grow Simple in Booneville.
ETA - I searched for “Hydroponics stores”
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Mid Mo Organics is my shop that’s closing down.
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Mix your own soil… save money and increase quality
I was just saying the same thing, as far as getting or making better soil.
Here’s a small business fairly close to your other shop. They don’t have soils listed but since they’re a smaller shop you could probably ask them what they could do for you. I’d bet they’ll do their best.
Edit: in the other direction, it looks like colonial gardens has been around a while and likely has promix or something similar.
That’s quite a recipe! I’ll just keep growing in the bucket of water!
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Ag lime, gypsum, rock dust
Neem, alfalfa meal and malted barley
Peat compost and perlite…
Thats really all you need!
Buildasoil has craft blend which has all the amendments needed and you can rejuvenate your old soil
That exact thing happened here too. Our local grow shop closed down and it’s where I was buying huge bales of ProMix with Mycorhizzae. Now I don’t know where to get it 
On the plus side, everything they had was 40% off for weeks and I ended up spending ~$500 there mostly on FoxFarm nutes 
Man, you make me feel so lazy 
.
I wish I understood more about the soil science.
One of my neighbors actually owns a soil company. I think it’s time to be neighborly and learn some stuff.
Do you buy most of these ammendments from one comany?