r/containergardening • u/SashaNatureNomad • 10h ago

Question Why does every container gardening soil recipe have 10 ingredients?

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Am I the only one who thinks most container gardening advice overcomplicates soil?

I've been growing vegetables in containers for a few years now and every spring I see people recommending these crazy mixes with 8-10 ingredients.

Meanwhile some of the healthiest tomato and pepper plants I've grown were in plain potting mix with extra perlite mixed in.

What actually made the biggest difference for me wasn't fertilizer schedules or fancy amendments. It was stopping the use of garden soil in pots.

The year I figured that out was the year everything suddenly started growing normally lol.

Curious what everyone here uses. Do you buy bagged mix, make your own, or just use whatever is cheapest and available?

And has anyone actually compared the results side-by-side?

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61

u/byoshin304 10h ago

I would use Happy Frog and I fill my containers all the way to the top. I don’t understand why so many people only fill them half way.

5

u/front_yard_duck_dad 6h ago

This is the most elitist statement I've ever read on the sub. I haven't priced out. Happy frog in a few years but those are 5 gallon pots in that picture. That's a serious amount of money. I can buy bulk soil at those prices and make the components. 

5

u/byoshin304 6h ago

Really? I’m sorry I didn’t know that. Everyone I know uses it. I’m from the area where Fox Farms started, and I grew up in a life where it was what everyone used in their grow bags so I can get it easily.

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u/front_yard_duck_dad 6h ago

I'm sorry for being spicy but the cost of living is really starting to get hard on me and those around me. Stretching every penny and they don't even make those fuckers anymore. 

It's over $60-80 to fill one of those containers with Fox farms. Happy frog where I live. Maybe even more if you don't drive to the far place.

I'm sorry for assuming it's expensive everywhere but the weed industry absolutely made Fox products bougie and ultra premium price here in the Midwest.

Growing weed was illegal here and fox absolutely knew that the people who could afford to have illegal grows could pay a top dollar for soil. 

Again, it's not your fault and I'm sorry for being spicy

1

u/dakotanothing 6h ago

Whaaaat, how much is a 2cu ft bag where you live? Happy Frog is def more expensive than making your own of course but I bought 2 bags for $54 from my local greenhouse recently; I can’t imagine you’re saying it’s more than that to fill a single 5gal bag where you live. Maybe I’m misunderstanding

6

u/stryst 5h ago

My local garden place charges $29 for a 12 liter bag.

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u/dakotanothing 5h ago

God damn

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u/stryst 5h ago

There's a reason I'm doing Hempy buckets; the liquid nutrients are actually CHEAPER than real soil.

3

u/Leafstride 4h ago

I would eat a sock before spending 54 dollars for 4 cubic feet of garden soil. Lmao