The PNW Soil Mix:
(it rains here alot)
Water Only, no bottles required!
Coco Depot Coco - 20% of total pot volume.
(recommend them due to the larger sized coir they use)
Fox Farm Ocean Forest - 80% of total pot volume.
(Anything similar is fine, FFOF is just the most common and i know it well)
Down to Earth Root Zone - 1/10th tsp per gallon of media
(recommend them due to it having alot of unique species)
Epson Salt - 1 tbsp per Gallon of media
(recommend top dressing - 1 tsp per Gallon of media every 2-3rd watering. If its mag hungry, likely is)
Microbe Life Hydroponics Dechlorinator
(This is a must for living soil, you have to use this so you dont wreck havoc on the microbes)
Additional Mid season top dress:
One Shot - 2 TBS per Gallon.
(note: not required for fast flowering autos)
Notes:: I like to let a fresh bag of soil cook (with rootzone added) for 1-2 weeks before using.
I also water to run off - and wait as long as possible before re-watering.
2nd season (reusing): Pull the main rootball out. Try not to disturb the soil/microbes. Hit it with more Rootzone or SLF100, One Shot, and Epson salts. Their soil is better the second time around, aka: more broken down.
3rd season: I tend to recycle it into my garden at this point, and start with a fresh bag.
Always have plants needing bigger pots, and more soil. Top dressing. Ect ect.
Total Cost:
FoxFarm Ocean Forest - $10 locally bought
Coco Depot Coco - $6 + Shipping
Down to Earth Root zone - $12 Shipped
Epson Salts - $11 Shipped
Dechlorinator - 9.99 + shipping
Extra:
NFTG One Shot 4lbs - $22 shipped
Not so bad, and will last for awhile. If you are a small time grower.
The coco acts like a giant sponge in the soil, and allows it to dry extremely evenly. This allows the roots to really be able to grow at the bottom of the pot with little restrictions.
This is super helpful in rainy areas, where you may see multiple days of rain. This will help limit the amount of time the roots are over saturated.
Because water gets moved around as it gets used it and spots dry up, It helps bring in more oxygen down to the roots faster. Making everything less saturated quicker basically.
So you spend less time in the over saturated zone after you water, and more time growing.
After years of growing, ive come to hate perlite.
Its lighter than water, and floats to the surface. So it never really works for all that long.
More so if you live in an area with alot of rain.
It's also impossible to get rid of once its on the ground.
Takes up SO much space. Blah. Coco is so much better.
(it rains here alot)
Water Only, no bottles required!
Coco Depot Coco - 20% of total pot volume.
(recommend them due to the larger sized coir they use)
Fox Farm Ocean Forest - 80% of total pot volume.
(Anything similar is fine, FFOF is just the most common and i know it well)
Down to Earth Root Zone - 1/10th tsp per gallon of media
(recommend them due to it having alot of unique species)
Epson Salt - 1 tbsp per Gallon of media
(recommend top dressing - 1 tsp per Gallon of media every 2-3rd watering. If its mag hungry, likely is)
Microbe Life Hydroponics Dechlorinator
(This is a must for living soil, you have to use this so you dont wreck havoc on the microbes)
Additional Mid season top dress:
One Shot - 2 TBS per Gallon.
(note: not required for fast flowering autos)
Notes:: I like to let a fresh bag of soil cook (with rootzone added) for 1-2 weeks before using.
I also water to run off - and wait as long as possible before re-watering.
2nd season (reusing): Pull the main rootball out. Try not to disturb the soil/microbes. Hit it with more Rootzone or SLF100, One Shot, and Epson salts. Their soil is better the second time around, aka: more broken down.
3rd season: I tend to recycle it into my garden at this point, and start with a fresh bag.
Always have plants needing bigger pots, and more soil. Top dressing. Ect ect.
Total Cost:
FoxFarm Ocean Forest - $10 locally bought
Coco Depot Coco - $6 + Shipping
Down to Earth Root zone - $12 Shipped
Epson Salts - $11 Shipped
Dechlorinator - 9.99 + shipping
Extra:
NFTG One Shot 4lbs - $22 shipped
Not so bad, and will last for awhile. If you are a small time grower.
The coco acts like a giant sponge in the soil, and allows it to dry extremely evenly. This allows the roots to really be able to grow at the bottom of the pot with little restrictions.
This is super helpful in rainy areas, where you may see multiple days of rain. This will help limit the amount of time the roots are over saturated.
Because water gets moved around as it gets used it and spots dry up, It helps bring in more oxygen down to the roots faster. Making everything less saturated quicker basically.
So you spend less time in the over saturated zone after you water, and more time growing.
After years of growing, ive come to hate perlite.
Its lighter than water, and floats to the surface. So it never really works for all that long.
More so if you live in an area with alot of rain.
It's also impossible to get rid of once its on the ground.
Takes up SO much space. Blah. Coco is so much better.
Last edited:
