Growing Mediums (soil) in the UK

Green Troll

Active Member
Hi guys,

I have had a look around the internet, had a search on the forums but i cannot find anything UK specific for the best soil money can buy. I want my girls to be growing in the best possible medium to give them the best chance. Also i cant exactly pop the question in the local garden centre for obvious reasons =)

So is there anyone who knows their stuff when it comes to high quality soils? Price is no object, i simply want 100 litres of the best of the best. I am not sure if this will be ready made, or a mix of different brands and types.

Thanks in advance.
 

djlifeline

Well-Known Member
Ive tried many diff soils from garden centres and hydroponic shops here in UK. greater beginner soil and what I've just gone back to is Bio Bizz All Mix. But ignore there feeding schedule. Literally water it just for first month or so and won't need any nutes really. Pretty good draining, root productive, easy growing soil. I tried Plant Magic and was better root development BUT harder work looking after it. Bio Bizz all mix would be me. Can get it on eBay too. Or local hydroponic shops should carry it for £12-£15 for 50l bag.
 

KronDonSmoker

Active Member
If you guys have FoxFarm Ocean Forrest there that shit is bomb you cant go wrong with it...Or you can look up online on making your own organic soil which would be just as good...Havent used soil in a bit myself though Ive gone Hydroponic
 

batf1nk

Well-Known Member
Yeah I'm a hydro guy but grow in soil sometimes. Everyone does seem to recommend FFof but I have never managed to locate a source here in the UK to try it (if you have a link would be appreciate it). When I do grow in soil I make my own mixes of a decent compost, perlite and dolomite lime which seems to do well. There is a link HERE which gives details of a few brands and what they contain etc.
 

scotia1982

Well-Known Member
Use coco mate more forgiving than soil, reusable and 50ltr canna coco professional for £13. You get better growth rates as well compared to soil, not quite as good as hydro but very similar
 

KronDonSmoker

Active Member
Yeah I'm a hydro guy but grow in soil sometimes. Everyone does seem to recommend FFof but I have never managed to locate a source here in the UK to try it (if you have a link would be appreciate it). When I do grow in soil I make my own mixes of a decent compost, perlite and dolomite lime which seems to do well. There is a link HERE which gives details of a few brands and what they contain etc.

Now that I looked it up a bit it seems Foxfarm is a United States and Canada thing that kind of sucks I guess they dont do enough production for international sales
 

batf1nk

Well-Known Member
Use coco mate more forgiving than soil, reusable and 50ltr canna coco professional for £13. You get better growth rates as well compared to soil, not quite as good as hydro but very similar
Totally agree with you, I'm yet to try Coco but from what I have seen it is a great medium. Some really impressive threads here showing coco grows, check them out and you will probably go that way Green Troll.
 

edsthreads

Well-Known Member
Yeah go with coco it's great for anyone moving from soil to hydro as a 'happy medium'.. no pun intended.. very hard to fuck up, no bugs, eggs etc in it so you won't have probs with pests present in the soil. 50L bag on eBay about £12
 

djlifeline

Well-Known Member
Looks good! Isn't coco harder to look after with rather then Soil as you need to nute everything? Or not.... I haven't really read up or anything. Is it faster growth? Do you need coco specific nutes? any recommendations?
coco briks 156 litres

ad water to make into soil jst ph adjust the water before u do and then no need to ph again as coc is a ntural buffer

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Coir-Coco-Peat-Organic-4-x-Bales-Expands-156-litres-/110865250356?pt=UK_HomeGarden_Garden_PlantsSeedsBulbs_JN&hash=item19d0157834
 

Green Troll

Active Member
KronDonSmoker, i think i will pass on that as i cant find any in the UK and shipping costs from the US isnt worth thinking about haha. Plus who knows what it could pick up along the way.

http://www.anything-grows.com/biobizz-all-mix-sack-50litres I am guessing is what you recommended, djlifeline, so happy days, i know that is readily available.

I will be using drip feeders, so the soil needs to be of an even consistency for water to be soaked up evenly. This is why i want the highest grade possible.

Rep to you both, thanks for your advice.
 

djlifeline

Well-Known Member
Yeah thats the stuff mate. Im not sure about using it for drip system. Never tried it.
KronDonSmoker, i think i will pass on that as i cant find any in the UK and shipping costs from the US isnt worth thinking about haha. Plus who knows what it could pick up along the way.

http://www.anything-grows.com/biobizz-all-mix-sack-50litres I am guessing is what you recommended, djlifeline, so happy days, i know that is readily available.

I will be using drip feeders, so the soil needs to be of an even consistency for water to be soaked up evenly. This is why i want the highest grade possible.

Rep to you both, thanks for your advice.
 

IC3M4L3

Well-Known Member
Looks good! Isn't coco harder to look after with rather then Soil as you need to nute everything? Or not.... I haven't really read up or anything. Is it faster growth? Do you need coco specific nutes? any recommendations?
na mate i dont ph adjust or anything just add nutes,,i think actual SOIL not coco u can make ur own micxes of feeds ect but i think u stil got to feed em nutes no matter what u use expect with soil u ddont need to ph adjust

as foor watering hell i only go to my grow twice a week was once a week but wen later flowering comes along maybe 3 times a wek but eithway its cool to be able to simply sortov forget about it
 

edsthreads

Well-Known Member
Very easy to use, you dont need coco specific nutes (marketing ploy from nute companies) just water with your pH'd nutes... faster growth than soil, comparable to growth using hydroton, rockwool (hydroponics).. Coco is hydro really as it has no nutritional value (inert)
 

IC3M4L3

Well-Known Member
KronDonSmoker, i think i will pass on that as i cant find any in the UK and shipping costs from the US isnt worth thinking about haha. Plus who knows what it could pick up along the way.

http://www.anything-grows.com/biobizz-all-mix-sack-50litres I am guessing is what you recommended, djlifeline, so happy days, i know that is readily available.

I will be using drip feeders, so the soil needs to be of an even consistency for water to be soaked up evenly. This is why i want the highest grade possible.

Rep to you both, thanks for your advice.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=BioBizz+All-Mix&_sacat=See-All-Categories

^^ummm uk
 

KronDonSmoker

Active Member
Looks good! Isn't coco harder to look after with rather then Soil as you need to nute everything? Or not.... I haven't really read up or anything. Is it faster growth? Do you need coco specific nutes? any recommendations?
If your doing a full coco grow then yes you need to add all the nutes...Soil has things like earthworm castings bat guano and shit to keep the nutirent levels good for the first month....Coco has a great air to water ratio but there is no nutrients at all in it so they only get what you provide...and they dont need to be coco specific just a good set of nutes...I personally use Roots Organic I love growing 100% Organic
 

IC3M4L3

Well-Known Member
If your doing a full coco grow then yes you need to add all the nutes...Soil has things like earthworm castings bat guano and shit to keep the nutirent levels good for the first month....Coco has a great air to water ratio but there is no nutrients at all in it so they only get what you provide...and they dont need to be coco specific just a good set of nutes...I personally use Roots Organic I love growing 100% Organic
yeh ive heard ther good,,,parantly soil with home made tea type feeds are the absolute best, but dwc is storming in so in 6 months who knows,

i personally for hyrdo used vitalink max and now coco im using canna everyting and some perlite but 4 litres in a 50 ilitre bag is prtty pointless lol

fyi i was also using canna coco nutes in hydro too so yeh hes rite it is marketing most def
 

djlifeline

Well-Known Member
So you don't PH your nute solution before feed? way I do now is literally bung in soil. If anything looks to go bit droopy or deficient I feed just a nute mix not PH'ed. The idea of PH'in and all that scares me lmao
na mate i dont ph adjust or anything just add nutes,,i think actual SOIL not coco u can make ur own micxes of feeds ect but i think u stil got to feed em nutes no matter what u use expect with soil u ddont need to ph adjust

as foor watering hell i only go to my grow twice a week was once a week but wen later flowering comes along maybe 3 times a wek but eithway its cool to be able to simply sortov forget about it
 

samsmiffy

Member
Ive heard good things about "J Arthur Bowers Multipurpose compost with John Innes" From another forum, Just brought a bag for myself
 
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