Worth buying BuildASoils soil?

So I was thinking about either buying their soil, or making my own with some amendments from them and some online. It sucks they only sell 1 cu ft (21$) to a 400$ size.
I’m trying to run either a flower bed (indoors,) or big pots around 25 gallons so that would be stupid expensive.
I’m kind of thinking my best bet would be to buy a bunch of their compost, some of the better amendments they offer and making my own.

Anyone who’s built a soil similar to theirs, could I see what was in yours?

Kind Sir said:

So I was thinking about either buying their soil, or making my own with some amendments from them and some online. It sucks they only sell 1 cu ft (21$) to a 400$ size.
I’m trying to run either a flower bed (indoors,) or big pots around 25 gallons so that would be stupid expensive.
I’m kind of thinking my best bet would be to buy a bunch of their compost, some of the better amendments they offer and making my own.

Anyone who’s built a soil similar to theirs, could I see what was in yours?

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Since I have kids and they take up more of my time I buy build a soils oly mountain 3.0 soil it’s great! I have used build a soil for a long time I am looking at their 4.0 just add water mix for my next grow . They are owned by a nice guy that is super knowledgeable as well.

Joedank said:

Since I have kids and they take up more of my time I buy build a soils oly mountain 3.0 soil it’s great! I have used build a soil for a long time I am looking at their 4.0 just add water mix for my next grow . They are owned by a nice guy that is super knowledgeable as well.

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same here. I used their Pinto Bean Compost and some other stuff and made my own supersoil batch one round. but once I did the math I was only saving a little bit per cu ft and when I factored my labor in it was just cheaper to buy from BAS. maybe if I had more space and I could buy more inputs in bulk but I can only do about 4 cu ft batches at a time since I live in an apartment.

been using their Light Mix since its "veganic" and that was another goal i had. it's crushing anything else I've ever used inc my own supersoil. Did water only with just some EWC "tea" a couple times and had best harvest ever. I just started the first recycling of it, running it again for veg, and just top dressed w some more EWC. amazing stuff well worth the price imho.

I mix myown based on Coot s mix, and it's cheaper to buy base of mix locally and order amendments.....by far. Although i bought a foot of Oly Mtn compost from them simply because I really wanted it. Build a Soil is an excellent source.

I wonder if I asked them if they could cut a deal so I don’t have to spend 400$ if they’d do it. Buying it a cu ft at a time sucks. I guess a cu ft is 7.5 gallons, so that would be about 70$ for ONE 25 gallon pot.

I really like the soil though, the inputs at least.

ChrispyCritter said:

I mix myown based on Coot s mix, and it's cheaper to buy base of mix locally and order amendments.....by far. Although i bought a foot of Oly Mtn compost from them simply because I really wanted it. Build a Soil is an excellent source.

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Based on coots mix so it’s different? What’s in yours? I don’t like messing around with recipes on my own because I could screw something up, Inhave once before.

From what I understand once you buy the build a soil you can keep using it if you go no till..

Kind Sir said:

I wonder if I asked them if they could cut a deal so I don’t have to spend 400$ if they’d do it. Buying it a cu ft at a time sucks. I guess a cu ft is 7.5 gallons, so that would be about 70$ for ONE 25 gallon pot.

I really like the soil though, the inputs at least.

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my return on 25 gallons of soil is about a pound...$1200 value for me ...

Joedank said:

my return on 25 gallons of soil is about a pound...$1200 value for me ...

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Ya I get it, I need to not be a bitch about it. Better then going cheap and messing it up somehow, I’ve built my own and done great but I really like these soils.

Honestly trying to be careful, was trying to put together a nice LED but might just use my 600w HPS and spend the cash on good soil.

Lemme see the plants brotha

Nothing wrong with hid's there a establish product with time-tested proof. Not that led is bad the new ones are amazing. But hid is cheaper and works as well. I hear a lot of people complaining they can't keep the temp high enough and the winter time when running LEDs. Not a problem with hid's.

I would say invest in what ever makes you happy. I'm going start buying 301h panels and a meanwell one piece at a time.

Kind Sir said:

Ya I get it, I need to not be a bitch about it. Better then going cheap and messing it up somehow, I’ve built my own and done great but I really like these soils.

Honestly trying to be careful, was trying to put together a nice LED but might just use my 600w HPS and spend the cash on good soil.

Lemme see the plants brotha

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Here ya go .. I also do homemade bokashi and photosynthesis plus, and langabentinite top dress. I buy quite a bit of there soil for my outdoors and house plants..

Joedank said:

Here ya go .. I also do homemade bokashi and photosynthesis plus, and langabentinite top dress. I buy quite a bit of there soil for my outdoors and house plants..View attachment 4735867View attachment 4735870View attachment 4735869

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I just starting experimenting with straight langbeinite. I'm mixing it with other amendments too, but I don't know how much langbeinite I should use. I'm in 15 gal pots, but I'm worried if I add too much it might burn them. How much are you using?

PadawanWarrior said:

I just starting experimenting with straight langbeinite. I'm mixing it with other amendments too, but I don't know how much langbeinite I should use. I'm in 15 gal pots, but I'm worried if I add too much it might burn them. How much are you using?

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1 teaspoon at week 2 , one more At week 4 in 5 gallon pots. You could double that if your growing big plants. Outdoors I do 1/4 cup per plant sprinkled over 3x3’area

Joedank said:

1 teaspoon at week 2 , one more At week 4 in 5 gallon pots. You could double that if your growing big plants. Outdoors I do 1/4 cup per plant sprinkled over 3x3’area

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Thanks. I've been giving like a Tbls at a time for top dressing my 15 gal pots, but I just started experimenting with it.

I just mixed up a batch of some top dressing mix for a plant in my flower room. I'm having fun learning about all the different dry amendments and what they do. Here's the mix I just made. I might add it to some vermicompost and pumice when I top dress, unless I'm feeling lazy.

150ml BAS Craft Blend
150ml Kelp Meal
150ml Gro-Kashi
150ml Chicken Shit
150 ml Karanja Cake
30ml Langbeinite
30ml Seabird Guano
~70ml Insect Frass
~20ml Bio-Righteous
~20ml Mykos WP

I'm still experimenting with this organic crap.

Oh, and 150ml is 2/3 cup. I'm use to the standard system, but the metric system makes way more sense. I just don't understand the metric system as well as our crazy standard system, lol.

I think there is a lot of fear that soil is complex and probably really difficult to make well. It is actually quite easy. Follow a organic soil recipe and let it cook...its ready. I struggled with this and decided to jump right in. Ive already reamended 3 times and it gets better and easier each time.

Buying soil is perfectly fine. Making your own offers many benefits beyond cost...mostly quality. Top quality compost is really key, high end EWC for example.

ComfortCreator said:

I think there is a lot of fear that soil is complex and probably really difficult to make well. It is actually quite easy. Follow a organic soil recipe and let it cook...its ready. I struggled with this and decided to jump right in. Ive already reamended 3 times and it gets better and easier each time.

Buying soil is perfectly fine. Making your own offers many benefits beyond cost...mostly quality. Top quality compost is really key, high end EWC for example.

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Well said. From what I gathered so far, it's all about the compost source. After that it can be as complicated or as simple as you want to make it.

That said, I have never tested my soils or really followed any kind of "rules" when amending after a plant is grown in the mix, so I could be way off base but every kind of plant I have put in the soil seems to be happy and grow just fine. I just kind of throw a little of this and little of that back in the totes with the soil/rootballs until i feel froggy and grow something else in it, just trying not to go too heavy on any one thing.

Not too sure what you can source locally OP, but I found Bu's compost, the same compost that BAS uses in some of their mixes, at a local shop. Like @ChrispyCritter said, might be worth sourcing some things locally and then just ordering some amendments online to save on shipping.

PadawanWarrior said:

Thanks. I've been giving like a Tbls at a time for top dressing my 15 gal pots, but I just started experimenting with it.

I just mixed up a batch of some top dressing mix for a plant in my flower room. I'm having fun learning about all the different dry amendments and what they do. Here's the mix I just made. I might add it to some vermicompost and pumice when I top dress, unless I'm feeling lazy.

150ml BAS Craft Blend
150ml Kelp Meal
150ml Gro-Kashi
150ml Chicken Shit
150 ml Karanja Cake
30ml Langbeinite
30ml Seabird Guano
~70ml Insect Frass
~20ml Bio-Righteous
~20ml Mykos WP

I'm still experimenting with this organic crap.

Oh, and 150ml is 2/3 cup. I'm use to the standard system, but the metric system makes way more sense. I just don't understand the metric system as well as our crazy standard system, lol.

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Would love to hear what you think about the langbeinite down the road. You run some hlg qb's in your grows right? I was thinking the additional Mg in the langbeinite might be something that paired nicely with the strong leds. I almost grabbed some not too long ago, but went with greensand for some K boost as it seemed a better fit for me to run through the worms bins for now.

Build a soil is a great company for many reasons. Ease and simplicity. However it comes at a cost, not just mark up on the product itself, but shipping.

My advice is, buy/make your own compost/ewc, buy your own peat bale / coco locally, and your choice of aeration. 1 part 1 part 1 part.

Buy pre packaged amendments from BAS according to amount of base soil you out together.

Or you can buy the amendments by the 50# at concentrates OR and save a third of what you would pay at BAS.

foreverflyhi said:

Build a soil is a great company for many reasons. Ease and simplicity. However it comes at a cost, but just mark up on the product itself, but shipping.

My advice is, buy/make your own compost/ewc, buy your own peat bale / coco locally, and your choice of aeration. 1 part 1 part 1 part.

Buy pre packaged amendments from BAS according to amount of base soil you out together.

Or you can buy the amendments by the 50# at concentrates OR and save a third of what you would pay at BAS.

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The problem with making my own compost/ewc (which I’ll be doing both again,) is that I’m going to need it ready in the next month and don’t have anything going.
I was going to buy some Oly mountain fish compost, some amendments, and then get the bigger stuff locally or on amazon.

I Havnt heard of the concentrates OR before, surprised to not have heard of them on here. You use them over BAS?

Kind Sir said:

The problem with making my own compost/ewc (which I’ll be doing both again,) is that I’m going to need it ready in the next month and don’t have anything going.
I was going to buy some Oly mountain fish compost, some amendments, and then get the bigger stuff locally or on amazon.

I Havnt heard of the concentrates OR before, surprised to not have heard of them on here. You use them over BAS?

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Hehehehehe, ima let you in on a little secret, most ingrediants from bas was thru concentrates. How do I know? I work at concentrates