The BEST SOIL MIX For Raised Vegetable Beds | SQUARE FOOT GARDENING SOIL MIX vs TOP SOIL

Is square foot gardening soil mix or also known as Mel's mix the best soil for raised beds? I compared the square foot gardening soil mix against compost mix with soil to see which one is the raised bed soil mix that will produce the most. The square foot gardening soil mix is an expensive soil mix for raised beds but will it beat a cheap mix of compost and topsoil?
Using these links you support the channel:
Square foot gardening book - amzn.to/2EnRTem
Square foot gardening layout template - amzn.to/3l4qOhu
Gardening shears - amzn.to/3l5I2La
Ingredients for Mel`s mix:
Coco Coir - amzn.to/34kWmK6
Vermiculite - amzn.to/3ej90fG
More content that you might like!
📽 HUGELKULTUR - How To Fill A RAISED BED And Save Money • HUGELKULTUR Raised Gar...
📽 Planting Potatoes In Bags - I Found The Best SOIL MIX For Growing POTATOES IN BAGS • 5 SOIL MIXES THAT CAN ...
📽 How To Improve Clay Soil | Best CLAY SOIL TREATMENT - • How To Improve Clay So...
📽 How To Grow BIG ONIONS With The Square Foot Gardening Method - SO EASY! • How To Grow BIG ONION ...
📢 Last year I decided to make a test to see if the square foot gardening soil mix is the best soil for raised beds or it will be beaten by the ferly cheap soil mix of compost mix with soil.
Mel's mix in quite expensive with its price tag of $100 but it promises to be a raised bed soil mix that outperforms any other soil mixes.
Compost mix with soil on the other hand is free and it showed a lot of potential to be the best raised bed soil mix in my potato test.
So lets see who will win this time!
👉FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Facebook: / smallgardenquest
Instagram: / small_garden_quest
KZbin: / smallgardenquest
#SmallGardenQuest #RaisedBedGardening #BestSoilMix
Links included in this description and referenced in videos might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you for those affiliate links and your support allows me to provide free content every week on the Small Garden Quest channel. Thank you!

[@SmallGardenQuest]

Hugelkultur video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHyzoH6tbcysbJo Congratulations again to Mohamed! So who do you think will win mel's mix or compost mix with soil? If you have a request for any other test leave it in the comments 😊

[@deonbrewis8876]

The link to the Hugelkultur video above just comes back to this one...

[@SmallGardenQuest]

Thank you for pointing this out. Now it should work 😊

[@LR-nh3or]

I agree a bout the lack of nutrients in mels mix. I wondered if some of the compost we bought was not completely broken down being part of the problem. We started our own compost for this year . I loved how easy the mels mix stayed friable and very few weeds. My hot peppers and and bell peppers did not do so well this last year

[@SmallGardenQuest]

Yeah this year was funny for pepper 🤔

[@jeromefridmann6108]

Is he speaking ENGLISH ??????

[@pamelachappell1089]

Great video! I have been debating with myself on spending the money on Mel's Mix. I guess I should just do it. Thank you.

[@SmallGardenQuest]

Just do it :D

[@ZmanT95]

Locate a good cheap compost and itll be alot cheaper, i paid $1.80 for 40lb bag

[@jeffm7006]

Yay! I'm so glad Mel's mix came out on top. Mel's SFG book rekindled my enthusiasm for gardening (so much less work to do and very organised beds), so I am reassured that I can remain faithful to Mel's method and his famous mix :) Great video, thank you.

[@jeffm7006]

I've just double checked in the SFG Answer Book, and the suggestion is 4" of Mel's Mix, then 4 potatoes, then 2" of compost (followed by topping up to 12" as the plant grows). Maybe that extra boost of compost to the Mel's mix is key to a better yield. As always, keep up the good work on your brilliant KZbin channel :)

[@SmallGardenQuest]

Yes maybe that is the key for potatoes. I also love the SFG method the only problem I find is the price of mel's mix 😂 fortunately I will be able to upgrade my soil mix slowly 😊 Thanks for looking up in the book the suggestion for potatoes

[@wildcatdiva4974]

I would love to buy coarse vermiculite but I can’t confidently find it! I’ve looked more than ten places, plus online. The two places I found (expensive) vermiculite listed, the customer reviews said that it was actually fine vermiculite despite being labeled coarse! Sigh.

[@SmallGardenQuest]

What about this one? amzn.to/3ej90fG Some say it is coarse some say is not but with the ratings it got I think is OK

[@wildcatdiva4974]

@@SmallGardenQuest I looked at it before and it was definitely something I considered. I was hesitant due to some of the ratings but I can give it a try. Thanks for taking the time to look that up.

[@SmallGardenQuest]

Your welcome!

[@agdayem]

Try comparing Mel’s mix with 100% pure compost

[@bethnielsen5439]

Thank you for this video- it has answered many of my questions!

[@dinavoutour7796]

I am amazed. Will watch again to write how to make Mesmer mix for gardens

[@mariaanderson6503]

😍😍😍this video thanks 😊 😍😍

[@SmallGardenQuest]

You're very welcome! 😊I am glad you liked the video!

[@WTLoveYouAll]

5$ for the compost mix

[@SmallGardenQuest]

😊

[@LR-nh3or]

Been waiting for this!

[@SmallGardenQuest]

Really? Great! So you have your raided bed filled with the compost mix or you are planning to fille them?

[@AHarshman08]

I just discovered your channel and it has helped me so much!!! Thank you so very much!!!!!!

[@KG-if2oc]

I'm confused: you said the mix was peat moss, compost & coarse "vermiculite" but the video clearly shows you mixing in perlite. Vermiculite and perlite have completely opposite characteristics. So, which is it supposed to be? In any case, thanks for taking the time to make all these informative videos, esp that one about mistakes, very useful :)

[@SmallGardenQuest]

Good observation. In the book it primary says to use coarse vermiculite but it also says that if you can't find it you can use perlite instead 😊 also with peat moss you can swap it with coco coir

[@KG-if2oc]

Thanks for such a quick reply! :D I understand now. Its odd the book would give that advice, since they are completely opposite in terms of moisture retention. Vermiculite is like a sponge, similar to peat moss, so if you had used that instead of perlite, its possible the carrots could have survived that time you forgot to water. Perhaps a video to compare the two versions? Ive tried seed starting mix that is identical to mels mix, both versions, and had much better germination with the vermiculite version. Next year, i will include both v & p ;)

[@SmallGardenQuest]

I will try to find some vermiculite then and make the comparison! 😊

[@missdigioia]

Compost

[@SmallGardenQuest]

I also thought it would be closer

[@johnndavis7647]

What mix did you find best for potatoes?

[@dadmezz4024]

I suggest adding half soil to mix to save cost.

[@johnnguyen9021]

Can’t understand what did he talk

[@rhondadaniels3587]

Mel's mix will win

[@dinavoutour7796]

Compost

[@liamtaylor4955]

$100 does not capture the full cost, and problem with Mel's mix. The peat moss harvesting is unsustainable in time frames relevant to human lifespans, and releases significant carbon to the atmosphere. Substituting coconut coir is possibly no better, as native forests are being levelled to plant coconut palms. While that may be a wash in carbon-sink terms, it is very nearly extinction to the biodiversity of native flora and fauna. Vermiculite is a mined mineral so of course that is also unsustainable. Transportation's environmental costs also apply to both the peat/coir and vermiculite, adding still more to carbon emissions. Compost can be sustainably replenished locally, and the topsoil, even if heavy with clay or sand, is local and can be improved with compost, as you've observed. Thank you for your video, very interesting and well done.

[@kricketkitty]

Hi what would you recommend to replace perlite or vermiculite?

[@liamtaylor4955]

@@kricketkitty I left the garden last fall covered in chopped leaves and had a great garden this summer. In fact I just covered the garden in chopped leaves again for next spring. I'd bet any local plant leaves would work.