Square Foot Gardening Forum
[table bgcolor=#000000 height=275][tr][td]
Making Mel's Mix Toplef10Making Mel's Mix 1zd3ho10

Hello Guest!
Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum.
There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.

Making Mel's Mix I22gcj10Making Mel's Mix 14dhcg10

[/td][/tr][/table]

Join the forum, it's quick and easy

Square Foot Gardening Forum
[table bgcolor=#000000 height=275][tr][td]
Making Mel's Mix Toplef10Making Mel's Mix 1zd3ho10

Hello Guest!
Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum.
There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.

Making Mel's Mix I22gcj10Making Mel's Mix 14dhcg10

[/td][/tr][/table]
Square Foot Gardening Forum
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.
Search
 
 

Display results as :
 

 


Rechercher Advanced Search

Latest topics
» Onions. Walk on?
by OhioGardener Today at 9:25 am

» Bokashi
by OhioGardener Today at 8:13 am

» New to SFG and in Virgina
by sanderson Today at 1:38 am

» Compost bins: Open vs. closed
by Scorpio Rising Yesterday at 10:38 am

» Recommended store bought compost - Photos of composts
by sanderson 3/26/2024, 5:56 pm

» 6 metal trellis frames
by docachna 3/25/2024, 4:31 pm

» N & C Midwest: March and April 2024
by Scorpio Rising 3/24/2024, 3:01 pm

» What Have You Picked From Your Garden Today
by OhioGardener 3/24/2024, 1:28 pm

» Senseless Banter...
by OhioGardener 3/23/2024, 6:02 pm

» Joann's fabric bankruptcy
by neefer 3/23/2024, 12:33 am

» New gardener from Santa Fe NM
by CantersVary 3/22/2024, 7:50 pm

» Kiwi's SFG Adventure
by KiwiSFGnewbie 3/22/2024, 5:07 pm

» Heat Mat Temperature Test
by OhioGardener 3/22/2024, 2:09 pm

» Victory Garden Reboot
by Scorpio Rising 3/22/2024, 11:53 am

» Mark's first SFG
by sanderson 3/22/2024, 11:43 am

» Commercial (bagged or bulk) compost question
by Mikesgardn 3/21/2024, 7:09 pm

» Think Spring 2024
by Scorpio Rising 3/20/2024, 10:34 am

» Fire Ring / Round Raised Bed Planter
by sanderson 3/19/2024, 4:51 pm

» Galvanized Fire Ring for Rhubarb Raised Beds?
by OhioGardener 3/18/2024, 10:34 am

» Happy St. Patrick's Day
by Scorpio Rising 3/17/2024, 5:54 pm

» Happy Birthday!!
by Scorpio Rising 3/11/2024, 10:28 am

» What are you eating from your garden today?
by Scorpio Rising 3/10/2024, 8:38 pm

» Why I love Oregano in the garden.
by OhioGardener 3/10/2024, 8:16 am

» Comfrey
by OhioGardener 3/9/2024, 6:07 pm

» Sealing Barrels Flowers Struggling-Need Ideas
by Turan 3/9/2024, 3:09 pm

» Hello again from a slightly different part of Central PA!
by sanderson 3/9/2024, 1:46 pm

» Chicken manure compost
by Oopsiedaisy 3/8/2024, 7:56 pm

» Chinese Broccoli
by sanderson 3/7/2024, 10:28 pm

» Heat Mat Lifespan
by Scorpio Rising 3/7/2024, 9:33 am

» Now is The Time To Take Seed Inventory
by OhioGardener 3/6/2024, 4:36 pm

Google

Search SFG Forum

Making Mel's Mix

+9
Barkie
camprn
Old Hippie
pattipan
ashort
kerriejo1961
BackyardBirdGardner
middlemamma
scmelik
13 posters

Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Making Mel's Mix

Post  scmelik 4/7/2011, 10:35 pm

I am sure this has been hashed out 1000 times but please induldge me for another one. I have all my materials:

4 cubic feet of vermiculite
HUGE bale of peat (not sure if i will ever get it all used but the price was super cheap)
40lbs of steer manure
40lbs of humus/manure mix
40lbs of sheep manure
40 lbs of chicken manure
as much city compost (grass, leaves, wood chips etc.) as I want

right now my plan is to make

1 4'x4'
2 1'x2'

my question is how do I make the mix and make sure my measurements are correct? How do you mix it all up? Tiller? Rake? Shovel?
avatar
scmelik

Posts : 137
Join date : 2011-01-16
Location : Brookings South Dakota

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  middlemamma 4/7/2011, 10:41 pm

Fluff your peat...it will expand to double the compressed size.

I use a bucket....I put 1 bucket of each of my composts, then 5 buckets of vermiculite and 5 buckets of FLUFFED peat. Smile then I stir it up in a huge Rubbermaid tub (too windy on the prairie where I am to do the tarp method in the book) and go dump it in my box, then I do it again.

And again.
And again.
LOL

I am a very weak girl...so I do it this way...a strong man, or woman, or a couple of people could do it more efficiently for sure.

Happy Mixing!!!
middlemamma
middlemamma
 
 

Female Posts : 2264
Join date : 2010-04-25
Age : 46
Location : Idaho Panhandle

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  BackyardBirdGardner 4/7/2011, 11:45 pm

Jennie, do you water/mist each "batch" immediately after dumping so you saturate your peat moss?
BackyardBirdGardner
BackyardBirdGardner

Male Posts : 2727
Join date : 2010-12-25
Age : 50
Location : St. Louis, MO

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  kerriejo1961 4/7/2011, 11:51 pm

Thanks, middlemamma, for sharing your way of mixing the MM!! I nearly killed myself trying to do the tarp thing alone. My mother finally brought me a shovel, LOL... She is 81 and weakened from stroke so she couldn't help and we were the only ones at home at the time. I made a note to wait till someone's home who can help me next time!! But I think your way is brilliant, so thanks for sharing!!
kerriejo1961
kerriejo1961

Female Posts : 40
Join date : 2011-03-26
Age : 63
Location : Tyler, Texas - Zone 8a

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  ashort 4/7/2011, 11:56 pm

middlemamma wrote:Fluff your peat...it will expand to double the compressed size.

I use a bucket....I put 1 bucket of each of my composts, then 5 buckets of vermiculite and 5 buckets of FLUFFED peat. Smile then I stir it up in a huge Rubbermaid tub (too windy on the prairie where I am to do the tarp method in the book) and go dump it in my box, then I do it again.

And again.
And again.
LOL

I am a very weak girl...so I do it this way...a strong man, or woman, or a couple of people could do it more efficiently for sure.

Happy Mixing!!!

That's good advice - the tarp method doesn't work real well for me as I have a slopped yard....
ashort
ashort

Male Posts : 520
Join date : 2011-02-17
Age : 55
Location : Frisco, TX zone 8a

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  kerriejo1961 4/7/2011, 11:59 pm

I have a sloped yard, too, ashort, well, gently sloped, but sloped enough to make pulling the tarp over ... HEAVY and awkward... never do it alone!!! Laughing
kerriejo1961
kerriejo1961

Female Posts : 40
Join date : 2011-03-26
Age : 63
Location : Tyler, Texas - Zone 8a

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  middlemamma 4/8/2011, 12:07 am

BackyardBirdGardner wrote:Jennie, do you water/mist each "batch" immediately after dumping so you saturate your peat moss?

No... Embarassed Embarassed I didn't.

I just took a light hose sprayer and sprayed several times over a couple of days...stuck my finger in various spots to test it and it was fine....I never had a problem.

I actually forgot Mel's advice in the book about misting down the ingredients too. Embarassed
middlemamma
middlemamma
 
 

Female Posts : 2264
Join date : 2010-04-25
Age : 46
Location : Idaho Panhandle

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  pattipan 4/8/2011, 12:45 am

We used to do the tarp method, but we use this now:
Making Mel's Mix 4cuftw10

The wheelbarrow is only 4 cubic feet, so even I can handle it. It's also
a help in figuring out how much it takes to fill a box. A real back
saver!

My hubby also bought a large feed scoop from the local ag store and we use that to measure out the mix similar to Jen. One scoop from each of our five composts, 5 scoops vermiculite, and 5 scoops peat. Then we mix it with hand and trowel.

Making Mel's Mix Feedsc10

pattipan


Last edited by pattipan on 4/8/2011, 12:46 am; edited 1 time in total
pattipan
pattipan

Female Posts : 808
Join date : 2010-03-04
Location : WV -- Zone 6a

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/gallery/personal160.htm

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  middlemamma 4/8/2011, 12:46 am

Ooooooh Patti I like that idea...the scoop! Hmmmm....may have to retire my milk jug! LOL
middlemamma
middlemamma
 
 

Female Posts : 2264
Join date : 2010-04-25
Age : 46
Location : Idaho Panhandle

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  Old Hippie 4/8/2011, 1:55 am

middlemamma wrote:Ooooooh Patti I like that idea...the scoop! Hmmmm....may have to retire my milk jug! LOL

Oh....right through the heart!!! Milk jugs are FREE!! I thought I taught you better girl! Making Mel's Mix 88217

Gwynn
Old Hippie
Old Hippie
Regional Hosts

Female Posts : 1156
Join date : 2010-08-12
Age : 73
Location : Canada 3b

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  middlemamma 4/8/2011, 2:08 am

ooooooo.....BUSTED! Shocked
middlemamma
middlemamma
 
 

Female Posts : 2264
Join date : 2010-04-25
Age : 46
Location : Idaho Panhandle

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  camprn 4/8/2011, 7:01 am

I mixed mine right in the box.
camprn
camprn

Forum Moderator Certified SFG Teacher

Female Posts : 14169
Join date : 2010-03-06
Age : 61
Location : Keene, NH, USA ~ Zone 5a

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-week

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  Barkie 4/8/2011, 12:36 pm

Yeah, not a prairie here but I can see half the vermiculite ending up next door if I did it on a tarp. Good idea to scoop or shovel into bucket, tip buckets into wheelbarrow, mix, I'll try that then see if I can get the barrow up a scaffolding plank to tip the load in.
avatar
Barkie

Posts : 306
Join date : 2011-03-25
Location : Wales, Uk. Last frost May

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  boffer 4/8/2011, 12:46 pm

Barkie wrote:I'll try that then see if I can get the barrow up a scaffolding plank to tip the load in.

At least you have decent barrows to do so! How is it that you guys (Brits) ended up with practical barrows like this..
Making Mel's Mix Zzzbar10


And in the States we are cursed with a stupid design like this...
Making Mel's Mix Zzzusa10


I'm looking primarily at the front end for pouring purposes. That's another thing I learned watching Ground Force. I've been complaining about our barrows ever since!
boffer
boffer

Male Posts : 7392
Join date : 2010-02-26
Age : 71
Location : yelm, wa, usa

http://boffer.us/

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  Glendale-gardener 4/8/2011, 12:49 pm

As long as it isn't too windy, I find the tarp method to be the fastest. Maybe not the best on your back, but faster! I dump out 5 bags of compost onto a tarp and mix it with a pitchfork. After it is mixed, I use the pitchfork to load the compost into a large garbage can(the big 45 gal I think). I fill it about halfway then I use a china marking crayon to mark the inside of the can where the compost comes up to. Then I dump that compost onto another tarp. Then I measure out the verm and fluffed peat using the line I marked on the inside of the can, and dump those onto the tarp. Using the tarp to mix it can be tough if you don't have a helper but it can be done. I just use the pitchfork to spread it out a bit, then start on one side lifting the tarp up and even kicking at it from below until I couldn't lift it anymore. Then I would pitchfork again and do it from the other side. this is how I did it the first 2 times, the third time, I had my much stronger husband help! It's hard work and probably amuses the neighbors but I got it done way faster than when I was mixing in the wheelbarrow. When I was all finished, I used a transfer shovel to load it into my beds and pots and put the leftover back in the garbage can.
Glendale-gardener
Glendale-gardener

Female Posts : 293
Join date : 2011-03-10
Age : 48
Location : Cincinnati Zone 6A

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  MasonGarden 4/8/2011, 12:51 pm

Maybe those of us who live near each other can do the equivalent of a good-old fashioned barn raising, and have "Mel's Mixing Parties" to help each other out!
smiles
MasonGarden
MasonGarden

Female Posts : 284
Join date : 2010-03-17
Location : Mason, OH

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  Lindacol 4/8/2011, 1:09 pm

I will never go back to using a single wheel wheelbarrow after using these:

http://www.ezhaulcart.com/our_products.php

They are expensive but worth it. I have the Utility Cart and the Jumbo cart. I use them daily for moving hay, feed and pen cleaning. They are so much easier to use and carry so much more than regular wheelbarrows.

But for mixing my MM I used 5 gal buckets and mix in a muck bucket dump in the bed.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/livestock-buckets-tubs/buckets-pails/70-quart-muck-bucket-burgandy-red-2229286

You can find similiar, cheaper buckets but these last so much longer.
Lindacol
Lindacol

Posts : 777
Join date : 2011-01-23
Location : Bloomington, CA

Back to top Go down

Making Mel's Mix Empty Re: Making Mel's Mix

Post  Sponsored content


Sponsored content


Back to top Go down

Back to top


 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum