Mel's Garden Mix

TexasAggie 8/13/2014, 7:56 pm

Is Mel's Garden mix available in West Houston?

GloriaG 8/14/2014, 12:56 am

Hi TexasAggie,

Welcome to the forum.

I'm not sure what pre-made mixes are available in your area but, I would suggest that if at all possible you make the Mel's Mix yourself. It always seems to work better than any of the pre-made ones forum members have tried.

The basic mix is a blend of 1/3 fluffed peat moss, 1/3 coarse vermiculite, and 1/3 a blend of 5 different composts. The components are all available in your area.

Do you have the All New Square Foot Gardening Book? That gives you the recipe and explains about the composts and how to sustain the garden once it's built.

I hope this helps,
Gloria

**sanderson** 8/14/2014, 1:29 am

Texas Aggie, I thought I already welcomed you to the Forum. In case I didn't, Welcome from California! $glad you\'re here$

**walshevak** 8/14/2014, 8:58 am

TexasAggie wrote:Is Mel's Garden mix available in West Houston?

Check Home Depot. I saw it on website of at least one Houston store. BUT, be prepared to add some additional compost or fertilizer. The pre-made mix has not worked well alone for many forum members. If I absolutely had to use the pre-mix, I would add a 20 lb bag of Black Hen to 2 of the 1.5 cu foot bags. If I needed a lot more to fill beds I would make my own.

Black Kow products are available in your area. Black Kow, Black Hen, and their mushroom compost. All excellent products. I actually used just those 3 plus a forest fines product for one of my early beds with excellent results. Finding a 5th compost just improved it all.

Kay

TGCooper 8/14/2014, 10:39 am

TexasAggie,

I have not found the Mel's Mix at Home Depot in Houston, but they do not make it easy, having to search one store at a time. However, I did find a supposedly endorsed mix by Lady Bug Products at Southwest Fertilizer. However, I asked about it on this forum, https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t18441-lady-bug-brand-rasied-bed-mix-anyone-have-experience-with-it-austin-tx-based-company and although it was only a few repsonses, they were not positive. So I have searched around town enough to find the ingredients to make my own, which I plan on doing this weekend.

Goo luck to you,
Tom

P.S. - Eat em up, Tigers! (LSU) Smile

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	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.