Square Foot Gardening Forum
[table bgcolor=#000000 height=275][tr][td]
Mixing Mel's Mix Toplef10Mixing 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.

Mixing Mel's Mix I22gcj10Mixing 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]
Mixing Mel's Mix Toplef10Mixing 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.

Mixing Mel's Mix I22gcj10Mixing 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
» Peat Pots and Peat Pellets
by GreenScienx_Sug Today at 5:50 am

» Joann's fabric bankruptcy
by has55 Yesterday at 9:13 pm

» Senseless Banter...
by OhioGardener Yesterday at 12:11 pm

» Fire Ring / Round Raised Bed Planter
by donnainzone5 Yesterday at 11:47 am

» Galvanized Fire Ring for Rhubarb Raised Beds?
by OhioGardener Yesterday at 10:34 am

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

» Kiwi's SFG Adventure
by KiwiSFGnewbie 3/17/2024, 4:58 pm

» N & C Midwest: March and April 2024
by Scorpio Rising 3/16/2024, 12:16 pm

» Prefab compost question
by sanderson 3/14/2024, 11:40 pm

» New gardener from Santa Fe NM
by Turan 3/14/2024, 2:06 pm

» Compost bins: Open vs. closed
by OhioGardener 3/13/2024, 5:48 pm

» Heat Mat Temperature Test
by sanderson 3/13/2024, 1:31 am

» Bokashi
by OhioGardener 3/12/2024, 5:37 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

» Mark's first SFG
by sanderson 3/5/2024, 10:55 pm

» Greetings from a haggard mom
by sanderson 3/5/2024, 2:32 am

» Drip Irrigation question
by HDNoviceGardener_CA 3/4/2024, 9:50 pm

» Recommended store bought compost - Photos of composts
by sanderson 3/2/2024, 8:20 pm

» raised bed quanders
by OhioGardener 3/1/2024, 7:32 pm

» N&C Midwest January & February 2024
by OhioGardener 3/1/2024, 7:15 am

» Seeds 'n Such Leap Year Sale
by sanderson 2/29/2024, 1:42 pm

Google

Search SFG Forum

Mixing Mel's Mix

+9
sanderson
jimmy cee
AtlantaMarie
Scorpio Rising
naughtymoose
CapeCoddess
yolos
Razed Bed
PhillyFarm
13 posters

Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  PhillyFarm 5/31/2015, 10:50 am

I have just recently made my maiden voyage into square foot gardening.  I planned two beds, each two 4x4 connected beds.  I didn't have time or space to mix the compost, vermiculite and peat moss for at the same time, so I did them at different times.  On the first, I followed the instructions in the book, first mixing different types of compost on a tarp, then adding in the vermiculite and peat moss.  I didn't have another person to help with the tarp, so I mostly mixed with a shovel and a rake.  It proved to be a long, exhausting process to mix and fill two 4x4 beds.  The next time I put the components into the beds, putting the lighter vermiculite and peat moss in first and mixing them, then adding the heavier composts in last with the thought the lighter materials would naturally rise while the heavier compost sank.  It worked out just that way and it took about a quarter of the time, and much less energy to fill the bed with well mixed soil!
PhillyFarm
PhillyFarm

Posts : 1
Join date : 2015-05-31
Location : Philadelphia, PA

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  Razed Bed 5/31/2015, 11:04 am

My wife filled a new square this year by taking a shovel full of coconut coir, a shovel full of vermiculite, and a shovel full of compost and then repeating this over and over again until the bed was filled.

She brought the mountain to Mohammed by creating the square rather close to the compost.  She then placed the coconut coir bags and vermiculite bag between the compost pile and new square. 

I did not know she was being so resourceful, and when I arrived home that afternoon, I saw a perfectly constructed square with a mix that looked better than any I made, which is par for the course, since the only thing I ever did perfectly was in choosing a soul mate.

BTW, she took a pile of leftover brick we had to build up this new pile, driving metal rods into the bricks to keep them in place.  The only issue is that this poor square has taken a hit from the weeds that blew seeds into it.
avatar
Razed Bed

Male Posts : 243
Join date : 2015-04-01
Location : Zone 7

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  yolos 5/31/2015, 1:58 pm

I take a 5 gallon bucket of peat, a 5 gallon bucket of Vermiculite, a 5 gallon bucket of compost, dump them in a deep wheel barrow, mix up with a child's size hoe, and then dump the wheel barrow in the bed.
yolos
yolos

Female Posts : 4152
Join date : 2011-11-20
Age : 74
Location : Brooks, Ga Zone 7B/8A

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  CapeCoddess 5/31/2015, 2:42 pm

I love mixing Mel's Mix on a tarp. It gets harder every year but it's great exercise! I use a wheelbarrow full each of vermiculite, peat and compost. Wet it down, roll it, wet it down, roll it, spray it, roll it, and on and on. It comes out so pretty and perfectly distributed. The hard part for me is getting it into the box without using a shovel. I try to roll it in with the tarp but every year a bit more ends up falling on the grass. Rolling Eyes

CC
CapeCoddess
CapeCoddess

Posts : 6824
Join date : 2012-05-20
Age : 68
Location : elbow of the Cape, MA, Zone 6b/7a

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Using a tumbler

Post  naughtymoose 12/15/2015, 6:20 pm

I've managed to buy a compost tumbler for £15 on ebay. I picked it up on Sunday.

My intention is to use it as a sort of 'cement-mixer' to mix up the constituent parts of the mix.

I'll tape over the holes (don't want to lose any MM!) and then be able to thoroughly mix the stuff up in small manageable quantities.

Mixing Mel's Mix 23481496600_a42844fe12_c
naughtymoose
naughtymoose

Male Posts : 33
Join date : 2015-10-28
Age : 56
Location : Essex, England

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  Scorpio Rising 12/15/2015, 8:33 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:I love mixing Mel's Mix on a tarp. It gets harder every year but it's great exercise! I use a wheelbarrow full each of vermiculite, peat and compost. Wet it down, roll it, wet it down, roll it, spray it, roll it, and on and on. It comes out so pretty and perfectly distributed. The hard part for me is getting it into the box without using a shovel. I try to roll it in with the tarp but every year a bit more ends up falling on the grass. Rolling Eyes

CC

I am a tarp roller too, but did need ibuprofen and a chiropractic adjustment afterwards! Truth!
Scorpio Rising
Scorpio Rising

Female Posts : 8682
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  AtlantaMarie 12/16/2015, 7:05 am

We're wheelbarrow folks...  But I like the tumbler idea, NaughtyMoose.  Let me know how it works.
AtlantaMarie
AtlantaMarie

Certified SFG Instructor

Female Posts : 5600
Join date : 2014-03-18
Age : 60
Location : Buford, GA - Zones 7B/8A

http://www.defensivespecialties.com

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  Scorpio Rising 12/16/2015, 7:58 am

I like the tumbler idea too, keep us posted!
Scorpio Rising
Scorpio Rising

Female Posts : 8682
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  jimmy cee 12/16/2015, 8:54 pm

I tried it all, my favorite method of mixing Mel's Mix is shown here.
And this was for a 4 x 4 bed.

empty 12 x 16 tarpMixing Mel's Mix Mels_m10

one 5 gallon bucket of SCREENED peat mossMixing Mel's Mix Mels_m11

one 5 gallon bucket of super course vermiculiteMixing Mel's Mix Mels_m12

dump vermiculite on peat mossMixing Mel's Mix Mels_m13



rake in with back of rake....

Mixing Mel's Mix Mels_m15



screened compost
Mixing Mel's Mix Mels_m18


screening done

Mixing Mel's Mix Mels_m20



5 gallons of compost to mix with peat moss and vermiculite
Mixing Mel's Mix Mels_m21



After mixing all 3 components, added to beds, and then went back to do more.
I did not add water to this before adding to bed, It was easier for me to water after loading into bed.

Mixing Mel's Mix Mels_m22



bed completed
Mixing Mel's Mix Dec_1310
jimmy cee
jimmy cee

Certified SFG Instructor

Male Posts : 2215
Join date : 2013-02-16
Age : 88
Location : Hatfield PA. zone 6b

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  Scorpio Rising 12/16/2015, 10:01 pm

Raking in the vermiculite would have saved some of my vermiculite, mine was flying everywhere! Good tutorial, Jimmy!
Scorpio Rising
Scorpio Rising

Female Posts : 8682
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  sanderson 12/17/2015, 2:01 am

With my back, I find standing at a picnic table, mixing in a cement tube, to be the easiest.  This photo is from March 2013, when I first began SFG, and was using perlite and Kelloggs Embarassed .  When mixed and wet, I would slide the tub over to the 33-gal wheeled garbage can, repeat process. Mixing Mel's Mix 3-15-110

Moose, Don't overfill the unit or it will be hard to get ingredients mixed. I'm thinking about 1/3 full. Let us know how it works for you. Ditto for if you use the unit for composting.

____________________________

Find more about Weather in Fresno, CA
Click for weather forecast
sanderson
sanderson

Forum Administrator

Female Posts : 21487
Join date : 2013-04-21
Age : 75
Location : Fresno CA Zone 8-9

https://connect.xfinity.com/appsuite/#!!&app=io.ox/mail&

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  jimmy cee 12/17/2015, 8:14 am

Scorpio Rising wrote:Raking in the vermiculite would have saved some of my vermiculite, mine was flying everywhere!  Good tutorial, Jimmy!

It's really best not to do the mix during windy conditions, breezy is ok, however wet it and that will help a lot.

Sanderson, your method's much better than a tumbler..
jimmy cee
jimmy cee

Certified SFG Instructor

Male Posts : 2215
Join date : 2013-02-16
Age : 88
Location : Hatfield PA. zone 6b

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  yolos 12/17/2015, 9:43 am

I use the wheel barrow method.  5 gallon bucket of peat moss, 5 gallon bucket of vermiculite, mix with hoe.  1 gallon bucket of 5 kinds of compost, mix with hoe.  Roll wheel barrow to bed and dump in.  If putting in table top then shovel it in.  Water after each wheel barrow load.  Then repeat as necessary.
yolos
yolos

Female Posts : 4152
Join date : 2011-11-20
Age : 74
Location : Brooks, Ga Zone 7B/8A

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  CapeCoddess 12/17/2015, 10:23 am

Love the photos. They made my heart pound. I love you Laughing
How many 5 gal buckets of each does it take to fill a 4x4x6" bed?

CC
CapeCoddess
CapeCoddess

Posts : 6824
Join date : 2012-05-20
Age : 68
Location : elbow of the Cape, MA, Zone 6b/7a

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  Zmoore 12/17/2015, 12:03 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:How many 5 gal buckets of each does it take to fill a 4x4x6" bed?  

Ooo!  Ooo!
More fun with math!
4'x4'x6"= 8 c.f.
One 5 gal. bucket= .67 c.f.
so one 4x4x6" bed takes 12- 5 gallon buckets
For Mels Mix and equal parts of 3 components
4(four) 5-gal. buckets of each component.

So, if Jimmy has a 12'x6' blue tarp, What are the odds that Zeke's and Scorpio's camo tarps are much cooler?
Zmoore
Zmoore

Male Posts : 225
Join date : 2015-04-14
Location : Virginia Zone 7a

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  sanderson 12/17/2015, 1:05 pm

lol!

____________________________

Find more about Weather in Fresno, CA
Click for weather forecast
sanderson
sanderson

Forum Administrator

Female Posts : 21487
Join date : 2013-04-21
Age : 75
Location : Fresno CA Zone 8-9

https://connect.xfinity.com/appsuite/#!!&app=io.ox/mail&

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  Scorpio Rising 12/17/2015, 6:22 pm

[quote="jimmy cee"]
Scorpio Rising wrote:Raking in the vermiculite would have saved some of my vermiculite, mine was flying everywhere!  Good tutorial, Jimmy!

It's really best not to do the mix during windy conditions, breezy is ok, however wet it and that will help a lot.

Live and learn, right?! Wink
Scorpio Rising
Scorpio Rising

Female Posts : 8682
Join date : 2015-06-12
Age : 62
Location : Ada, Ohio

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  jimmy cee 12/17/2015, 9:48 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:Love the photos.  They made my heart pound.   I love you  Laughing
How many 5 gal buckets of each does it take to fill a 4x4x6" bed?  

CC

I did 4 sets of mix, 3 buckets a set, X 4 == 12 five gallon bucket to fill mine..
jimmy cee
jimmy cee

Certified SFG Instructor

Male Posts : 2215
Join date : 2013-02-16
Age : 88
Location : Hatfield PA. zone 6b

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  plantoid 12/18/2015, 9:41 am

As my beds are the 36 high brick built one  the top foot or more is genuine full on MM  ( save for my onion bed long story ) 
 I simply sprinkled two inches of chopped coir across each square fbed then added the vermiculite to the same depth then add two inches of compost . When finished doing this I then used a kiddies sand spade blade set on an old sea fishing rod butt to turn them in together. area
After three complete turnings it was done so I then added the next set of layers and again turned them in as before . For me the beauty of this and the tiny sand spade is that It didn't wreck me physically even though I was suffering intensely from what I now know was a severe case of spinal compression due to bone growths in two of  my vertebrae that kept  pressing in on my spinal cord in my upper lumbar spine art L2/L3  .

 It seemed far easier  because of the back problem to be doing it directly on my beds than ever rolling it around on a tarp & having to lift it up off the tarp  into a bed .
plantoid
plantoid

Male Posts : 4096
Join date : 2011-11-09
Age : 73
Location : At the west end of M4 in the UK

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  jimmy cee 12/18/2015, 10:30 am

Best way to mix anything is to do it comfortably...  good ideas  Plantoid
jimmy cee
jimmy cee

Certified SFG Instructor

Male Posts : 2215
Join date : 2013-02-16
Age : 88
Location : Hatfield PA. zone 6b

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Mixing Mel's mix

Post  danieggert 3/25/2023, 8:05 am

I bought a 55 gallon, lightweight plastic  Barrel with a screw on top. Food safe  I originally bought to store soil and keep dry.

$20on FB marketplace 

 I put 5 gallon buckets of each of the 3 components of Mel's mix into it and rolled on the garage floor 10x.  Perfect


 I had someone help me dump it into the wheelbarrow but if I was not 71 years old and female I could have done it myself
danieggert
danieggert

Female Posts : 54
Join date : 2023-01-19
Age : 72
Location : burr ridge illinois zone 5

sanderson likes this post

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  sanderson 3/25/2023, 3:01 pm

Little old folks can get really creative! In all seriousness, anyone with limited physical abilities has to figure out creative ways to get things done.

In general, your 55-gallon mixing container is a really good idea for blending and storing a larger amount of compost while making Mel's Mix. Mixing Mel's Mix 3170584802

____________________________

Find more about Weather in Fresno, CA
Click for weather forecast
sanderson
sanderson

Forum Administrator

Female Posts : 21487
Join date : 2013-04-21
Age : 75
Location : Fresno CA Zone 8-9

https://connect.xfinity.com/appsuite/#!!&app=io.ox/mail&

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  OhioGardener 3/25/2023, 3:45 pm

sanderson wrote:Little old folks can get really creative!  In all seriousness, anyone with limited physical abilities has to figure out creative ways to get things done.
Mixing Mel's Mix 3170584802

Mixing Mel's Mix 3170584802 

And, I've noticed that older I get, the littler I get.  Very Happy

____________________________

"In short, the soil food web feeds everything you eat and helps keep your favorite planet from getting too hot. Be nice to it."  ~ Diane Miessler, "Grow Your Soil"
OhioGardener
OhioGardener

Forum Moderator

Male Posts : 4460
Join date : 2018-08-06
Location : SW Ohio

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkKWnsWrs0RIcyIQD1_Z26g

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  sanderson 3/25/2023, 4:08 pm

+1
Mixing Mel's Mix 3170584802

____________________________

Find more about Weather in Fresno, CA
Click for weather forecast
sanderson
sanderson

Forum Administrator

Female Posts : 21487
Join date : 2013-04-21
Age : 75
Location : Fresno CA Zone 8-9

https://connect.xfinity.com/appsuite/#!!&app=io.ox/mail&

Back to top Go down

Mixing Mel's Mix Empty Re: Mixing Mel's Mix

Post  Sponsored content


Sponsored content


Back to top Go down

Back to top

- Similar topics

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