Will one of you guys post up the formula for Mel's mix? I am doing a couple of raised herb garden beds and want to use it.

Thanks
rustee

1/3 compost, 1/3 peat, 1/3 vermiculite...all by volume

Thank you, that is what I thought just wanted to make sure.

He also recommends that if you are buying the compost that you buy five different types and mix it together so that all of your compost is not coming from the same source.

And make sure you are using the coarse grade vermiculite.

I get mine at Ace Hardware. Looks like this:

went to the farm supply and he has mushroom compost and black cow, not sure what the schroom compost is and I thought black cow was a manure based dirt.

Any ideas?

The shroom compost is probably straw and manure mixed.
I think that they also use sawdust in the shroom media.

Look for something to add to those that is cellulosic.
Like a leaf or grass compost.
The SFG advice to mix up your compost sources is a sound idea.
And if you are going to garden, it's good to get your own pile going for future use.

Hey Colonel,
I have a pile I started last year, but I cut 3 acres of grass and don't use a bagger so mostly what goes in there is stuff from the house (coffee grounds, egg shells etc.). needless to say the bin isn't to big or full.
I'll see what I can find cellulosic.

Thanks

One of the hydro stores I bought drip fittings from used to stock this awesome crab shell compost.
The stuff was like magic and as you can imagine, loaded with calcium.
It dried up and when I started asking around I found out that the state had shut the operation down.
Seems that some smart guys figured out something wonderful to do with all the waste coming out of the packing houses
down on the Eastern Shore but the State couldn't have that, could they? Ginned up some regulatory nonsense and shut them down.

I have a hippie buddy who is sitting on 4,000 cubic yards of digested sewage worm castings compost in PA.
He bought the whole plant out with the intention of selling it wholesale.
He even paid for the lab tests to certify the product as sterile, non-biological and certified organic.
Then he found out that the EPA can't classify worm castings and that it's illegal to ship the stuff across a state line.

He can sell it just fine in PA but that alone won't justify the expense of starting the plant back up.
So he's auctioning off the equipment and looking to dispose of the stock he has.

Green jobs my ass.

The gov is full of shit and doesn't want any small business to survive.

To bad your buddy in Pa can't sell the stuff it would be one hell of a product and I expect a good seller. I'd go get a truck load (if I had a truck). Just like they will try and kill the small farmer/gardner