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Green Future Soil

OrganicBuds

OrganicBuds

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I went to they Max Yield Indoor Gardening Show and they gave out hundreds of sample products. Amounst the best IMO, was Green Future Infinity soil. It seems to have everything a plant needs, and is super rich soil for outdoor gardens.

Anybody else try this product, and if so, what did you think?
 
C

ClackamasCootz

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OB

The list of ingredients sound very good. How does the humus material look?

What kind of pricing are they offering? I noticed that they are bagging 3 mixes - definitely worth testing based on the label. Far better than most potting soil mixes being sold.

CC
 
G

GanjaRebelSeeds

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They suck. I personally know quite a few people who are unhappy with their outdoor soil mix. A few hydro store owners and managers also told me they had multiple customers complain after buying their products.
Also heard a rumor the owner likes his meth.
 
C

ClackamasCootz

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A few hydro store owners and managers also told me they had multiple customers complain after buying their products

I don't doubt that at all
 
OrganicBuds

OrganicBuds

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GanjaRebelSeeds - What company are the guys in nor cal using then?

I only got one bag and it looks really nice, maybe stepped up the mix because of the hydro show? The humus material is what surprised me the most, very dark and rich.
 
shmalphy

shmalphy

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I want to get into the soil selling business. Seems like anyone with an honest product could step in and make a killing...

I think the hard part would be finding a high quality humus that has a decent shelf life while being in a bag and under less than ideal conditions.. Humus breaks down when dry, and when exposed to air.
 
C

ClackamasCootz

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shmalphy said:
I want to get into the soil selling business. Seems like anyone with an honest product could step in and make a killing...

I think the hard part would be finding a high quality humus that has a decent shelf life while being in a bag and under less than ideal conditions.. Humus breaks down when dry, and when exposed to air.
Click to expand...
shmalphy

Unfortunately you would go broke - quickly. And yes, it's the humus component that kills the idea.

Commercial humus is really cheap. For example a tote (cubic yard) of 'worm castings' costs around $125.00 which works out to about $5.00 per bag - talk to anyone producing legitimate vermicompost and you can see what a joke that is.

Then there's the 'compost' that is available for packing. Stuff that you can buy at a landscape supply company - $35.00 for a cubic yard (i.e. 27 cubic feet)

To buy the base materials used in commercial bagged 'soils' (peat moss, perlite, wetting agent) you're at about $3.50 per bag, then add $1.00 per bag for mixing, bagging and palletizing, and then on top of that add in the cost of your humus.

Now in order to get it into a grow store you have to deal with the distribution system which is tightly controlled by NGW and their other operating names: Sun Light Mfg, Hydro-Farms, et al. which own American Agritech that sell under the Botanicare label.

Under the laws governing soil mixing and labeling, the amount of material that you must add to 1 cubic yard (again 27 bags) is 4 ounces so when you look at the label on a potting soil, the order of ingredients isn't what it is in the food label world, i.e. the item with the highest percentage is listed first and then it goes down the line.

If Bat Guano is the big deal then it will be listed first followed up by the next urban legend so that by the time you get to the 3rd or 4th ingredient you're thinking "Man, this is some really killer soil"

4 ounces is all that is required to have it appear on the label. 4 ounces = 24 teaspoons and we're talking about 27 cubic feet. Not even 1 tsp. per final bag of soil.

Notice that each and every soil company has to have at least 10 bottles of colored water that the customer will be convinced are absolutely necessary in order to pull off this Herculean task of growing a plant.

Grow stores want a growing system - viable products kill their game and they'd have to go back to their former careers - selling cheap plastic phone handsets at Walmart, pushing derivatives on the elderly, selling credit life insurance, appearing at county and state fairs selling kitchen gadgets (with the earphone and microphone set-up), etc.

The system is gamed - big time. Even the stores don't make much on soil. Certainly not compared with the profits on gallons of swill that are 97% water - the Mafia has to use capos, made guys and associates to get this kind of return.

OB - I've met the gentlemen from Vital Earth several times. They buy their materials at the same organic supplier that I do. They are 1 of about 4 companies on the West Coast that actually produce their own thermal compost as well as running a state-of-the-art vermicompost operation - solar-heated concrete floors, professional airflow system pulling fresh air in and pushing stagnant air out - the real deal.

There's a good example though about humus pricing - a bag of Vital Earth Worm Castings (1 c.f.) is around $33.00 in Portland - so compare that with $5.00 a bag that the stoner soil companies use.

CC
 
OrganicBuds

OrganicBuds

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ClackamasCootz said:
shmalphy


There's a good example though about humus pricing - a bag of Vital Earth Worm Castings (1 c.f.) is around $33.00 in Portland - so compare that with $5.00 a bag that the stoner soil companies use.

CC
Click to expand...

Vital earth has both EWC and bagged Humus. The humus seems like it is really really nice.

Speaking of which, how much humus can one add to a 5ft outdoor monster? I was thinking of taking the entire bag and top dressing my 75 ft of mounds.
 
C

ClackamasCootz

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I would go with their worm castings for top-dressing. Their thermal compost is a fine product but their worm castings are several steps above.

I've used their potting soil on a couple of occasions and for the price it's stellar compared to commercial potting mixes.

CC
 
Gascanastan

Gascanastan

Gone but NOT forgotten...
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Vital Earth EWC is my only commercial choice I have locally..(within 20 miles)..pure castings...use 'em all the time.

I would start with 1 to 2 gallons for a topdress outside....monsters right?...yeah 1 to 2 gallons each plant at least....mixed with EWC too.
 
dank.frank

dank.frank

ef.yu.se.ka.e.em
ICMag Donor
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The owner @ VE's is an extremely passionate guy - and is truly committed to producing high quality products. I've spoke with him on numerous occasions - after which, I have gained a respect for the company as a whole...

In fact - he is an official partner of the NSPB mix - I really like the consistency his guanos. I would recommend their products far before Sunleaves, Down to Earth, or other fully commercial products...

He assured me as his company grows - he would not reduce qualities to meet demands - that he would rather hit a ceiling first...not too often you hear that...


dank.Frank
 
Gascanastan

Gascanastan

Gone but NOT forgotten...
Veteran
ClackamasCootz said:
Yeah - I see him at the annual Farwest Show in Portland each August.

He's about 1 taco short of a combo meal.....
Click to expand...
That's an accurate description....only thing I could add is that it would be a combo from a 'lesser' roach coach.

Really though the best EWC comes from the ones a feller makes himself..(or that a feller allows the environment for the worms to make)
 
C

ClackamasCootz

Expired
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If Vital Earth's castings are worth $33.00 per bag and Yelm's is around $25.00 (his prices change weekly) then the castings from Coot's Vermicompost Operation must be worth $200.00 per bag - easily
 
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