Potting Soil

[1Gringo]

just wondering if anybody has found a source or a brand name or a recognizable logo for potting soil. apparently what is in the bags of so-called soil is scrapings from paddies. this explains the leaves but not the coconut or peanut shells.

this stuff is great if I were trying to make mud lakes but not much else. I wasn't even thinking about growing water lilies and I can't imagine what else would survive this mess.

I thought I could tame it with sand, but in order to get a pot to drain, I needed to mix approximately 1 part dirt to 7 or 10 parts sand. and I don't know what would have grown in that abortion, either.

thanks in advance

[MrBrad]

I'm with you, Gringo. I started a similar topic in the Farming Forum, and have gotten little results. See: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/553196-black-dirt/

[KhunVee]

What you are talking about is probably the Rice Hull or Shell they use to grow seedlings.

They are great for growing plants in the first few weeks as they keep the seeds moist, but you are right they are not good for further growing plans as they don't keep nutrition for the plants.

In Tarad Kham Tieng (spelling?) you know the big flower/plant market behind Tesco Lotus Super Highway,.... they will sell you any particular soil you need if you ask for it. Best is to approach a shop that sell's similar plants as the ones you want to pot. Point at them and say: "Phom aw Dinh" (Dinh = soil for pot plants in Thai) for this plant or flower. The they will give you the right bag and also will probably advise the right fertilizer as well. Synthetic Fertilizers here almost all of them look the same (more or less) but they have a number,.... I did not figure it out completely yet, but it's important you use the right number for the particular plant, flower, tree or even your grass.

I have found organic fertilizer (made from Buffalo dung) at one shop, but not always in stock, but sorry I don't know how the shop's name is, just the location.... it's 200 meters down the soi with all the Orchids, followed by the shop with the fake fluorescent flowers,......

If you have a Thai person to go with you (or maybe your Thai skills are better than mine) ask for it and someone will point you in the right direction.

It's been working out well for me so far this way, I'm a big "amateur planter" myself,.... so why wouldn't it work for you?

Good luck!

[WinnieTheKhwai]

You can get various grades; the cheap stuff has all kinds of crap in it, the more expensive ones are much better. Go to a shop at Kham Thiang market that sells more than one variety; they will let you check all kinds, then you can choose. I usually go for the brand with a rose logo on the bag.

That said, none of it will be like Scott's Miracle Gro, but then prices are still much cheaper than that level, too. If drainage is still a concern then mix in some perlite / vermiculite.

"Phom aw Dinh" (Dinh = soil for pot plants in Thai)

Din is any kind of soil, down to clay and sand.

for this plant or flower. The they will give you the right bag and also will probably advise the right fertilizer as well. Synthetic Fertilizers here almost all of them look the same (more or less) but they have a number,.... I did not figure it out completely yet, but it's important you use the right number for the particular plant, flower, tree or even your grass.

It has the N-P-K numbers on it yes.

This company sells a lot of gardening stuff, especially flower seeds but also potting soil which is probably the closest you can get to commercial grade potting soil as sold in the West.

http://www.afm.co.th

[KhunVee]

You can get various grades; the cheap stuff has all kinds of crap in it, the more expensive ones are much better. Go to a shop at Kham Thiang market that sells more than one variety; they will let you check all kinds, then you can choose. I usually go for the brand with a rose logo on the bag.

That said, none of it will be like Scott's Miracle Gro, but then prices are still much cheaper than that level, too. If drainage is still a concern then mix in some perlite / vermiculite.

"Phom aw Dinh" (Dinh = soil for pot plants in Thai)

Din is any kind of soil, down to clay and sand.

for this plant or flower. The they will give you the right bag and also will probably advise the right fertilizer as well. Synthetic Fertilizers here almost all of them look the same (more or less) but they have a number,.... I did not figure it out completely yet, but it's important you use the right number for the particular plant, flower, tree or even your grass.

It has the N-P-K numbers on it yes.

This company sells a lot of gardening stuff, especially flower seeds but also potting soil which is probably the closest you can get to commercial grade potting soil as sold in the West.

http://www.afm.co.th

[KhunVee]

On another note,....

I'm sitting on tonnes (yes, literally, tonnes) of Eucalyptus wood shavings and sawdust,... as a result from our wood-factory.

I'm using some as bedding in our garden and to top off our plant pots and so on,.... also all of our neighbors and friends use it in their garden.

Some people use it for their pets (cat litter box and some for rabbits and other small pets)

I like the clean look of it in the borders of my garden and it mulches down very well, our plants seem to like it.

As it is not our core business and I can't spend too much time and effort into it (marketing and sales in getting rid of it that is) I'm looking for any ideas or anyone who could use it or sees a project into it.

Talk to me if you have an idea....

[1Gringo]

thanks to those who offered advice.

I've been frequenting one particular garden supply shop behind Lotus. he's recently gotten perlite in but nobody around here seems to have even heard of vermiculite. and I tried lightening up the goop with perlite with no success.

Mr Brad, I see where you've already looked into this. (I didn't know there was a forum on farming. oops.)

I can't do composting for the same reasons as everybody else and the wife isn't much interested in waiting a year or more for cow manure to chill out. she has a shorter attention span than I do. I thought surely potting soil would be easy to find.

I will check on the rose logo, and thanks for that tip. and the links!

thanks for the offer for the wood chips, but I'm growing in plastic pots, not looking to make things pretty. the garden is on the roof and nobody sees it anyway.

[eyecatcher]

That reminds me;

The wife has spent hours in the back garden today.....I suppose I had better go and unlock the back door.

[1Gringo]

do you let yours indoors?

[Lobo4819]

My favorite brand is called "Dr. Pornchai", and it has an earthworm excrement and dead mushroom base, along with some other choice ingredients. It is dark and rich, my plants love it, but it has a bit of a "wang" to it from an olfactory standpoint for about 2-3 days until it airs out a bit. The bag has a picture, perhaps of Dr. Pornchai himself, riding a bicycle. The only place I have consistently found it is one of the landscaping stalls off to the side from Big C Don Chan near the new Promenada Mall construction. It seems to be somewhat hard to find presumably because the guy formulates it himself and supplies are limited. No peanut shells or rice hulls or other filler. Thick, rich, black potting soil.

[TPI]

Well! My wife and I make an organic fertilizer from our pet buffalo's poo, lum yai leaves and rice stalks. They have all been breaking down for over a year, we then put them through our shredder which turns the whole lot into a powder and we pack it into 5 kg clear plastic bags,,,we have just delivered 500kg to a local nursery! If you require some we can always send some to you via the local/ interstate bus! Drop me a line and we'll send it along!

[Petey]

My favorite brand is called "Dr. Pornchai", and it has an earthworm excrement and dead mushroom base, along with some other choice ingredients. It is dark and rich, my plants love it, but it has a bit of a "wang" to it from an olfactory standpoint for about 2-3 days until it airs out a bit. The bag has a picture, perhaps of Dr. Pornchai himself, riding a bicycle. The only place I have consistently found it is one of the landscaping stalls off to the side from Big C Don Chan near the new Promenada Mall construction. It seems to be somewhat hard to find presumably because the guy formulates it himself and supplies are limited. No peanut shells or rice hulls or other filler. Thick, rich, black potting soil.

I met Dr. Pornchai last week at the Mae Hia Agricultural Fair which is still on until today, 13 May, the last day. He had a lot of sacks of his compost there for sale. Its made from partially composted mushroom substrate which is the leftover medium from which mushrooms have been grown, and which consists mainly of sawdust, gypsum, lime and some other ingredients. To this he has added a strain of trichoderma fungus and chitosan and further composted the mixture. He cab usually be found, he said, at Airport Plaza's food court where he has a stall that sells mushroom soups, in the area near the aquarium.

By the way, the Mae Hia Agri Fair at the CMU Agricultural Faculty grounds, is worth a visit. There is a section where vegetables are grown under tents with some samples of the potting soil they use. It was a display done by the Doi Kham Royal Project. Unfortunately on the day I was there I couldn't find out where the soil came from or if it was available to buy.

[jko]

My favorite brand is called "Dr. Pornchai", and it has an earthworm excrement and dead mushroom base, along with some other choice ingredients. It is dark and rich, my plants love it, but it has a bit of a "wang" to it from an olfactory standpoint for about 2-3 days until it airs out a bit. The bag has a picture, perhaps of Dr. Pornchai himself, riding a bicycle. The only place I have consistently found it is one of the landscaping stalls off to the side from Big C Don Chan near the new Promenada Mall construction. It seems to be somewhat hard to find presumably because the guy formulates it himself and supplies are limited. No peanut shells or rice hulls or other filler. Thick, rich, black potting soil.

I met Dr. Pornchai last week at the Mae Hia Agricultural Fair which is still on until today, 13 May, the last day. He had a lot of sacks of his compost there for sale. Its made from partially composted mushroom substrate which is the leftover medium from which mushrooms have been grown, and which consists mainly of sawdust, gypsum, lime and some other ingredients. To this he has added a strain of trichoderma fungus and chitosan and further composted the mixture. He cab usually be found, he said, at Airport Plaza's food court where he has a stall that sells mushroom soups, in the area near the aquarium.

By the way, the Mae Hia Agri Fair at the CMU Agricultural Faculty grounds, is worth a visit. There is a section where vegetables are grown under tents with some samples of the potting soil they use. It was a display done by the Doi Kham Royal Project. Unfortunately on the day I was there I couldn't find out where the soil came from or if it was available to buy.

FOUND the stockist near Big C Don Chan - thanks.

Entering Big C from the Highway, garden stalls are on your right, a bit towards the end of the line, before it bends to the left, you'll find a shop called 'Sam Heng Dee' (written as 3เฮงดี ) Telephone 082-698-8497 Price 3 bags for Baht 100. Will report on results!

[cusanus]

On 7/8/2012 at 12:16 PM, jko said:

FOUND the stockist near Big C Don Chan - thanks.

Entering Big C from the Highway, garden stalls are on your right, a bit towards the end of the line, before it bends to the left, you'll find a shop called 'Sam Heng Dee' (written as 3เฮงดี ) Telephone 082-698-8497 Price 3 bags for Baht 100. Will report on results!

Wonder if he's still there. My experience with the bags sold along the highway to Hang Dong is that just about anything you plant in the stuff will die within 3-4 weeks due to reducing conditions. They all sell pretty much the same thing. It's safe to use after about three years, probably less. If you mix with other soil it's not quite so bad and established plants will tolerate it long enough to survive.  Have been struggling for years to build a decent topsoil in my yard. Added 14 bags of a pig manure mixture that helped a little bit. 

[Sparkles]

If you have a decent size garden build some compost heaps,bricks or wood, put in vegetable scraps,grass clippings, leaves with layers of soil (the cheap stuff by the side of the road) add some chicken manure for nitrogen boost and keep damp.Once you see earth worms your on your way .Its a lengthy process but the end product is worth it.Having had a nursery in a past life the bagged soil here is next to useless unless used a a base to add to. 

[THAIJAMES]

On 5/12/2012 at 10:00 AM, 1Gringo said:

I've been frequenting one particular garden supply shop behind Lotus. he's recently gotten perlite in but nobody around here seems to have even heard of vermiculite. and I tried lightening up the goop with perlite with no success.

coming from Lotus, there is a garden shop on the right far corner that sells no plants, just gardening supplies. It has vermiculite.  Either small bags for about 100 or big "kasop" bags for about 900 baht.   Can also be easily found on Lazada.

[Praxis13]

On 7/8/2012 at 12:16 PM, jko said:

I met Dr. Pornchai last week at the Mae Hia Agricultural Fair which is still on

Hello.  Does anyone have a contact for this Dr. Pornchai?  I'm dying to get some good soil!

 

Thanks,

 

H