Soil for Container Vegetables

Question

I am interested in growing my own organic vegetables. The soil in my backyard is mostly clay, and has lots of construction debris underneath left behind by the builder. That is why I have no other choice but to use containers for my plants. I am planning to use plastic containers, 15″x18″x18″, and plan to grow tomatoes, cucumber, eggplant, peas, okra, zucchini, lemon, pepper and bitter melon. Buying good quality soil at the big box store is expensive, so I am thinking of mixing my own, but need help. Is there a soil type that would be good enough for all the vegetables that I plan to grow, or I need specific soil for specific plant? Can you help me to create my own soil inexpensively? I live in Toronto, ON in Canada.

Answer 1

I have a soil recipe that I use for everything. Some of the items can be sourced naturally, thus saving money. You can get them all at any gardening center, or hydroponic shop. The recipe is as follows:
1 ten gallon bag of Inert material such as peat moss or coco fiber.

3 to 6 pounds Earthworm Castings  (1 lb. of casting = about 1 gal.)

10 ounces of Blood Meal  ( 10 oz. of blood meal = about 1 & 1/2 cups)

10 ounces of Phosphorus Bat Guano ( 10 oz. of guano = about 1 cup)

10 ounces Fish Bone Meal ( 10 oz. of bone meal = about 1 cup)

6 ounces Rock Phosphate

1&1/2 tablespoons Epsom Salt (magnesium sulfate)

2 tablespoons or 1 oz. of Dolomite Lime

1 tablespoons or 1/2 oz. of Azomite (trace elements)

1 teaspoon of powdered Humic Acid

Mix these in a large container. You may use it like it is, but I always recommend letting it “cook” in the container in the sun for a few weeks.