Updated Homemade Potting Soil for Avocados, Mangos and More! 

I totally agree on proper soil for growing avocado, I caught the avocado bug five years ago and now have over twenty trees and over a dozen varieties. Thanks for sharing *** Joe***

Perfect timing for your soil mix formula. We'll be planting a new avocado tree this week. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge!

Awesome thank you!

Excellent video! Thank you for sharing.

you have really opened my eyes to growing. So happy that I discovered your channel.

yooo my man thankyou!! i was thinking of planting a avocado and mango in big containers now i know what soil to use!

Very awesome info-video, also I really liked your soil formula, simple yet most effective for beginners or pros.

Awesome!!! I did see Gary M. Videos from Laguna hills nursery. This is exactly what I was looking for...

So very very happy to discover your channel! Super content! I’m definitely following! Blessings! 🌱😊

Nice Video AJ!

Nice going!

My mango tree is doing terrible so I repotted it with your advice on soil. If it lives, I’ll come back and subscribe… 😆 no pressure 😅

Thank you. very informative.

Good video. Drainage of soil (sand/silt/clay) is predominantly based on size of particle (sand >> silt >> clay). DG is also a large particle, so it drains well. Gary Matsuoka's soils use pumice because pumice is light, and peat moss for water retention. If you want more water retention increase the peat and if you want less then increase the pumice. Weight is a big consideration in potted plants. DG weighs twice as much as pumice, so a 5gal with DG or sand will be much heavier than 5gal with pumice.

Awesome. I also had to invent my own soil for the ever-finicky raspberries I'm bent on growing. I also use peat, but at a fairly lower ratio because raspberries are so delicate about too much moisture retention. My ingredients are peat moss, perlite, sand, river pebbles and pebbled expanded shale aka calcined clay. Earthworm castings at the top and water it in!

I put a tray container under the pot when watering and reuse the waste water to rewater plants since it has the fertilizer, also when potting good dirt.

Another favorite ingredient I also learned from Gary, is pumice/sponge rock👍

Cool video, I just bought a white sapote tree and the nursery worker told me I need good drainage.

Keep going mate your on the rite track…

great video bro

Without drainage you have a cup. I like your potting mix

Charge biochar and throw it in after letting it soak up a compost tea mix with comfrey.

Hello from Trinidad and Tobago 🇹🇹 I have two avocado trees of the West Indian race . it's what we grow here in the Caribbean . Heavy rain and full sun seems not to bother them.

FINALLY, someone who gets it!!! I use peat, pumice, coarse sand and charcoal. I use Gary's Top Pot recipe.

Hey A.J, what a great video! 100% with you on Gary's top pot being the holy grail dirt. All my avos in pots are thriving, as are my citrus and basically everything else I've ever planted in that style of dirt. Gary actually dropped exact ratios in his most recent soil video (March 11 at 49min) for his top pot mix! 1 part biochar (5%), 2 parts sand (10%), 4 parts perlite (20%), 6 parts pumice (30%), 7 parts peat moss (35%) and said you could sub the biochar with sand, if you can't find it. I've been using DG in its place and its worked out amazing. Also, not sure how far you are from Whittier/Pico Rivera, but if you need somewhere that has pumice in SoCal Whittier Fertilizer Co sells it in cubic foot bags for around $5 and everyone there is so great. Thanks again for the knowledge you share and happy gardening!

I’m going to try this mix thanks 👍🏼

Thank you The Graft Man, I watch your interview with Gary another day and this one. You have a clear expectation on youtube, now I have 1 question for you: what the difference between lime dolomite and lime type S in home builder supply?.

Thanks for the easy explanation and process. I could not find decomposed granite anywhere near me. I wound up using a bag of paver granules, which seems to me to have the same consistency as you were talking about not as porous as sand, but still granular. I mix it with the same proportions you had for the DG. I hope I didn’t screw it up. We’ll see. I just did it today.

the soil around my house is decomposed granite(mountain area). Most trees i plant get a 50 percent yard dirt, 20 raised bed mix, 20 percent perlite, and 10 percent worm castings. thats worked good in my area with how hot it gets. Weirdly i have 3 coastal ca redwoods that grow in pure potting soil better than anything else.

yes yes yes

Here in Boynton Beach (Mangoland) we use Builders sand, pine fines, and perlite. Works perfectly here.

I bought the 4 ingredients necessary for the soil mixture. Gonna do some reporting today after work, hopefully it stops raining

Great video, I agree with everything., however earthworm castings in my opinion are very necessary and do occur naturally in nature.

Hi AJ, I am new to gardening/planting, and have a 3 foot tall avocado tree I've been growing in a small 1 ft planter container which I started from that toothpick method you referred to in this video. I'm getting ready to transfer tree to a larger planter container(25 gallons or 100 liters) and will be keeping the tree above ground, because my ground is a terribly dry and a hard type of clay that kills avocado trees. Also, I am doing this upgrade for 5 trees of the same size. Per your measured amounts of ingredients you suggested between peat moss, DG and perlite, it looks like I may have to spend a lot more on soil than I first thought. I thought your method was supposed to be more cost-effective, or perhaps I misunderstood. Can you recommend a filler soil that I can mix the same ingredients that won't cause any contamination or potential rot issues so that I can stretch the ingredients a bit further? Thank you in advance. Again, not a pro (or even amateur level) at this, and welcome all constructive advice and tips so I can learn from you all.

Great way to conserve water is to get a large wide galvanized bucket, fill it up half way or so and soak your potted plants in it, refilling as needed. It makes sure all the soil gets wet rather than have dry spots if the water drains to quickly.

Repotting my Lowe's Manila Mango with this mix. Thanks AJ!

New Subscriber looking for a good mix, just watched your old one. I am in tropical rain forest 10b/11a, not actually far from the Zill’s.

So im going to repot my 2 avocado trees. Im going to follow your advice here. My only question. Im in South Texas zone 9. This summer will hit 100s easy. With this mix, just how often will i have to water? It seems none of these ingredients will hold any moisture. So is this formula ok in my area?

Hello G. man, new to your video's. Living in Sand Diego and planting 35 Gems and 10 Reeds. I have contacted various growers in North County and UC Davis, and all get different answers. I am planting mine high density, 9"X9" tall. My soil is average for S.D. Not much clay which is good. On my flats I would like to plant on 16" mounds. Will be planting my trees in 4 weeks and would like your opinion of a soil mix for the mounds, including my native soil. Gary Bender mentioned that you should use as much native soil as you can. I'm looking for better aeration and holding power for the roots to grasp on and stand on its own. To much light and aerated soil from what I know will not hold up an avocado tree well. I have a few Reeds and Fuertes. The reeds will produce 350-450 a season. Fuertes will double the amount but are a little larger than the reeds. One grower told me to spread 3-4" of DG on the top mound. I heard DG can break down and wash away. Contacted 3 quarry's and each has their own sandy loam mixes. Vista Groves avacado's soil is aprox. 65/23/12, I know that I can never produce their native soil in my yard. What's your take on this. Thank You Joe

Would you still recommend this homemade potting mix for a grafted avocado tree 80cm height?

If im filling a 20 gallon pot .. do you think i can put some natural soil into that mix??

Great info! Question: If you bottom water the trees and allow the water to wick up the pot, do you still just put fertilizer on top, or do you completely mix it in the soil?

Thanks for your videos. I repotted my avocado into a bigger pot. The problem is the largest root broke off through a drainage hole. I’ve heard there is no “tap root” but it looked healthy. Should I prune it? Also, our store doesn’t have decomposed granite😢

is it necessary to have the Mycorrhiza or will this mix work either way?

What can you use as a substitute when decomposed granite is not available?

What adjustments would you make for an avocado tree in a fabric container in humid 9b New Orleans? Thanks!

Where did you get the dg from if you don't mind sharing

Where do you get the DG?

Hey there. Have you grafted onto Wurtz seedlings? Would like to know if a Wurtz seedling results in any dwarfing of the grafted scion. Also, can’t seem to find what rootstock is used for Wurtz. Wondering if Wurtz are grafted onto a dwarfing rootstock, or does the Wurtz scion do all the dwarfing on its own just due to the variety. My Wurtz in 24” container has about 30 fruit, first year I’ve let it hold fruit. Just ate my first one today, 10 days after cutting off tree. Tasted good. Considering using them for seedlings for grafting. Love your channel!

Do you add anything to your native soil when putting plant in ground

Hi, can I substitute DG with top soil? Thanks

Is it possible to add perlite and peat moss to miracle grow potting mix and be ok? Thanks for the videos.

Did you ever measure the ph on this mixture? Thank You

Where do you buy the dg?

awesome video! Can I use lava rock instead of perlite? I've done Perlite before with a lot of success, but just went to home depot and they are selling lava rock for a lot cheaper. I was thinking about doing 40% peat moss, 40% DG, and 20% Lava Rock

Hey, appreciate the advice. I’ve been stressing as to what mixture of soil I should create for the grafted mangoes I purchased. I live in NJ so im planning to keep them in pots and move them indoors during the colder seasons. Since it’s much more humid here should I have different ratios for my mix or instead use Pavers sand instead of DG?

Gary also uses charcoal in Top Pot. What about adding biochar?

If planting straight in the ground can I just use this as the backfill mix? Thanks

How do you fertilize your citrus? What do you use?

Where do you get Decompress granite. I only have a Home Depot to shop at. They have the other two but no granite. They do have a cactus mix which is said to be okay .

I'm going to be planting done avocado trees. Can i dig a home and backfill with this? Or build a mound with this mix? Or just Decomposed granite

My big box store does not have DG. Is there another spot to find it at? Or is there something I can substitute it for?

Would this be recommended for in ground for Papaya in Zone 10a. Riverside CA

does this mix also work with backfilling soil when you transplant and mound an avocado tree into the ground ?

Can I use sand instead of DG for mangoes? I am in Norcal and its not as dried or hot as Socal

peatmoss rots...the mykos is part A. Part B would require you to feed the mycos.

Thanks for the video, AJ. I’ve noticed your recipe is different if Gary’s. He uses 50% perlite/pumice. How is your mix compared to his in terms of results? Again, thanks.

Would something like pea gravel work instead of perlite?

Would this mix work on transplanting avocado tree from plastic container to a 24 inch wood box planter?

What about DG from home depot, Vigoro is that ok?

Would you recommend that for Central Florida? Zone 9b

I cant find decomposed granite in my area, anything you would recommend as a substitute?

What happens when the peat moss decays ?

if you put mulch on top of your soil, Does that rot and create problems? Thank you.

If we already planted a tree with rotting soil, what do we do in 6 months as it starts showing signs of dying? Can we add anything to help?

I am in South Florida and coming into our wet season. Are the proportions of what you recommended the same for our climate? Also, if I want to put the avocado tree in the ground (not in a pot), is it still the same proportions?

I use this mix for ferns, but if lets say you're planting un-germinated seeds of sapodilla, or jackfruit, or starapple, are you gonna use that, or would you add or change something in the mix? Thank you.

Got softener water,will it killed my avocado tree if I continue on using that water?

Can use coffe grounds from starbucks leftovers for free😮 as fertilizer

hey bro. can i use this soil mix to plant my avacado tree (5 gallon tree) in the ground? ty

How many times in a week will you water this plant ?

In my country we have no DG. What can I use instead?

Where do you get DG?

Did you get the dg at the big box store?

Where did you get DG?

Like to correct you, fertilizers can be mixed into your mix, not just go on top of the soil

Wonder if I could replace the perlite with pumice?

Your recipe is more like Gary's acid mix which is about 50% peat. It will sink over the years which is fine for annuals but not ideal for trees. His top pot is 35% peat. He said in his videos that higher sand is ideal but it weighs to much for him to sell. I've been increasing the corase sand and also including fine sand which holds water will. I use the garden mix pro-mix from Walmart which is 12 dollars for 1cu ft, 2 cu ft uncompressed, it was mycorrhizae in it already. I do adjust the recipe if it's meant for in ground or pot as weight can be a factor for pots.

Hi thank you for sharing am new at gardening and am told I don't have a green thumb but I don't want to give up hoping this works am on my second avocado tree I was told not to plant in the ground do to it would ruin my plumbing can I keep it in a Is container and still get fruit

I'm trying out 40% pumice, 40% coconut peat, 20% perlite, what do you think..?

I can only find spagnum peat moss. Is there a difference between spagnum and just peat moss?

What about smokesble trees?

Hey brother can you make a video on how to improve soil, especially like soil where trees are already planted and the fruit tree isn’t growing fast, or the leaves aren’t dark green(example longan tree) maybe because the soil is too alkaline or more clay content

Why doesn’t my DG drain at all?!?!?!

Home depot has DG at .25 sqft for 30$😢😢😢

Only three ingredients, maybe four. Lol

Where is your PROOF Abour DG??

Growing avocado frm seed it takes 7 yrs for fruit and you don’t know what fruit will taste like….right? Don’t know if that’s true?

Not so easy to find here. All the stone dust I see in Quebec is limestone, not granite. And limestone contains calcium, which not all plants tolerate well. :(