Make Your Own DIY Organic Seedling Mix for Cheap - The Seed Sage

Many gardeners hesitate when they see the upfront cost of buying individual ingredients for DIY seed starting mix. At first glance, grabbing an 8-quart bag of pre-made mix for $5 seems like the more affordable option. But let’s break it down and do some simple math.

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The Real Cost of Pre-Made Mix

An 8-quart bag of a popular seed starting mix costs about $5 at a big-box garden center.

That sounds reasonable until you realize 8 quarts is only 0.27 cubic feet—a tiny amount, especially if you’re starting multiple trays of seeds.

If you needed 1 cubic foot of this pre-made mix, you’d have to buy four bags, which brings the cost up to $20 per cubic foot.

The Cost of DIY Seed Starting Mix

When you purchase the individual ingredients, you can make over 1 cubic foot of organic seed starting mix for around $8—less than half the cost of the store-bought version.

Here’s a breakdown of ingredient costs:

• 2 cubic feet of vermiculite = $20

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• 2 cubic feet of perlite = $17

• 3 cubic feet of peat moss = $12

Yes, the initial investment is higher (about $49), but here’s the key difference: these ingredients will last for multiple seasons. Unlike a single-use bag of mix, you can make several cubic feet of DIY mix from one set of ingredients, stretching your dollars much further.

Why DIY Makes Sense

1. Significant Cost Savings – Store-bought mix costs $20 per cubic foot, while DIY mix costs $8 per cubic foot.

2. Bulk Ingredients Last for Years – If stored properly, vermiculite, perlite, and peat moss don’t expire. You won’t need to repurchase for multiple seasons.

3. Customizable and Organic – You control the quality, ensuring your mix is free from synthetic additives.

So while the upfront cost is higher, in the long run, you’ll save money—and always have what you need for seed starting, potting, and container gardening.