Living soil grow checklist
Everything a living soil grow needs
Use this to check what you have and what you still need. Start at the top. The soil and the mulch are the parts that matter most. Everything below them makes a good grow better.
1. Soil and containers
Get the foundation right and most of the work is done. Not sure how much soil you need? Use the soil volume calculator.
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Our flagship living soil. Fill the container, water it in, and plant.
Building your own mix instead? See the 3.0 Soil Building Kit and Pumice.
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Fabric pots with a liner that holds moisture, so the soil stays alive between waterings.
Want it to mostly water itself? See the EarthBox.
2. Mulch and cover
Every living soil container gets mulched. Bare soil dries out, and the life in it slows down. This is the step new growers skip most.
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A layer on top keeps the surface moist and gives the soil life somewhere to work.
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A living mulch. Sow it on top, chop it and drop it as it grows.
3. A kick start in veg
New living soil takes a little time to ramp up into a full ecosystem. You can grow without this step, but a little extra nitrogen in veg works like lighter fluid on the fire while the soil gets going.
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Organic nitrogen from amino acids, in a form plants can use right away. Use it through veg while your soil ramps up.
4. Top dress and biology
This is how you feed the soil through the run instead of feeding the plant from a bottle.
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Our dry amendment blend for top dressing. One bag lasts many applications.
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The flowering top dress. Goes on as plants move into flower.
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Colorado Worm Company Vermicompost
Worm castings for top dressing and teas.
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Mycorrhizae and a full range of soil biology. Best added at planting or when you replant.
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A fermented, food-based inoculant. Spread it on the soil surface just under the mulch.
5. Optional boosters
You don't need these to start. Good living soil and plain water will grow a great plant. Boosters are for fine-tuning once you know how your plants respond. The feeding schedule shows when each one fits.
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For the flowering stage.
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Trace minerals, in small amounts.
What growers come back for
About 1 in 6 new growers place a second order within a month, usually about a week after the first. These are the products most often in that second order.
Share of second orders that included each product. Based on 8,033 first-time customers on buildasoil.com, October 2025 to September 2026.
Guides for setting it up
- The BuildASoil WayHow living soil works and the rules we grow by.
- Classic Living Soil Container GuideStep by step setup for a 15 gallon Grassroots pot.
- EarthBox Setup GuideStep by step setup for the EarthBox.
- Watering ProtocolHow much and how often. The skill that makes or breaks a first grow.
- Environmental Protocol IndoorsTemperature, humidity and light targets for an indoor room.
Not sure what you need?
Tell us what you're growing and the size of your space, and a real grower on our team will help you put the list together.
Ask a grower
