Dirt - Growing Media Engine
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$49 USD — One-time purchase. Lifetime access.
No subscription.
Includes the Dirt Web Utility and a ChatGPT-compatible version with future updates.
i. purpose
Dirt examines soils, potting mixes, substrates, and growing media to explain what they are made of, how they behave, and why they perform or fail in a given situation. Enter any growing medium question — a diagnosis, a comparison, a selection, an amendment, or a construction — and it returns what the medium is doing, what is driving that behavior, and what to change to get the result you need. Covers container growing, outdoor beds, raised beds, specialty plant substrates, soilless systems, propagation media, and field-scale soil management.
ii. examples
Shows how growing medium questions are resolved — what the medium is doing, why it is behaving that way, and what to do about it across containers, beds, fields, and specialist growing systems.
details
why is my potting mix draining too fast and drying out immediately
a: too many large particles, not enough water-holding material — add more peat or coir, or bottom-water if the mix has gone hydrophobic.
my clay soil cracks in summer and floods in winter
a: clay needs structure amendment — work in coarse organic matter like composted bark or aged compost to open pore space and improve drainage and water retention across seasons.
what growing medium is best for succulents and cacti
a: a mineral-heavy mix — 50–70% coarse material like pumice or perlite with 30–50% potting base for most succulents; desert cacti need up to 70–90% mineral fraction.
what does soil pH actually affect and how do I fix it
a: pH controls nutrient availability — high pH locks out iron and manganese causing yellowing even with fertilizer; correct with acidifying fertilizer or a fresh mix at the right pH range.
my soil is compacted and hard across a large bed or field — what do I do
a: work organic matter in deeply and stop compacting further — composted bark, wood chip compost, or aged manure opened into the top 30cm improves structure over time; for severe compaction subsoiling or deep tillage breaks the hardpan before you amend.
what mix should I use for rooting cuttings
a: a low-nutrient, sterile, well-aerated medium — perlite alone, a perlite and coir blend, or fine bark with perlite; avoid rich potting mixes that encourage rot before roots form.
how do I fill a raised bed and keep it productive long term
a: start with a blend of topsoil, compost, and coarse organic material — a common ratio is 60% topsoil, 30% compost, 10% coarse amendment; top-dress with compost each season to maintain structure.
what is the right growing medium for orchids
a: chunky bark-based mix — medium or coarse orchid bark, sometimes with perlite or charcoal added; never standard potting soil which stays too wet and rots epiphytic roots.
can I grow plants in LECA without soil
a: yes — LECA works as a standalone soilless medium if you manage nutrients through water or liquid feed since the clay balls hold no fertility of their own.
how do I improve degraded or compacted urban soil for planting
a: test first then amend structurally — add coarse organic matter like composted bark or wood chip compost to open pore space, improve drainage, and feed soil biology; avoid tilling wet clay which worsens compaction.
iii. query intent
Questions about growing media — across diagnosis, comparison, selection, improvement, explanation, assessment, construction, and scale directions.
details
diagnosis — something is wrong with my medium
Observing a problem — draining too fast, staying wet, compacting, cracking, not wetting — and needs to know what is causing it and what to do.
comparison — what is the difference between these
Trying to choose between two components, products, or medium types and needs to understand how they behave differently and what each is better suited for.
selection — what medium should I use for this
Starting fresh or repotting and needs the right medium matched to a specific plant type, growing system, or context.
improvement — how do I fix or amend this
Working with an existing medium that is not performing and needs to know what to add, adjust, or change to get the right behavior.
explanation — what does this component actually do
Encountering perlite, pumice, coir, bark, LECA, or another amendment and wanting to understand its function, behavior, and when it is worth using.
assessment — is this medium suitable
Asking whether a specific soil, mix, or substrate will work for a plant, system, or situation before committing to it.
construction — how do I build or mix a medium
Creating a growing medium from scratch — a propagation mix, raised bed fill, soilless system, or custom blend — and needing ratios, components, and method.
scale — how do I manage soil across a bed, field, or system
Working beyond a single container — a large bed, market garden, field, greenhouse, or restoration site — needing medium management at a scale where repotting is not an option.
iv. usage
Use when the question is about the growing medium — what it is, how it is behaving, whether it is suitable, or how to fix, build, or improve it.
details
the container gardener
Houseplants, balcony pots, or indoor growing where something is wrong — draining too fast, staying wet, compacting — and the cause is not clear.
the outdoor gardener
Vegetable beds, flower borders, or garden soil that won't perform — clay that floods, sandy soil that dries out, or structure that needs seasonal amendment.
the propagator
Rooting cuttings or starting seeds and needs the right sterile, low-nutrient medium before the plant is established enough to feed itself.
the raised bed builder
Filling a new bed, maintaining an existing one, or dealing with structure that has declined after a few seasons of organic matter breakdown.
the specialty grower
Orchids, carnivorous plants, succulents, cacti, bonsai, or any plant with specific medium requirements that standard mixes won't meet.
the soilless grower
Hydroponics, LECA, passive systems, or any setup where plants grow without soil and nutrients are managed separately.
the market gardener or smallholder
Field soil management, compaction across a growing area, or long-term fertility and structure decisions at a scale where repotting is not an option.
the greenhouse or nursery operator
Substrate selection, propagation mix decisions, or commercial growing medium choices at volume where consistency and performance matter.
v. structure
Output is returned as a growing medium analysis. Fields appear according to the input. Diagnosis questions emphasize behavior, likely composition, and improvement path. Selection and construction questions emphasize suitability, strengths, limitations, and ratios. Scale questions emphasize improvement path and warning signs across larger growing systems.
details
plant growing medium
Identifies the soil, potting mix, substrate, or growing material being examined — by type, composition, or observed behavior.
observed condition
States the current state of the medium — draining too fast, staying wet, compacting, cracking, hydrophobic, degraded, or unspecified.
question type
Classifies the request as diagnosis, comparison, selection, improvement, explanation, assessment, construction, or scale.
likely composition
Identifies what the medium is probably made of based on described behavior or stated ingredients when composition is not provided directly.
behavior
Explains how the medium is actually functioning — what its physical properties are doing, why water moves or stalls the way it does, and how structure affects root conditions.
strengths
Identifies where the medium performs well — what it does right for the plant type, system, or growing context.
limitations
Identifies where the medium fails or creates problems — the tradeoffs of its composition, particle size, or organic content in the given context.
suitability
Determines whether the medium is appropriate for the plant, system, or situation — and what conditions change the answer.
improvement path
Explains what to add, adjust, change, or rebuild to get the medium performing correctly — with ratios, components, and method where relevant.
warning signs
Lists the conditions that indicate the situation is worse than it appears or that a different approach is needed — including compaction, hydrophobicity, anaerobic conditions, and structural collapse.
next options
Offers follow-up paths for deeper diagnosis, component comparison, mix recipe building, plant-specific selection, or scale management.
vi. handles
Territory this engine covers — the growing media, substrates, soil types, and amendment questions it is built to interpret.
details
soil type, texture, and structure
Clay, loam, sandy, silty, and mixed soils — how they behave, what limits them, and how structure affects drainage, aeration, water retention, and root penetration.
potting mixes and container media
Bagged potting mixes, potting soils, and container substrates — composition, behavior, suitability, and how to evaluate, compare, or improve them.
specialty plant substrates
Orchid bark mixes, cactus and succulent media, carnivorous plant substrates, bonsai soil, and any growing medium built for plants with specific root environment requirements.
soilless and hydroponic media
LECA, rockwool, perlite, pumice, lava rock, and other inert or mineral media used as standalone growing systems without soil.
propagation and seed starting media
Low-nutrient, sterile, well-aerated mixes for rooting cuttings, germinating seeds, and plug production — distinct from growing-on substrates.
raised bed filling and maintenance
Mix ratios for new raised beds, long-term structure maintenance, seasonal top-dressing, and managing volume and fertility loss over time.
drainage, water retention, and aeration
How pore structure controls water movement, oxygen availability, and wet-dry cycling — and what to change when the balance is wrong.
compaction and structure failure
Why growing media collapse, compact, or lose pore space over time — and how to restore structure in containers, beds, and fields.
soil pH and fertility
How pH affects nutrient availability, what symptoms indicate pH problems, and how to correct pH in container and in-ground growing media.
amendment components
Perlite, pumice, bark, coir, peat, compost, LECA, grit, lava rock, charcoal, vermiculite, and other amendments — what each does, when to use it, and how to combine them.
urban and degraded soil restoration
Compacted, stripped, or contaminated urban soils — how to assess what is wrong and what amendments improve structure, drainage, and biology over time.
commercial and greenhouse substrates
Substrate selection, consistency, and performance for nursery, greenhouse, and commercial growing operations at volume.
field and large-scale soil management
Market garden, smallholder, and field-scale soil problems — compaction, structure, organic matter, and amendment decisions where individual repotting is not an option.
vii. limits
Excluded territory and functions this engine does not perform.
details
- plant identification:
Does not identify plants from descriptions, symptoms, or images. - propagation methods:
Does not cover cutting, grafting, layering, seed propagation, or rooting technique — use Cut & Root. - climate and habitat suitability:
Does not assess whether a plant is suited to a climate, region, or environment — use Niche. - pest diagnosis:
Does not identify or treat pest infestations on plants or in growing media. - plant disease diagnosis:
Does not diagnose fungal, bacterial, or viral plant diseases. - fertilizer product recommendations:
Does not recommend specific fertilizer brands or products — covers pH and fertility behavior in the medium, not product selection. - watering schedules and frequency:
Does not prescribe watering routines — explains how medium behavior affects wet-dry cycling, not how often to water a specific plant. - plant care instructions:
Does not cover light, temperature, humidity, pruning, or general plant husbandry — focuses on the growing medium only. - nutrient deficiency diagnosis beyond pH:
Does not diagnose complex nutrient deficiencies or prescribe supplementation programs beyond what pH and medium composition explain. - irrigation system design:
Does not cover drip systems, irrigation infrastructure, or water delivery equipment. - site assessment beyond soil:
Does not assess landscape, topography, drainage infrastructure, or land use planning. - seed selection and variety advice:
Does not recommend plant varieties, cultivars, or seed sources. - harvest and yield questions:
Does not cover crop timing, yield optimization, or harvest decisions. - garden design:
Does not plan layouts, planting schemes, or aesthetic arrangements.
viii. insights
Recurring patterns observed in how growing media behave, fail, and respond to amendment.
There is no universally bad soil — only soil that does not match the intended use. Desert sand, heavy clay, peat bog, and rocky scree are all perfect growing media for the plants that evolved in them. The question is never whether soil is good but whether it fits what you are trying to grow.
Amending a growing medium is not fixing a problem — it is adjusting a fit. The soil is not wrong. The gap between what the medium does and what the plant needs is what gets closed through amendment, selection, or both.
The relationship between particle size and water movement is the core of most growing medium problems. Most drainage, compaction, and aeration issues come down to too many fine particles filling the macropores that roots need for oxygen.
Drainage and water retention are not opposites — they are both controlled by pore structure. A medium can drain well and still hold enough water if the particle size distribution is right.
Hydrophobic media look like fast-draining media. The symptom is the same — water runs through quickly — but the cause and fix are completely different.
Most bagged cactus mix is not dry enough for cacti. The label does not guarantee the behavior.
The perched water table is the most misunderstood concept in container growing. A drainage layer of rocks at the bottom of a pot makes the problem worse not better.
Adding sand to improve drainage often makes it worse if the sand is fine — it fills macropores and increases compaction rather than opening the structure.
Bark breaks down. A medium that performed well at repotting will become water-retentive and oxygen-poor as organic particles decompose into fines over time.
pH problems mimic structural problems. Pale leaves and stunted growth can come from locked-out nutrients at the wrong pH even when the medium looks fine and feeding is regular.
Urban soil is not just low in nutrients — it is structurally damaged. Fertility amendments alone will not fix compacted, biology-poor urban soil.
Scale changes the options. In a pot you can repot. In a field you work with what you have — amendment, biology, and time are the tools.
ix. notes
Examines soils, potting mixes, substrates, and plant growing media to explain their composition, behavior, limitations, suitability, and improvement options.
details
- called dirt for a reason:
Growing medium is the technical term. Dirt is what you're actually dealing with when something isn't working. This tool meets you where the question starts — not in the lab but in the pot, the bed, the field, or the greenhouse. - difference from cut & root:
Cut & Root handles propagation methods and timing. Dirt handles the growing medium those methods happen in. A question about rooting hormone is Cut & Root. A question about what to root cuttings in is Dirt. - difference from niche:
Niche handles where plants grow in the world and why. Dirt handles what they grow in when you are growing them deliberately. - input format:
Accepts descriptions of medium behavior, stated ingredients, observed symptoms, plant type, growing system, or any combination. Does not require technical terminology — "my soil is hard and cracked" is a valid input. - processing model:
Identifies medium type and behavior from description, infers likely composition when not stated, and returns analysis matched to the question type. - intended users:
Container gardeners, outdoor gardeners, propagators, raised bed growers, specialty plant growers, soilless and hydroponic growers, market gardeners, smallholders, nursery and greenhouse operators, and anyone working with a growing medium that is not performing. - builder:
Designed and maintained by jordan r. hale.
x. access
Unlock continued use beyond the preview and open the full private version. Includes direct access, full output, and ongoing updates.
details
- full access: one-time purchase.
- private page: opens the full web version of the tool without preview limits.
- app-style use: save the private page for direct access.
- gpt version: optional ChatGPT version of the tool.
- updates: improvements included over time.
xi. privacy
Processes questions without storage, tracking, or retained user data. Operates without accounts, profiles, or follow-up interaction.
details
- privacy: questions are processed and returned without storage or retention.
- use: no accounts or user profiles; no ongoing tracking.
- interaction: no inbox, follow-up, or outreach.
- payment: checkout (if purchasing access) is handled by Gumroad; this site does not receive card details.
- content: avoid entering sensitive personal or confidential information.
- responses: missing context is labeled; the system does not invent details.