March 14, 2012 | #16 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 1,992
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BX is not the same as veggie and herb. From the data sheet it appears the V&H uses a soy based fertilizer. Not sure what that means. And it only contains 3 to 7% perlite.
PRO-MIX BX MYCORRHIZAE™ - has 15 to 25% perlite and vermiculite and of course the mycos. BX line also has a few variations, including one with biofungicide. Veggie and Herb data sheet - http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdf...b37272bef4.pdf website - http://www.newpromix.com/en/pro-mix-...b-growing-mix/ BX - http://www.pthorticulture.com/en/gro...al-production/ Data Sheet - http://www.hort.purdue.edu/hort/faci...s/proMixBX.pdf It appears they have 2 websites, one for retail and one for pro use. I only have limited experience with the BX Myco, ( all I could get locally) and none with the other products. Happy with it so far! |
March 14, 2012 | #17 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Edmonton Alberta
Posts: 189
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I just got a couple of broken #4 mix 3.8 cu ft bales for $14 each, 1/2 price. One is about 3/4 full the other looks full. Usually, they only offer a 25% discount. I'm trying to grow my own; but, every year I have more pots to fill.
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March 14, 2012 | #18 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Campbell, CA
Posts: 4,064
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For SWC applications, you really need to have approx 20 to 25% perlite, or else the Mix will get too wet. You can always buy perlite separately and blend it in manually to get to this ratio.
Raybo |
March 14, 2012 | #19 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Parma, Ohio (6a)
Posts: 299
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Quote:
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March 14, 2012 | #20 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Western WI
Posts: 359
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Ingredients
Thanks |
March 14, 2012 | #21 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Campbell, CA
Posts: 4,064
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Wet or dry, the volume is similar. When you cut open the Sunshine Advanced Mix #4, the bag doesn't literally "explode" to double its size - - it stays at a constant volume.
If you threw hands-full of the stuff up in the air, then yes it might "expand" - but I personally think this is a misleading claim on their part. Just be aware to not buy one bag thinking you can have it fill a 6 cubic foot container. Raybo |
March 14, 2012 | #22 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Eastern Suburb of Sacramento, CA
Posts: 1,313
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Ray, I'm not sure you clearly answered Riceloft's question. At least, it's not obvious to me. I'll say when I was mixing up the 3:2:1 ratios for my InnTainers this past year, I fluffed the SS#4 (crumbled it up) before measuring off the portions. I was adding the various components one 6" pot full at a time. It's hard to measure the SS#4 in its solid, compressed form. Are you saying that you actually just chuck-in chunks of uncompressed SS#4 when measuring off your ratios for the mix?
I guess what I'm trying to understand is whether I may have under supplied the SS#4 portion of the mix because I am throwing in uncompressed portions rather than compressed. BTW, I didn't get the impression my mix lacked for water wick capabilities (or was drying up for lack of peat). I believe while the mix does compress some after wetting, it's not compressed to the same level as when it comes out of the bale dry. That's not a statement backed by scientific experiementation, just my impression working with the stuff. Thanks for clarifying. -naysen |
March 14, 2012 | #23 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Campbell, CA
Posts: 4,064
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Naysen,
When digging it out of the bag with a flour scoop, I simply used the 3:2:1 scoop ratio which went into my mixing bucket, along with the microbark and perlite. Both the Sunshine Mix #4 as well as their new Sunshine Advanced Mix #4 are packed in a similar density. At best, there may be a 5% expansion unpacked, versus packed into the bag, when wetted. Not the 100% expansion which surprisingly only the Advanced version claims on the bag. Nothing mentioned on the standard Sunshine Mix #4 package. Their claim defies logic as the Advanced version contains a higher ratio of perlite which everyone knows is hard exploded glass - - and this does not compress - nor does it expand when unpacked. Raybo |
March 14, 2012 | #24 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: IL
Posts: 87
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Quote:
On the Earthbox forum some said home depot has the veggie and herb one for $2.25 a bag right now. My HD doesn't have it. |
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March 14, 2012 | #25 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Western WI
Posts: 359
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Thanks for the reply. No HD here. I saw this at Menards as well. Guess I will give it a try.
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March 14, 2012 | #26 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Allentown, PA
Posts: 349
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Ray, I'm confused. If the Pro-Mix BX contains 15 to 25% of perlite, and you are saying that our final mix need contain only 25% perlite, then do we need to add additional perlite if using a grow media such as Pro-Mix BX that already includes it?
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March 14, 2012 | #27 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Campbell, CA
Posts: 4,064
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According to the Pro-Mix datasheet, the BX contains approx 17% perlite. When you factor in the microbark which obviously does not contain any perlite, then adding in the one scoop in the 3:2:1 combo Mix brings the perlite percentage back up to about 23%.
If you are not going to use microbark in the Combo Mix, I then recommend cutting the Pro-Mix BX at a 5 scoops mix to 1 cup added perlite. This increases the percentage of perlite which provides added aeration and drainage which tends to make up for the lack of microbark. Raybo |
March 14, 2012 | #28 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Allentown, PA
Posts: 349
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Thanks, Ray - I failed to factor in the micro-bark. Can't wait to get some of this mixed up!
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March 14, 2012 | #29 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Eastern Suburb of Sacramento, CA
Posts: 1,313
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Ok Ray, I think we're doing about the same thing. Since your instructions require that the media be thoroughly "wetted" as the Tainer is being filled, we don't risk the chance that the filler shrinks significantly after wetting.
Thanks, Naysen |
March 14, 2012 | #30 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: IL
Posts: 87
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