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Old November 27, 2018   #1
AlittleSalt
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Default Dead Pro Mix

Let's say that your pro mix has a PH of 7.0 and shows no signs of nutrition, what do you add to make it useful?
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Old November 27, 2018   #2
Cole_Robbie
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Osmocote? Regular pro mix is fairly sterile as it is.

Are you measuring ph with a probe? I have never read anything good about the soil probe testers, as far as accuracy.
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Old November 27, 2018   #3
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How did it die?
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Old November 27, 2018   #4
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I don't understand what you mean by dead. none of these mixes have an abundance of nutrients in them as it is. we kind of "customize" to the needs of the plants we are planting but Cole-Robbie's suggestion of osmocote is an excellent one. I buy that by the 50# bag and mix it into the potting mix as I am filling pots or flats. if I need to add it afterwards I sprinkle it on and add a little more potting mix if I can.
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Old November 27, 2018   #5
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Dead meaning no nutrients Zipcode.

Thank you Cole and Carolyn. I'm still new to using pro mix. I had a misguided thought that "Pro Mix" would mean that it had nutrients in it to start with. I'm learning otherwise. I will write more later today including the brand of pro mix.

I need to take our TV back to Walmart...again.
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Old November 27, 2018   #6
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You have to read the back of the Pro Mix Bag to see what it contains. The one with BX on the label I get has Canadian Sphagnum peat moss (75-85%/volume), Perlite, Vermiculite, Dolomitic and Calcitic limestone (pH adjuster), Wetting Agent and Mycorrhizae. I think all Pro Mix bags contain Mycorrhizae but some have the limestone and micro nutrients. I have used Pro Mix for years and seem to always return to it. Although it has perlite I add extra when I start seeds. At transplant time I add worm castings. For my Earthboxes I also mix it with coir. Then I add organic fertilizer. I think you have to experiment a little to see what works best for you.
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Old November 27, 2018   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlittleSalt View Post
Dead meaning no nutrients Zipcode.

Thank you Cole and Carolyn. I'm still new to using pro mix. I had a misguided thought that "Pro Mix" would mean that it had nutrients in it to start with. I'm learning otherwise. I will write more later today including the brand of pro mix.

I need to take our TV back to Walmart...again.
Another Carolyn, adds her 2 cents,or so.

I used to buy bales of Pro mix from the local Agway, they deliver. But then would add one part Pro mix to one part bagged sterile cow manure (nutrients),which Agway also delivered to fill containers and that extended raised bed that was built.

Worked for me and worked for another person who took over when I couldn't do it any more. And as the plants got larger I always added some 5-10-5 fertilizer and watered it in well.And did that again as the plants grew larger.

Too much fertilizer inhibits blossom formation and that should be known as well,since there are two cycles of growth,first the vegetative phase with new roots, stems and leaves and then the sexual cycle of blossoms, etc.

Carolyn
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Old November 27, 2018   #8
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Robert, use the fertilizer I told you about for tomatoes. 4-18-38, and use it at noted strengths. As you know you also must add CaNO3 and MgSO4, again just follow the directions.

For flowers use e Peat lite 20-10-20. I have used Jack's, Growmore, and techni gro. Your stength will be about half the requirement as is needed for tomatoes.

We do not want fertilizer in it, that way we can measure what goes in and it is near perfect for the plants.

I go through 400-500 bales a season growing flowers, herbs, and garden items, so we have a bit of experience using it.

You have seen our tomatoes, this is something else I grow.
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Old November 27, 2018   #9
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Those are beautiful Mark.

I have big bags of the 4-18-38, 15.5-0-0 CaNO3, and MgSO4 Epsom Salt. This thread was started last night as I saw a difference happening with onion seeds. (The thread is in the Alliums section http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=48353 ) I started with pro mix and watered when needed for a month and had 4 seedlings come up. A couple of days ago, I watered using the 4-18-38, 15.5-0-0 CaNO3, and MgSO4 Epsom Salt, and today, there are many onion seedlings popping up.

The pro mix was bought at Walmart. I didn't see a brand name - I'll show a picture.

Carolyn, for years, my parents bought cow manure and used 10-10-10 in their gardens The soil was black clay. My father called it, "Black Gumbo". I just looked it up and it isn't one of his pet names he used to make up We had vegetable gardens that produced very well, and flowerbeds that were absolutely beautiful. He also used fish emulsion in the flowerbeds...40 years later, I can still remember what the fish emulsion smelled like.
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Old November 27, 2018   #10
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Here the pro-mix is too expensive so I will not be buying it anymore. I just had access
to regular pro-mix bx. I'm definitely no expert, but I always add Dolomic Lime, Garden-Tone, earthworm casting if I had it, bat guano, bone meal.
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Old November 27, 2018   #11
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Nice blooms, Mark. Do you filter your initial water source? If not, what does your source water read on a tds meter before you add anything? I was wondering at what point adjustment to the nutrient recipe would be required.
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Old November 27, 2018   #12
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Follow your heart.

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Old November 27, 2018   #13
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Salt, I use that Pro-Mix for my container tomatoes and they do very well. A spoonful of Tomato Tone in the planting hole is pretty much the only fert that I add.

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Old November 27, 2018   #14
AKmark
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie View Post
Nice blooms, Mark. Do you filter your initial water source? If not, what does your source water read on a tds meter before you add anything? I was wondering at what point adjustment to the nutrient recipe would be required.
Cole, yes I have an inline filter to keep grit out of my injectors.

I have a very high source water pH, 8.3. I have to adjust and use Phosphoric Acid. My ppm is about 275, EC .335. Those are added to the mixture recommendations, so on my meter for tomatoes I run about 1900 PPM, or 2.5 EC.

For flowers I run about 1.4 EC, begonias 1.0-1.2. Nothing is added to the fertilizer with flowers.

Last edited by AKmark; November 27, 2018 at 08:52 PM.
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Old November 27, 2018   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlittleSalt View Post
Those are beautiful Mark.

I have big bags of the 4-18-38, 15.5-0-0 CaNO3, and MgSO4 Epsom Salt. This thread was started last night as I saw a difference happening with onion seeds. (The thread is in the Alliums section http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=48353 ) I started with pro mix and watered when needed for a month and had 4 seedlings come up. A couple of days ago, I watered using the 4-18-38, 15.5-0-0 CaNO3, and MgSO4 Epsom Salt, and today, there are many onion seedlings popping up.

The pro mix was bought at Walmart. I didn't see a brand name - I'll show a picture.

Carolyn, for years, my parents bought cow manure and used 10-10-10 in their gardens The soil was black clay. My father called it, "Black Gumbo". I just looked it up and it isn't one of his pet names he used to make up We had vegetable gardens that produced very well, and flowerbeds that were absolutely beautiful. He also used fish emulsion in the flowerbeds...40 years later, I can still remember what the fish emulsion smelled like.
Robert, I am not sure how that will work with onions. I know some guys up here that grow them in soil in fields use CaNO3, I think thats about it. They grow some monster onions too. I grow some in my garden, and just use a basic fert. mine are nothing like my friends.
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