New Grower soil amendment help

[DanteW420]

With the advent of Fox Farms ph levels gone to shit (even after adding dolomite my soil it still sits at around 5ph) I decided to go a different direction.

Unfortunately its hard to find quality soil in my Mayberry little town, but what I did find was as follows:

Pro-Mix Vegetable & Herb Growing Mix

http://www.amazon.com/Potting-Soil-...F8&qid=1403272878&sr=8-1&keywords=promix+herb

Components:
-Canadian Sphagnum peat moss (70-80% by volume)
-Peat Humus
-Perlite (way too little perlite, but easy enough fix)
-Soy Based natural fertilizer
-Limestone
-Mycorrhizae
-Endomycorrhizae inoculant

Analysis:
-Total Nitrogen 0.97%
.03% Ammoniacal Nitrogen
.01% Nitrate Nitrogen
.93% Water Insoluble Nitrogen

-Available Phosphate .06%

-Soluble Potash .08%

Even though I have had about 7 successful grows now, I still consider my self a noob. All of my previous grows were using Fox Farm soils with Fox Farm Trio.

If I were to use this pro-mix, does anyone have any idea what types of amendments I would need?

Normally I dont start any nutes until around week six. I would still be using the Trio, since I have plenty, so I would also need to know how my feed schedule may change, and how the Trio will interact with the amendments.

If anyone has successfully used this type of Pro-Mix, and has any tips for ensuring a solid grow please speak up.

BTW dont know if it matters but I am using LEDs for my grow.

Thanx in advance!!!

 

[medi]

Sounds like a decent enough mix, but if you're going to continue using the trio then it doesn't matter all that much what you use in terms of amendments because their nutrition will come from the trio anyway. If you wanted you could get 100% coconut fiber and just feed the trio provided the trio has micronutrients which IIRC it does. Not saying you should only trying to illustrate that the promix should be absolutely fine for growing in, better than fine really.

 

[DanteW420]

thank you for the quick reply medi...my concern on that is that the Fox Farm soils have most of the nutes needed for the first 5 or 6 weeks...apart from a little calmag added here and there, and I was worried that this mix doesn't have much of the nutrients that the plant would need for those first few weeks

 

[Muddy]

Premier Horticulture, the manufacturer of Pro Mix has expanded their retail line and that is one of their new products. Far as I know, we've not seen it used here yet. The difference between it and the Pro Mix BX and HP that many of us are using is the addition of the humus and fertilizers. It looks good as it is and if you did want to amend it, you could add some worm castings, guano or composted manure. That would make it more akin to the OF you have been using. My only concern would be the fertilizers it already contains, plus the amendments, might make it a bit too hot for auto seedlings. Personally, I would look for some Pro Mix HP. It doesn't contain any added fertilizers or humus. It can be used as is for a semi soil less grow or for seedlings. It could then be amended with any of the above for use after the first 2-3 weeks. HP is my choice for use with LEDs. With the low heat from LEDs it dries out in a reasonable time, usually about 5 days for established plants. Their BX product also contains vermiculite, which tends to keep the plants a bit to wet for my liking. It's great under high heat lights like HPS.

 

[DanteW420]

Thank you Muddy...I may just add some perlite, and run it straight for now....I am really trying to buy local, and unfortunately nobody around here carries Pro-mix HP or BX...that is what I was looking for initially when I found this soil. As far as HP drying out in a reasonable time under LEDS is concerned, is there anything that can be done to help this process along with the soil I bought?

 

[Muddy]

Some extra perlite should do the trick. I'm having a hard time finding HP in my area and had to resort to using BX with added perlite. Didn't like that it still was taking up to two weeks to dry out under my LEDs. Right now I'm trying a bale of Bonnie Professional Potting Soil. About the same as HP but no added myco, which I can easily add myself.

Also, check the pH on that mix before you use it. All the Pro Mix products I've used have been a neutral 7 pH right out of the bag. With both HP and BX I'm adding a small amount of aluminum sulfate to lower the initial pH.

 

[medi]

YMMV but I am running a RQS Northern Lights Auto that was started from seed in OF without any burn, I did mix it about 2/1 with Perlite though for what that's worth. That's what made me think your OP was a good option because it's not that far off from OF, maybe a bit more like Happy Frog since it lacks the fish meal and such that OF has.

 

[DanteW420]

Also, check the pH on that mix before you use it. All the Pro Mix products I've used have been a neutral 7 pH right out of the bag.

I always water and check my PH levels before I plant the seed...since not many have used this product yet, I will be sure to post my findings.

To be honest, I would be happy with a ph of 7.0 out of the bag...beats the tar out of 4.75!