ProMix HP Organic Amendments Recipe / Recommendations

jimbonorman

jimbonorman

Well-Known Member
Hi all, I’m switching to ProMix and looking for insights or suggestions.

In past runs I’ve used FFOF with 20% perlite, 20% EWC, DynoMyco and Dolomite Lime and then top dressed with DTE 4-4-4 and 4-8-4 throughout the grow cycle. I’m tempted to run the same recipe simply swapping FFOF with ProMix HP, but have heard HP is more like using coco. I get the sense I may want to amend with 4-4-4 from the beginning and not wait a month since HP is not a charged soil mix, but I am all ears for any advice to the contrary.

Any and all thoughts welcome and appreciated. Thanks!
 
DMChiz

DMChiz

Well-Known Member
I’ve been using Pro Mix organic for the last four grows as a base. Amended with: EWC, additional perlite, GG 4-4-4, bokashi fermented fertilizer. That’s the base and I’ll tweak w/ tea and feed (fish fert, kelp etc) during grow. No complaints thus far.
Edit: yes, it’s peat based like FFOF and has some pre-charge
 
jimihendrix1

jimihendrix1

Well-Known Member
I would for 100% for sure, amend, from the start.

Ive used Promix BX for a very long time. I usually use chemicals, But, when I have grown Organic, I used.

12-11-2-Peruvian Seabird Guano
0-0-52-Potassium Sulfate
Kelp
Azomite
Biochar
Calcitic Lime
Dolomitic Lime.

Promix, uses a mix of Calcitic, and Dolomite, and they use it at a ratio of?
2/3 Parts Calcitic Lime, and 1/3 Parts Dolomitic Lime. Calcitic is best for faster PH Change, and added Calcium, and Dolomite is used for longer term PH Buffer, and Magnesium.

I make teas with the Seabird Guano, and Kelp. Top Dress 0-0-52, every 6 weeks.

Promix HP, wont drain as fast a coir.
 
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jimbonorman

jimbonorman

Well-Known Member
DMChiz said:
I’ve been using Pro Mix organic for the last four grows as a base. Amended with: EWC, additional perlite, GG 4-4-4, bokashi fermented fertilizer. That’s the base and I’ll tweak w/ tea and feed (fish fert, kelp etc) during grow. No complaints thus far.
Edit: yes, it’s peat based like FFOF and has some pre-charge
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Thanks this is super helpful! When you pre-amend with GG, how many tbsp/gal do you typically drop in?
 
DMChiz

DMChiz

Well-Known Member
jimbonorman said:
Thanks this is super helpful! When you pre-amend with GG, how many tbsp/gal do you typically drop in?
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I premix for all my containers so in terms of measurement, about half this tub goes into the mix with everything else. I’ll mix up for 5-6 10g pots. My only caution with the ProMix organic is that it needs to be wet as you mix. It can be hydrophobic, so adding moisture as you go is crucial. Happy growing :)
IMG_3193.jpegIMG_3192.jpeg
 
jimbonorman

jimbonorman

Well-Known Member
DMChiz said:
I premix for all my containers so in terms of measurement, about half this tub goes into the mix with everything else. I’ll mix up for 5-6 10g pots. My only caution with the ProMix organic is that it needs to be wet as you mix. It can be hydrophobic, so adding moisture as you go is crucial. Happy growing :)
View attachment 5382966View attachment 5382967
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Awesome - thanks for all the info!
 
weedstoner420

weedstoner420

Well-Known Member
jimbonorman said:
Yeah I checked DTE since that’s what I use and they recommend more like 2 tbsp per gal.
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Maybe the npk values of the DTE are higher...? Or they want you to top-dress more/more often...?

I've been using Espoma products in my soil for a while, and they recommend 2 cups per cf.
 
Week4@inCharge

Week4@inCharge

Well-Known Member
Phytoplankton said:
Promix is a peat based soil less media. So it’s more like a semi-hydro grow. I’ve used it, and FFOF, I prefer the FFOF, but I only tried promix once.
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I was thinking of using Pro Mix for a grow and have used Fox Farm soil for three years... Now I'm not sure if I should change anything up..
 
xox

xox

Well-Known Member
ive been using promix for about a decade. my take away is this its mixed on conveyor belts and vacuum sealed in large bales generally i find the amount of dolomite lime thats added is often to low and is used up before the grow is finished which lowers the ph causing deficiencies. throw extra dolomite lime in it and your generally good. aside from that use hydroponic nutrients if you can keep the media around 6.1ph your plants will be happy for the most part
 
JustBlazin

JustBlazin

Well-Known Member
You definitely need to premix some into your promix and give it a month to sit if you can. Then start your topdress after a month or so.

I've used promix for almost 20 years. The first 10+ years I used hydro nutrients but got sick of mixing nutrients. So I tried a couple bags of gaia green living soil and liked it. I ended up buying the all purpose and power bloom and just mixing it with pro mix, it really works good for me.
 
Week4@inCharge

Week4@inCharge

Well-Known Member
JustBlazin said:
You definitely need to premix some into your promix and give it a month to sit if you can. Then start your topdress after a month or so.

I've used promix for almost 20 years. The first 10+ years I used hydro nutrients but got sick of mixing nutrients. So I tried a couple bags of gaia green living soil and liked it. I ended up buying the all purpose and power bloom and just mixing it with pro mix, it really works good for me.
Click to expand...
Is the promix lighter than happy frog? I know a bag that Humboldt puts out is lighter than sugar almost.. I've mixed that a couple times with the Happy Frog to make it lighter.
 
tstick

tstick

Well-Known Member
This run, I used a bag of something called "420 Blend"....or something like that and also a bag of FFOF (both of these are peat moss based with shredded tree bark for the most part)....I added a lot of perlite, coarse vermiculite, coco coire, a lot of rice hulls and a small bag of worm castings (just because I had it lying around)....mixed in a TBSP of dolomite lime for every gallon of soil mix.....also added a small bag of biochar made from pecan shells....let it all sit for a few months.

My feeling is that it doesn't really matter what kind of inert soil-less potting mix you use....with bagged soil-less mixes like FFOF, you get maybe a month of nutrients. After that, you need to feed every watering and you need to pH every watering because soil-less mixes don't buffer themselves the way garden "dirt" does. With Pro mix, coco coire, etc., you feed from the start.

Synthetic fertilizers work best with soil-less mixes because the nutrients are instantly available. With organics, you are relying on micro-fauna in the soil to break down the organics and make them available to the roots....and that takes time and a healthy micro-fauna.....which soil-less mixes do not contain.

Soil-less mixes are just another kind of hydroponics, really.
 
Week4@inCharge

Week4@inCharge

Well-Known Member
tstick said:
This run, I used a bag of something called "420 Blend"....or something like that and also a bag of FFOF (both of these are peat moss based with shredded tree bark for the most part)....I added a lot of perlite, coarse vermiculite, coco coire, a lot of rice hulls and a small bag of worm castings (just because I had it lying around)....mixed in a TBSP of dolomite lime for every gallon of soil mix.....also added a small bag of biochar made from pecan shells....let it all sit for a few months.

My feeling is that it doesn't really matter what kind of inert soil-less potting mix you use....with bagged soil-less mixes like FFOF, you get maybe a month of nutrients. After that, you need to feed every watering and you need to pH every watering because soil-less mixes don't buffer themselves the way garden "dirt" does. With Pro mix, coco coire, etc., you feed from the start.

Synthetic fertilizers work best with soil-less mixes because the nutrients are instantly available. With organics, you are relying on micro-fauna in the soil to break down the organics and make them available to the roots....and that takes time and a healthy micro-fauna.....which soil-less mixes do not contain.

Soil-less mixes are just another kind of hydroponics, really.
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Agree, with Coots mix he adds a 1/3 of compost to the mix to give it that idea garden "dirt" appeal, and in a large enough pot you can get that healthy micro fauna, ala the "Build A Soil" way.
And everything you said I agree with in small pots under 7 gallon, I just don't see this micro fauna flourishing. Is it doable, yeah, with constant adding micros and compost teas, but in large enough pot that system is self sustaining where the moniker of "just adding water" makes a lot of sense.
Peat moss is an inert media. I think the 1/3 compost to the mix is the game changer.
 
MtRainDog

MtRainDog

Well-Known Member
Everything already said is solid.

Promix is about perfectly aerated by itself, so adding perlite is just to balance out any EWC you add.

If I'm running salt-based nutes, I typically go 50% promix, 25% ewc, 25% perlite and amend with just garden lime and espoma tomato tone and call it a day.

If I run organic/amended instead, I add kelp & alfalfa meal, and azomite (or rock dust) in addition to the above, but it does need a good month to "charge" if you go that route.
 
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