Anyone tried this in an Earthbox?

[peebee]

https://www.homedepot.com/p/SunShine-Mi ... /205674316
Since Pro-mix HP is no longer available I might try this. Your thoughts?

[peebee]

It's about $24 ea. by the way.

[Barb_FL]

Why is Pro-Mix HP not available? or just not in your area? I bought a bale about 3 weeks ago and the hydro store had plenty. Maybe I should stock up for next fall.

I never tried the SunShine product,

The Walmart Promix is not like HP but it is clean and as is is the best for Earthbox wicking. ; I bought 4 of them from Walmart last spring when NOTHING was available anywhere. This year when I was using my EBs, I did the wicking part for all of them with the Walmart Promix. I ended up with just 1/2 bag left of the 4. I picked up another one to have on hand for future EB setups. To get the Walmart promix to resemble HP would need a lot of perlite.

That said, this season I also tried FoxFarm 70/30 Coco Coir and Perlite and used in an Earthbox (with the Walmart PM wicking) and it's texture resembles HP a lot.

I stopped making the mound to save on mix; so I no longer need 2 Cubic Ft per earthbox.

[ZerosMom]

[mention]peebee[/mention], I see that you're in SoCal, so this might help.

I went to Orange County Farm Supply last weekend and got a few bales of ProMix BX and a bale of Promix PGX (all under $40/bale). They said the Canadian suppliers didn't have enough people harvesting sphagnum peat or bagging the materials because of COVID-19. OCFS ordered their previous shipment in Oct. 2020 and just received it on Jan. 20 2021.

They were down to 3 bags as of BX 1/23, but they have a new shipment on the way. They might still have some HP. In any event, they told me to call once a week or so to see when they'd get a new batch if I wanted some more. You might want to go/call and give it a shot.

[peebee]

[mention]ZerosMom[/mention] , thanks for the info but Orange county is way out of the way for me.
[mention]Barb_FL[/mention], Lowe's stopped carrying Pro-mix about a year ago. It wasn't selling well here, I noticed. I'm considering using the Promix from Walmart; I have a huge bag of perlite standing by.
Sunshine products are often mentioned as comparable to Promix, I know quite a few members here use their seed starting mix. I noticed some hydro stores had them in the past but it was a different mix than what Home Depot has. Wonder if this is new for them as I don't recall seeing Sunshine stuff there before. Oh well, I guess I'll find out soon if it's good or not. Hoping to get a bale tomorrow.

[mama_lor]

Have the prices for potting mix always been so high in the us or is it a recent hike? Those prices are insane compared to europe, not sure how almost everyone seems to casually just use new mix every year.

[AZGardener]

I'm using Pro-Mix in the red bag from Walmart. I started using it last Spring and so far no complaints. I've not seen any of their other mixes in my area.

[MissS]

Have the prices for potting mix always been so high in the us or is it a recent hike? Those prices are insane compared to europe, not sure how almost everyone seems to casually just use new mix every year.

The prices for Pro Mix is awfully high and always has been. Not all of us use this brand though and others are far cheaper. For seed starting, we usually always use fresh mix every year to avoid pests and disease passed on through the soil. For existing pots and planters, most of us will reuse the mix and add a bit of something to amend the mix.

[zeuspaul]

I recycle all of my potting soil. I amend with some organics such as peat and spent tea leaves from the kitchen. Also pulverized egg shells so as not to waste them. The original mix is primarily bark fines and DE which I blended myself.

For seedlings I sift first to remove some of the coarser stuff. Then I heat in the oven at 140 degrees F for thirty minutes.

[peebee]

You have to remember, these bales are compressed, so even though it's about $25 per bale, you're getting way more than the actual bag size. And when you're using an Earthbox, you don't have to use new mix every year. You can reuse the stuff 2 or 3 years although I do every 2. And because of my climate zone I'm using the Earthbox all year without a break. Growing things like lettuce & turnips etc during the cool season. I think Promix is a bit higher as it is not produced locally & has to be transported in from afar, is it Canada if I'm not mistaken?

It's really quality stuff IMO. I've used other brands, for example Miracle Grow which turns to mush in an Earthbox after a season. MC is fine in normal pots, I find. Just not in an EB.

[Barb_FL]

$25 per bale? Are you talking about the 3.8 Cu bale of Promix? Here it is $48.99 plus tax. However, really crappy stuff like Miracle Grow is about $17 for a 2 CU bag so Promix @49+tax does not cost more.

The local hydro store sells lots of different potting mixes; we also have a garden center and they sell Fertilome which is decent but IMO needs more perlite for an Earthbox.

What I've noticed with the ProMix is in the fabric bags, over the season it is so compressed. I start with the bag full and even now some bags are 75% full; when I get lower I add more mix.

I do reuse my potting mix - the broccoli, lettuce, cauliflower all get reused mixes. If I sow lettuce directly, I use new for the top.

I try to fill an Earthbox for $15 of mix and the only way to do that is to omit the loaf. I've done that for a few years now and see no difference other than saving some $.

[peebee]

[mention]Barb_FL[/mention] , it was the discontinued Promix HP in 2 cubic feet bags. The bag I bought recently as a replacement is the Sunshine brand mentioned at the top of this post, also approx $25 for the same size. I haven't opened it yet. I'm hoping it has a lot of perlite like the HP had, if not I have a huge bag of perlite I can add.
I'll do like you do & omit the loaf on top. And I'll mix in the fertilizer too, instead of the strip, this time.
I have a few weeks before I plant & in the meantime I'm redoing a big bed in the garden, enclosing it with just the frame of a greenhouse & hardware cloth\wire mesh. Oh and 2 more smaller beds too. This is one last hurrah to deter rodents and if that doesn't work well then I'm growing all roses not tomatoes from next year

[Barb_FL]

The Foxfarm 70% coir (loose coir and perlite) has a lot of perlite. The texture is really nice.

SInce you already have the perlite, you can try the Walmart Pro-Mix - $12.88 here for a 1 CU (compressed) bag. You can use the Walmart PM as is for the wicking, then add your perlite to the rest. That is one way to get the EB filled for <$15.

[Barb_FL]

Just a heads up, I bought the SunShine #4 mix from the local hydro store. It was 3 Cu ft compressed vs Promix 3.8 - It is so similar, I wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Price wise where I live, $40 vs $49 so it comes out slightly more expensive per cubic feet.

[peebee]

[mention]Barb_FL[/mention] , great to hear they are so similar! I haven't opened the bag yet, but I'll buy 2 more when I go to HD again this week for something else. I have so much going on in my garden right now but I hurt my lower back last week so I've been out of commission since then. Yup spring is happening folks!