Is this a version of their own homemade potting soil? or is it compost? How much was it? I can get a bale of pro mix that sows over hundred milk jugs for around 30 bucks a bale... thats about a cost of 27 cents a jug...

If it works it works.. but why not just buy a bale of pro mix?

Its a very good seed started mix... However if you found this to be a cheaper but reliable source, I cant argue with you!

Silverkelt

What is pro mix? I keep reading about it. All I've ever used is potting soil, mostly a cheap brand from lowe's, and I've got germination in all but a few of 70 jugs (and I'm not giving up on them yet :)

This is commercial soil, Sunshine SunGro. I've heard great things about promix, this SunGro stuff costs under $14 for 2.8 cubic feet. I'm not sure how many jugs it sowed but I know it wasn't 100! I think it was roughly 50. Checking on the internet I see a bale is 3.8 cubic feet and costs roughly $30. Both bags are measured by volume, so I'd love to know how you get it to last for 100 jugs. How deeply do you put it in the jug? How much does it settle? Since the SunGro is rough it can settle, but it didn't think it was too much. If I can figure out how you got Promix, which costs 1.5 times as much, to last for 100 jugs I'll be all for the Promix! I'd love to hear the details of how you sow.

Promix is just a high-quality seed starter soil. That's about all I know about it. It works very well but is expensive.

Sunshine SunGro is the same soil we use in the greenhouse. It's the only soil (from my experience) that doesn't compact and stays fluffy. The only ones I've used from the company is #1, #4, and #5. Personally I'd choose #1 to wintersow. The #5 works great for seeding in plug trays but I have a feeling it'd hold too much moisture for WSing.

I use Pro-Mix BX in the bale. It's compressed, and it's dry, so you get a lot more than it looks. I think it's cheaper than buying those heavy bags of dense potting soil.

Do you soak it in water for a long time to get the peat moss gooey? I went to a vegetable gardening seminar and he talked about letting peat moss sit in water for a looooong time so it won't steal water from roots at planting time. I forget exactly what his application was but it involved something already with a root.

Do you soak it in water for a long time to get the peat moss gooey? I went to a vegetable gardening seminar and he talked about letting peat moss sit in water for a looooong time so it won't steal water from roots at planting time. I forget exactly what his application was but it involved something already with a root.

I have to disagree with 'letting it sit in water a while or it'll steal water from the roots.' I've always potted up plants with just damp medium, tapped the pot to settle the plant and medium in, and then watered until water came out of the drainage holes. I've never had a problem this way.

Peat can become hydrophobic when it gets too dry. And if you pot up with dry peat based medium, water from the roots wouldn't get absorbed anyways.

I've heard the same argument for clay pots (letting them soak before potting). That, to me, makes more sense because the clay will absorb water readily, but an water it absorbs would likely only come from the medium at the edge of the pot touching it. I don't think the plant would lose water in either case.

No,

I just crumble up the pro mix by hand till its not compacted,

Ive never had it compact on me after that, however, Im using it as a generally seed started, not as potting mix.

I dont let it soak, I just sow the seeds on top then water the jugs , inside by the sink hose, outside if its warm enough in the season by garden hose with a shower attatchment, I just push the trigger in about half and its works, just water till the water is down the bottom or flowing out.

I usually have no probables after that.. every once in a while a container, got too many drainholes or something and tends to dry out quicker, but thats about it.

Ive never used sunshine gro, so wouldnt know how that would work vs promix, but from what Ive used, I prefer pro mix to just about anything else when working with seeds, Usually nothing too big in there.

Thanks