Hype or true about Pro-Mix BX with biofungicide?

14 years ago

The advertising for this new kind of Pro-Mix BX or PGX with biofungicide makes it sound like the best seed starting and transplant growing medium there is. It is supposed to biologically stop damping off and kill many types of pathogens (see link) plus make the plant grow bigger and healthier. I bought some last year and let it sit out on my patio for a whole year, and then put it in a big tub just before we got the first big rain in four years which put it underwater and turned it into soup. But I used it anyway and got good results and no damping off even though the seed starting medium was saturated, but I don't know if that would have happened with other seed starting media. It says in the advertising that the bacteria can live for two years, so hope it is right. Supposedly once the roots get inoculated they are innoculated for the life of the plant even when you transplant it into the garden. I know a lot of you have used the Promix BX with mycorize, but how many have used the stuff with biofungicide which is supposed to be better. Have you done any side by side comparisons with other seed starting mixtures? The stuff is expensive, list price $31.66 for a 3.8 cubic foot compressed bale, but I sweet talked the salesman into giving me a commercial discount so I got it for $25.33. I estimate one bale would fill a little over a hundred 4 inch square pots so that would come out to about a quarter a pot for cost of potting mix. Can anyone verify is really does prevent damping off? BTW, the PGX is fine grind for starting seeds, but my dealer doesn't carry it with biofungicide so I had to settle for the coarser BX that has annoying chunks of wood in it that have to be picked out if you are using it for seed starting. I may mix the BX and PGX together, or use a base of BX covered with PGX.

http://www.premierhort.com/eProMix/Horticulture/Products/GrowingMediaCat/Biofungicide/fSubtilex.htm

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Comments (10)

digdirt2
14 years ago
Here's your hyperlink if needed.

It's not hype about ProMix BX. Great stuff!!

Can't say about the one with the added fungicide as never used it and don't plan to. But there is some testimony about it from Sandy in the "2 seedlings question" post down the page.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: ProMix BX with Biofungicide
struwwelpeter
14 years ago
I have never seen a tomato seedling attacked by damping off in regular perlite - peatmoss mix. Also, milled sphagnum moss is reputed to prevent soil born diseases.
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Thanks to all for the advice thus far. However, it seems that in the process of gathering intel for a good growing medium, as a newbie I significantly misunderstood what was suggested to me in the weeks leading up to now. My goal was to keep things simple. I have very little time to do gardening work and I take advantage of every spare minute I have to that end. When I was asking around for a growing medium a couple of weeks ago, I was hoping I could find one that I wouldn't have to mix in ratios and one that was already rich in nutrients so all I would have to do is worry about watering. That was when I learned about Pro Mix BX. I even went the extra mile to find a local retailer of Pro Mix BX and fortunately within a few days I found one within 10 min of my house and bought 4 compressed bales at $28 a pop. After subsequently receiving my GeoPots in the mail, I thought I had everything I needed to start my containers. However, it seems that all I really had (based on the above responses) was two pieces of the puzzle. What it boils down to is that basically I have one growing mix ingredient and even that ingredient requires something to be added to it if it is to be used alone. Lets just say for argument's sake that I have no time to go back and re-fill those containers (which is actually a true statement) with a 5-1-1 mix or something like it. Am I destined to have a disappointing crop this year? I thought my biggest problem was going to be keeping the Pro Mix in the GeoPots moist considering they are fabric pots. Based on the responses above, it seems like I am going to have the opposite problem. I am not in a happy place right now. Could this end up being my biggest gardening mistake ever?
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Wish I'd known sooner but I panicked in November and bought bags of Miracle Gro germinating mix from Agway in Englishtown. They had to order it for me but at least I got it for winter/spring sowing. Last year I waited too long and had a compressed bale of ProMix BF with Biofungicide delivered...shipping cost as much as the germinating mix. The Premier website says it can be used in "cut flowerbeds" so don't see why you can't use it to lighten up outdoor beds. Would imagine you'd have to take into consideration the 75-85% sphagnum peat moss in the mix in case you don't want too much water retention for certain plants. I'm torn between the things I read that tell me to use peat moss to "improve drainage" and things that tell me not to use it because it can turn water repellant. If I had to guess anyone on here knows more about it than I do! Here is a link that might be useful: Premier/Pro-Mix BX
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I've used the ProMix BX for many years and liked it. however this year my supplier (40 miles away) only had the Promix BX with Biofungicide (for $1.45 extra per 3.8 cu ft. compressed bale) when I picked up my order so I'm using it. I've experience no damping-off problems without fungicide application. I think it's a cheap investment. However, after looking at the website www.premierhort.com earlier this spring I'm now more excited about the ProMix with Mycorise Pro, the colonizing beneficial fungus. If the testimonies are any indication of the benefits of this product I want to give a try. Peppers should benefit from the media additive as well as many other crops that I grow. You can bet that it will be on my order list for next year.
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timmy1
14 years ago
mtbigfigh
14 years ago
Calif
It is just as good as you say.
I have used the biofungacide version for some time -
mulio
14 years ago
3.8 cu ft will fill about:
180 4" round pots
212 4" square pots

dampening off means one is over-watering or doing something like watering too late in the evening
anney
14 years ago
Timmy

That looks like the warehouse where I BUY my ProMix!!!!!

I am so glad I have access to it at a reasonable cost -- a couple of compressed bales is enough for my gardening needs. Even then, it's costly enough.
veryzer
14 years ago
If I'm hijacking, just refrain from replying, but I just bought Promix Ultimate Seed Starting Mix with mycorise and am curious if it's about the same thing and it's overall quality as well. Don't want to steal your thunder Californian.
cyrus_gardner
14 years ago
Looks good, but HOW MUCH is it?

Also, where is it sold? does it come in smaller packages?
Cyrus
mtbigfigh
14 years ago
vertzer
The mycorise does help the root system but the bio-fungacide helps for damping off - I mix the 2 for the best of both
Dennis
Khoaken_hotmail_com
12 years ago
I am using Promix BX with biofungacide for the first time. All my gardening is done indoors and, all plant types are hand watered/fed. The BX contains added lime, helping maintain a soil pH of around 7, and allowing me to pH my feed solutions at a slightly more acidic reading and thus allowing the plants to take up higher concentrations of nutrients at a slower rate. While attempting to grow bigger plants, faster, I like 'challenging' them to take up higher ppms of nutrients, without 'burning'. I haven't yet needed to 'flush' a pot because of nutrient salts building ups, while using this medium. So far, I like this Promix BX.
Hoak

Hype or true about Pro-Mix BX with biofungicide?

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digdirt2

struwwelpeter

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