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Sweet Peet or ProMix for growing medium

M

marxxx

Hello all,
 
Long story short, I am growing my peppers in containers this year. In the past I have used promix with great results!
A local shop is selling sweet peet as a mulch, but it sounds like it may make a great growing medium (and a lot cheaper). Does anyone have experience with it, and what are your thoughts.
 
I have mixed my own medium int he past. This year  I am looking for something easy like - open bag, pour in container and plant.
 
Thanks,
Marxxx
 
The cost difference is substantial. 1 bale (3.8 c.f.)of promix is the same cost as a yard (27 c.f.) of sweet peet. I love promix to, but we are planning on moving next spring so this will only get used one season. If I was going to use the same medium a few years it would be a little easier to justify. 
I just can't believe how much the cost of everything is going up. I think promix is up about 50% over the last 5 years or so :tear:
 
ProMix around here is crazy high at over $40/3.8cf
 
I would rather use a coco based mix than pay that kind of cash for a peat based mix. 
 
ShowMeDaSauce said:
ProMix around here is crazy high at over $40/3.8cf
 
I would rather use a coco based mix than pay that kind of cash for a peat based mix. 
Click to expand...
 

It's actually a few dollars more here, $43 per bale. I can get a yard of sweet peet for $42.
Even uncompressed as Joyners points out, it is 7cf per bale, making it 4 times the cost.
I don't normally pinch pennies, but that is really substantial!
 
I really appreciate all the input so far.
My other thought was run up to the nursery and get a a little bit, put some seedlings in it for a week to make sure they don't burn out.
 
A new mix im trying here is Ecoscraps potting mix. Its coco, perlite and compost mainly. Its was on sale at Lowes for $5/32qt bag. I think today is the last day of the sale. Im trying it straight and mixing it 50/50 with more coco coir which is around $12/2cf.
 
In researching Sweet Peet I don't see where it's a growing media?
 
For vegetable or flower gardens, spread about 1" deep using layers of newspaper under the Sweet Peet to additionally suppress weeds. Also, the application of Preen for landscape or flower beds prior to planting would work instead of the newspapers. Preen for Vegetable Gardens must be applied for edible crops. Keep Sweet Peet away from stems of plants.
 
Planting flowers or vegetables or preparing landscape beds before planting:

Spread a layer of Sweet Peet to a 2-3" depth over the planting bed.  Spade or rototill in the Sweet Peet thoroughly. Note: Even apply to areas with "new, good" processed topsoil as this topsoil is not the same as naturally laid down topsoil as such processed topsoils can become "gummy" and compacted in a short period of time.
 
ShowMeDaSauce said:
A new mix im trying here is Ecoscraps potting mix. Its coco, perlite and compost mainly. Its was on sale at Lowes for $5/32qt bag. I think today is the last day of the sale. Im trying it straight and mixing it 50/50 with more coco coir which is around $12/2cf.
Click to expand...
That puts the price inline with ProMix right? :)
 
$36 for 6 cf - actually more due to the $5 a bag stuff
 
29.9qts in a cubic foot x 7@$5 a bag=$35 right?
 
But the bags are 32qt so you get a little more than 7 cubic feet.
 
Locally ProMix is around $44-45 per 3.8cf compressed bale.
 
ShowMeDaSauce said:
29.9qts in a cubic foot x 7@$5 a bag=$35 right?
 
But the bags are 32qt so you get a little more than 7 cubic feet.
 
Locally ProMix is around $44-45 per 3.8cf compressed bale.
Click to expand...
 
But you said this part as well...
 
trying it straight and mixing it 50/50 with more coco coir which is around $12/2cf.
 
JoynersHotPeppers said:
 
But you said this part as well...
 
trying it straight and mixing it 50/50 with more coco coir which is around $12/2cf.
Click to expand...
 
And i also said first.... My 50/50 mix test will be around $22 for 4cf. The coco block is 5kg. The mix will have no peat in it as far as i know.
 
I would rather use a coco based mix than pay that kind of cash for a peat based mix
Click to expand...
 
Here is a huge wholesale outlet fairly local to me with retail pricing too. I still need to get my wholesale account setup with them.
 
ProMix has some very interesting mixes including pine bark and coco coir added to the peat.
https://www.hummert.com/product-details/9030/pro-mix-bx-mycorrhizae#
 
On sale i can get the Promix slightly cheaper but not much. The hydro shop i went to the other day had some for right around $45 but im already close to $300 into this years grow and another $50 just for testing is not in the budget atm. Most of my pots are filled and i only have 5 wally bags left and plenty of mix left to fill them.
 
If im not thrilled with the coco then next year ProMix, preferably at wholesale pricing will be an option.
 
The_NorthEast_ChileMan said:
In researching Sweet Peet I don't see where it's a growing media?
 
For vegetable or flower gardens, spread about 1" deep using layers of newspaper under the Sweet Peet to additionally suppress weeds. Also, the application of Preen for landscape or flower beds prior to planting would work instead of the newspapers. Preen for Vegetable Gardens must be applied for edible crops. Keep Sweet Peet away from stems of plants.
 
Planting flowers or vegetables or preparing landscape beds before planting:

Spread a layer of Sweet Peet to a 2-3" depth over the planting bed.  Spade or rototill in the Sweet Peet thoroughly. Note: Even apply to areas with "new, good" processed topsoil as this topsoil is not the same as naturally laid down topsoil as such processed topsoils can become "gummy" and compacted in a short period of time.
Click to expand...
 
Correct. I do did not see it as a growing media either.
I have used stratight manure (properly aged) in the past. I wondered if it would be ok to do that with the sweet peet. I can get a yard of sweet peet for the cost of 7cf of pro mix.
The other option the landscape house is leaf hummus (composted leaves). Would that work to mix with the sweet peet or would that also be too rich?
 
I guess if I could find the coco bails for cheap I would use that with the sweet peet- that would probably be a great pairing!
 

 
 
Best price ive seen coco is about $11-12 per block. A 5kg expands to roughly 2cf -2.4cf. I have not looked much at larger sizes but the stuff aint cheap.
 
1/3 premium compost
1/3 coco coir
1/3 aeration medium
 
Peat moss works better than coco but is bad for the environment in my opinion. But it is better so I'll mention it
 
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