Promix or Coast of Maine Bar Harbor soil

As title says has anyone compared these two bagged soils ? I don’t include the Coast of Maine Stonington due to the cost and availability. Locally I can source each of the two I mentioned and the promix is the either the BX or MP but not sure which.
They are similarly priced here.

5 Likes

I like promix

5 Likes

I can’t remember how much Stonington is locally, I bought a few bags last year, but usually I just go with Pro Mix.

2 Likes

Promix is peat based, different blends have different amounts of perlite or micos or whatever. Has no food in it, will need to fertilize all the time. The bar harbor is also peat based, but has the usual coast of Maine goodies, lobster compost, crab shell etc. You will probably need to fertilize, but not from seedling stage on, there’ll be a little food in there.

$35 seems normal for the Stonington. I have used it, it was hot as could be, stunted my plants. But that was my bad starting seeds in it, I know others have good luck with it. I know I’ve put peppers in it outside and they love the stuff…

I also really like the stonington dry fert for my veggie plants, it’s expensive but it stretches.

3 Likes

I have bought Bar Harbor before and just bought some more bags but the place I went started selling the promix and has a few pallets of it. I have good luck with Bar Harbor and am curious if I’m missing out on promix if it’s better or not.

2 Likes

All depends on whether you like your medium to already have some nutrient sources in it or not. I like to tinker, so using a medium with just peat and perlite works for me (Promix HP).

3 Likes

Switched to this years ago. Available at Menards and is 1/3-1/2 the price of Hydro stores. Plants don’t seem to mind one bit, and it’s nice to save a little $ image

4 Likes

I have seen that stuff as well. Since I feed Jacks for RO all the way as well I know I’m probably wasting some money but I don’t use it by the yard I’m ok with that.

2 Likes

FFHF with 25% perlite mix in is a good starter then dry fertilizer after about 3 weeks top dress only.

2 Likes

Yeah it’s hot for seedlings. I cut 50 50 with seed starter for sprouts. Too strong for sativas too.

2 Likes

And if you do buy promix and add your own food, make sure to " cook" your soil for 30 days once you dampen it well. Dry pelletized food is different of course. No need to cook.
Promix will need dolomite lime, blood meal 12-0-0 and a fast release N source) or a substitute, bone meal ( 12-4 -0 and a slow release N source and P source. Lasts 4 years but is not available right away)or a substitute and Something high in Potassium. Kelp meal is good. Wood ashes are good. Fresh ashes have a K value of 7±. Rained on first it drops-down to 1.5 ± …must be added before cooking. I’ve used a squeezed handful( rained on first) tossed in a 1 gallon jug of water and shaken up) during flowering and the plants loved it.

5 Likes

All the way! :metal:

1 Like

I’ve been using ProMix HP for a good while now. I buy a bag of organic Humus that’s made in a local town and use that coupled with EWC to cut the ProMix. Then I add dry nutrients from Roots Organics and keep a healthy microbe community going in the mix to munch up the nutes to make it available to the roots. No need to let it cook. Microbes do all of the work and it all works a little like a slow release fertilizer :v:

4 Likes

What do you use for dry feet’s from Roots? You end up having to use multiple parts? I checked the other day, but didn’t see any complete 1 part dry ferts.

2 Likes

Not sure I’m understanding the question, but they have a Grow, Bloom, and Bloom booster. Depending on how long you will veg I mostly scratch mine into the dirt as a top dress, and that is every two weeks.

They also have a liquid fish hydrolysate called Surge, that you use on the off week.

In flowering use the Bloom the same way, every two weeks with Surge on the off week. I also use their amendments like the HP and HPK, bat guano based liquid in flowering.

They have a “feeding schedule” on their website. I don’t use all of the other stuff that they show, just what I wrote above. Also, I use Myco/Bacto blends to keep the system working.

They also went to Terp Teas for their dry nuts now. It’s micronized so you can brew it for a day first, or use it dry in the soil. I think they still sell the older stuff with is not micronized, and you have to use the microbes to make it work.

2 Likes

I use the Fox Farm Ocean Forest, have never had a problem with it being too hot for seedlings. Usually start feeding them with Fox Farm nutes 3 weeks in at half dosage, 2x a week.

Double post…

Here’s the links to what I use and the feeding schedule. They’ll sell you a hundred more items to use, but I’m bare bones because of my budget, but I do fine with there stuff.

https://www.aurorainnovations.com/roots-organics-dry-nutrients

https://www.aurorainnovations.com/roots-organics-liquid-nutrients

https://www.aurorainnovations.com/roots-organics-feeding-schedule

1 Like

That was an excellent answer, thank you. Much better stated than the question was haha. I had checked their dry nutes before, but saw 7 products and almost immediately tuned out haha. I also thought the terp teas had to be bubbled, and that was my least favorite part of organic growing.