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| I posted this on Market Gardening, but thought someone here might have more experience with these brands.
I've got tomatoes and peppers that need to be potted up ASAP - started a month ago in 50 (and one 72) cell flats, I've got roots coming out the bottoms! I bought a bale (3.8cf) of Fafard Mix #2 (all they had besides container mix - which was half the price for 1/4 the size!) plus 2cf of Coast of Maine Penobscot blend (compost and peat moss). Any experience with Fafard? How much (if any) CoM blend to add? These are just for potting up, plan to plant out in app 1 month. Some of the seedlings will likely be potted into slightly larger containers now for sale at market in June, so may be in this mix more like 2 months, but I don't expect them to stay in 1/2 gal pots the entire season - buyers will have to put in 5 gal containers with their own mix if they want to keep them. Thanks |
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| The Fafard #2 is 75% peat according to the Fafard web site. The Coast of Maine product is great as a soil additive in the garden, but I wouldn't use it in a container at more than about 15 percent. Both are heaivy mixes that could cause problems with water retention. If you could add something like pine bark fines and perlite as half or more of your mix, it would be much better. Also, I always have problems trying to grow tomatoes in smaller containers for more than eight weeks. They might be OK in one gallon or more in a green house for up to three months, but it doesn't sound ideal. |
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| I saw #3 was recommended, but nursery didn't carry it. Once I saw how much peat was in it I figured the CoM wasn't good to mix with it. I do have some perlite - couldn't find any pine bark fines (even orchid mix didn't have it). I don't plan on keeping the plants in pots for more than 8 weeks - was going to go with 3-4" pots for now, I'll transplant mine in late May (maybe even mid-May if it stays mild) but I'm selling the rest at market, haven't decided which market(s) this year but earliest is June 3, the other doesn't start til June 26 (!) but if I bring anything to that one I expect I'll have to pot up again into a 3-qt or 1-gal pot. Thanks - I'm going to need a lot more perlite! Didn't see that at nursery - I just got 8qt bag @ WM. |
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