Oh my gosh! Thank you so much! This was very helpful and found the promix at a small store in the FAR west Suburbs!

It's in my county for the first time, that I've been aware. I'd given up looking for it, after several years of no luck. I'd run out and get it now, but I've got barfing kids. Ah, the joys of motherhood.

Thank you, thank you, Thank you! Went there first thing in the morning. Also, I found Valley Greene seeds for 10 cents! Too good to be true? Maybe, but I bought a banch, mostly basic annuals. However, I'm concern, passsing by lady told me that she had a bad experience with them last year. Didn't have time to ask if she WSed them. I'm sure not, that's why. But, pls tell me that those seeds are fine. I also bought bunch of them last year. I have sowed many of them already, if they won't work, not much lost moneywise but a lot of wasted time that I don't have.

I got some of those Valley Greene seeds last year and they were fine. I think they are cheap because they are common open-pollinated varieties and there is not much profit margin on them. They are just a way to get you in the store where you will buy all the seed starting equipment (if you aren't a wintersower!), and the other more expensive seeds. I also have gotten similar $.10 seeds from a different company that sells them at Walmart and Walgreens. The germination has always been good, it helps that they are mostly "easy" species to start from seed.

Also for anyone that hasn't used this compressed Pro-Mix before...it doesn't have any fertilizer in it. If you don't get your seedlings planted in a timely fashion, you will have to fertilize them. The organic one has compost, so it is not as much of an issue.

I only got one bale this time which should let me finish my sowing this season. I am going to keep my eye on the ads. If it goes on sale I will snag several bales for next year. I'm hoping that since they got so much in and according to the website it is in stock at most locations...that they plan to regularly keep it in stock now. Hopefully.

Interesting! The website says my local Menards is carrying the 2 cu ft bales. I was there just the weekend before last and they did not have it. They had the promix organic 1 cu ft mentioned above for $4, which I have gone through like 10 bags of.

That's a great deal Molanic, I pay $32 for a 3cf compressed bail...No menards aroung here so I am stuck with Agway.

Lisa

Anyone know how cf you get once its wetted?

Since the Pro-Mix doesn't contain fertilizer, can I mix it with MG potting mix?

I'm not sure how much it reduces when wetted. It seems like after tamping down gently in the container and wetting thoroughly it reduces height wise by 1/3 to 1/2 compared to when it is dry and fluffy.

As far as I know seedlings don't need any fertilizer until they get their 2nd set of true leaves. For a mix without fertilizer you can just water with a very diluted liquid fertilizer when it is needed, until planted. I have used both fish emulsion and some old miracle grow crystals I found for that. You can also mix in a time-release fert like Osmocote which is like the little fertilizer pellets in Miracle Grow mix. The time release ones are temperature sensitive I think and only work when it is warm out, releasing more the warmer it is. Usually by the time it heats up most of my stuff is planted already. I don't think it would hurt to mix in the Miracle Grow Mix to add a little fert, but I wouldn't buy it just for that purpose if the Pro-Mix is cheaper.

I was surprised to see compressed bales of Pro-Mix *indoors* in Home Depot, in the houseplant section! How nice to be able to buy some that isn't frozen. Check different areas in your store, whichever store you have.

I'm still working on a bale of Fafard from Agway, so didn't buy any more mix. According to the store locator the closest Menard's is 373 miles away from me. But my local Agway's great. They're known for their "seed wall" which they stock the first week of January - the biggest and earliest selection of seeds in town. Notice I didn't say cheapest.

Oh, and those dollar store seeds are fine, I've grown them from a couple companies. They're cheaper because they're old-time OP varieties, as someone already mentioned, and because they only put a few seeds per packet. Which is often good- a household of two doesn't need 100 zucchini plants.

The 2 cu ft compressed bales result in 4 cu ft of mix. That comes out to about $3.50 a cu ft. Can't beat that! Miracle Grow can be about $8 per cu. ft around here. I bought two bales at Menards this weekend. The pallet hadn't even been opened yet, so I was the first one to grab it up.

I finally ran out of Miracle Gro, so I had an excuse to run out and buy the ProMix. It is finer in texture than the Miracle Gro, and lighter to carry because it's dry. Good luck and happy sowing to all!

Martha

I bought two more bales this weekend. The pallet hadn't had any more taken off it and was up on the highest shelf, so the forktruck had to get it down. I felt bad because I'll probably be back every other weekend to buy some and they'll have to keep getting it down.