Reuse of ProMix BX in grow bags

Yak54 · December 23, 2020

I'm wondering what the collective Tomatoville knowledge and experience is about using ProMix multiple times in grow bags for growing tomatoes & peppers. It seems that the first year I got little disease and very productive tomato plants and the second year reusing the same batch of ProMix I got more disease and less productivity. Fertilization and watering being very similar from year to year. Now I know there are many factors (like weather) that could cause this situation but I am relatively new to growing in grow bags and ProMix (5 yrs) and wonder what you guys and gals have learned about reusing ProMix from year to year. I should say that I soak the empty grow bags in a diluted bleach solution at the start of every growing season in an attempt to sterilize the grow bags before re-filling them with the ProMix

Dan

Labradors2 · December 23, 2020

This spring, because of Covid, I didn't feel like going to the store to buy Promix. I had kept my pots, still full of Promix in the shed over the winter as I had read that people re-use their mix and add some nutrients. Thank goodness I had done that! I emptied them (individually) into a wheelbarrow so that I could add 1/4 of my own composted chicken manure to each pot.

I'm happy to say that all my compact tomatoes grew very well in last year's Pro-mix with added composted chicken manure

. I would venture to say that they grew as well as they had the previous year when I grew them in new Pro-mix.

Linda

ScottinAtlanta · December 24, 2020

I use mine for 3 years (then it starts to break down into mud), but add about a fourth per volume of my own compost in all three years.

Then, the dreaded year, time to empty all 200 containers and start with fresh.

December 23, 2020	#1
Yak54 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Madison, OH, zone 6 Posts: 310	Reuse of ProMix BX in grow bags I'm wondering what the collective Tomatoville knowledge and experience is about using ProMix multiple times in grow bags for growing tomatoes & peppers. It seems that the first year I got little disease and very productive tomato plants and the second year reusing the same batch of ProMix I got more disease and less productivity. Fertilization and watering being very similar from year to year. Now I know there are many factors (like weather) that could cause this situation but I am relatively new to growing in grow bags and ProMix (5 yrs) and wonder what you guys and gals have learned about reusing ProMix from year to year. I should say that I soak the empty grow bags in a diluted bleach solution at the start of every growing season in an attempt to sterilize the grow bags before re-filling them with the ProMix Dan Last edited by Yak54; December 23, 2020 at 03:29 PM. Reason: more information

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December 23, 2020	#2
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,733	This spring, because of Covid, I didn't feel like going to the store to buy Promix. I had kept my pots, still full of Promix in the shed over the winter as I had read that people re-use their mix and add some nutrients. Thank goodness I had done that! I emptied them (individually) into a wheelbarrow so that I could add 1/4 of my own composted chicken manure to each pot. I'm happy to say that all my compact tomatoes grew very well in last year's Pro-mix with added composted chicken manure . I would venture to say that they grew as well as they had the previous year when I grew them in new Pro-mix. Linda

December 24, 2020	#3
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,520	I use mine for 3 years (then it starts to break down into mud), but add about a fourth per volume of my own compost in all three years. Then, the dreaded year, time to empty all 200 containers and start with fresh.