Pro Mix

Commercial mixes use chemical wetting agents. If you have access you can use things like worm castings and even vermiculite to retain water. Yucca extract is popular but I have no idea the cost. Basically anything that retains water. I'm also told that if you pour very hot water over peat and let is sit over night the peat will absorb water.

Something like this is also an option

www.lebanonturf.com

ROOTS Terra-Sorb Fine

Super absorbent hydrogel holds up to 150 times its weight in water for planting and transplanting trees, shrubs and flowers. Fine grade particles for bare root dipping.
www.lebanonturf.com
 
ETXfigs said:
I have never used Pro Mix. I heard that the BX is good for propagating cuttings. I planned on getting some BX when I do another batch of cuttings next spring but when I was a Walmart today they had this yellow bag Pro Mix on sale for $10, so I got some. Is this stuff good for propagating cuttings? Is it good for potted container fig trees? I don't know if I should save it for next spring when I do some more cuttings, or if I should mix it 50/50 with miracle grow potting mix for my potted fig trees. I'm about to up pot some rooted cuttings from 1 gal to 3 gal. Would this stuff be good for those 3 gal pots? It seems really heavy on peat so I was thinking I could mix it with the MG potting mix with some Perlite.

View attachment 8921
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I have seen their other ones but never this particular variety.
 
9ah-figlet said:
Thanks @bushdoctor82.

ADULT FIGS POTTING MIX
I use this mix using whatever potting mix that is on sale (currently using ProMix Moisture Potting Mix I got for 90% off). Pine fines are hard to find in my area so I mix soil conditioner and mini-pine bark to make up the total amount depending on the size of the "mini" chunks and how much the soil conditioner has decomposed.

These proportions fill my 6 cubic ft wheelbarrow with room to mix.


Pro-Mix
60 qts

Pine Fines
30 qts or 2 3-gallon plus 6 quarts

Safe-T-Sorb
15 qts or 4 3-gallons minus 1 quart
TOTAL
105 qts/ 26.25 gal

Osmocote
5.2 cups

Lime (pelletized lime for lawns)
5.2 cups

Epsom Salt
0.219 cups


For cutings, I use ProMix HP or BX and add extra perlite (additional 30-40%). I would not use Moisture Mix (or the Garden Mix) for cuttings. When soil is advertised for filling beds/growing vegetables, it generally holds too much water for cuttings.
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What specifically does the epsom salts and lime do for the soil and how does it benefit figs and is this the mix that you use for potting or cuttings?
 
Fishinjunky said:
Do you mix in anything with Sunshine mix 4?
I think it has good drainage. It's 60%-70% peat moss and 30%-40% perlite.
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Lately I put in about one cup of this for a 5 gal container

acti-sol.ca

Natural fertilizers multipurpose organic fertilizer (pure hen manure) 5-3-2 - Acti-Sol

100% natural pure hen manure. An efficient fertilizer for all types of plants (lawn, vegetables, flowers and trees). Available formats Box 1,36 kg Bag 10 kg Bag 20 kg Bulk
acti-sol.ca acti-sol.ca

I used to put in worm castings when I could get them cheap. Unfortunately, my worm poop guy got greedy
 
Kompakfigs said:
Do you have recommendations for wetting agents.
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I don't use any wetting agent in my soils because it has 66% mineral material (like Gary's top pot) so it doesn't take dry out / go hydrohobic like an organic mix would.

For wetting agent, you can try making your own jadam wetting agent. You just need lye, canola oil and distilled water. It's basically the and as insecticidal soap that people buy. I usually add this to my BT or spinosad sprays. I also use it as a hand soap for my house and to wash my dog. It doesn't dry out my hands as much.

Or you can buy quillaja saponaria, yucca extract or insecticidal soap. I remember build a soil always taking about the first 2 products.
 
MC Dub said:
What specifically does the epsom salts and lime do for the soil and how does it benefit figs and is this the mix that you use for potting or cuttings?
Click to expand...
Because I grow in pots in essentially sterile non-soil components, I don’t consider what my fertilizing regimen does to soil health as I might if I was growing in the native soil.

Figs need extra calcium, magnesium, and a bunch of other plant nutrients that are not found in N-P-K base fertilizer. I use the pelletized lawn lime and the Epsom salts to meet these additional needs.

When I first started growing figs in 2017, my figs didn’t fruit well. Around 2022, I switched to the above fertilizer regimen on the recommendation of experienced fig growers. I’m very happy with my fruit production now. I supplement w/Jacks 20-20-20 water soluble in the Spring to help them wake up quickly/start vegetative growth. (I prune severely so I need the green growth to come on quickly so figlets can ripen in time.)

There are a bunch of different products that you can use to supply the extra nutrients. Epsom salts and pelletized lawn lime are what I chose, primarily for cost reasons. You should find what works for you.

This soil mix is for mature trees in pots after initial rooting (ie, not for cuttings).

For fertilizing cuttings, I use dilute Jacks 20-20-20 (like 1/16 tsp per gallon) after the 2nd month.
 
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