potting soil question

[Dirttiller25]

First off I hope I'm posting in the right section.

I start and sell vegetable plant (tomato, pepper,etc) each year. I'm planning to expand this year and take a step toward it being my own small business. To save on costs ive been looking for a bulk supplier locally of potting mix. I luckily finally found one and they have fafard that they sell by the scoop. Unfortunately it has no fertilizers or anything to feed and nurture the plants. My question is what kind of fertilizer can I get to add into the mix so it will be like the miracle grow mix I have used the last couple years since I didn't need a lot of soil and could afford it. Thanks for any input

 

[digitS']

Hi Dirttiller25

I used a Whitney Farms organic fertilizer in my own soil mix and to supplement what was in the organic soil I bought. It was actually sold as a lawn grass fertilizer and at 7% nitrogen. It works well and I squirrelled away a couple of bags when Whitney Farms discontinued it.

Last year, I bought Nutri-Rich organic at 4% nitrogen. It's just okay. I have used Whitney Farms 5% N in the past. It's also okay.

After I bought the 4% Nutri-Rich, I learned that the company also makes an 8-2-4 organic. Like Scott's Whitney Farms 7%, it isn't pelleted. Those pellets help in garden application but it doesn't make much difference with potting soil.

Stutzman is the company that sells Nutri-Rich fertilizers.

Steve

 

[so lucky]

And Steve, are those OK to use on vegetable plants? I think there was some kerfuffle a few years back about using Milorganite on veggies.

 

[digitS']

Stutzman's big thing is chicken "waste and by-products."

I have yet to see a bag of the 8% N but the other is OMRI certified.

Whitney Farms used to list their "lawn fertilizer" as useful for gardens. Since it was cheaper, especially considering N content, I imagine that lots of people used it for their gardens. I bet there would have been serious resistance for those applying it to lawn grass if Scott's had raised the price. And. I've wondered if Stutzman was the source for all.

Steve

 

[Dirttiller25]

Hi Dirttiller25

I used a Whitney Farms organic fertilizer in my own soil mix and to supplement what was in the organic soil I bought. It was actually sold as a lawn grass fertilizer and at 7% nitrogen. It works well and I squirrelled away a couple of bags when Whitney Farms discontinued it.

Last year, I bought Nutri-Rich organic at 4% nitrogen. It's just okay. I have used Whitney Farms 5% N in the past. It's also okay.

After I bought the 4% Nutri-Rich, I learned that the company also makes an 8-2-4 organic. Like Scott's Whitney Farms 7%, it isn't pelleted. Those pellets help in garden application but it doesn't make much difference with potting soil.

Stutzman is the company that sells Nutri-Rich fertilizers.

Steve

Thanks for the input steve. I will look into those.