Cornell Unv. "Peat Lite" recipes..

FourOaks · April 6, 2016

Just ran across this the other day. I know a few folks here will be interested. After I run out of my current batch of my "Faux-Mix",I think im going to try out some of the recipes.

Grant it, its geared more towards commercial production of plants, but still good info.

http://www.greenhouse.cornell.edu/cr...s/peatlite.pdf

tash11 · April 7, 2016

cool, thanks!

Ricky Shaw · April 7, 2016

Updated in 1982 there's a lot of good info in that paper. Commercial mixes have changed in how they proportion the ingredients, but all the components are essentially the same 35 years later.

Their mixes for tomatoes and seedlings are based with peat and vermiculite at 50/50. Most mixes today utilize perlite more and the peat in higher percentages. This could be total economics of the time, maybe perlite was expensive in the 70's.

Promix HP 70% peat, 30% perlite

Promix BX 70% peat, 15% perlite, 15% vermiculite

tash11 · April 8, 2016

Looking over it, the seedling mix is basically my general purpose mix. 50/50 vermiculite/peat and then instead of the other things I put a little fert. Right now for my toms I am potting up it's 50/50 vermiculite/peat and then a bit of a 4-6-6 veg food, and bone meal (6-9-0).
I also have a tenancy to over water so I like things with really good drainage. For big pots I add sand because it's cheap and drains well. For my violets they get a basic violet mix with extra vermiculite or perlite. Orchids are in semi-hydro.

I don't use perlite in things to sell because people seem to not like 'styrofoam' in their plant pots. I get tired of explaining it.

April 6, 2016	#1
FourOaks Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: NC Posts: 511	Cornell Unv. "Peat Lite" recipes.. Just ran across this the other day. I know a few folks here will be interested. After I run out of my current batch of my "Faux-Mix",I think im going to try out some of the recipes. Grant it, its geared more towards commercial production of plants, but still good info. http://www.greenhouse.cornell.edu/cr...s/peatlite.pdf

April 7, 2016	#2
tash11 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Ohio Posts: 156	cool, thanks!

April 7, 2016	#3
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	Updated in 1982 there's a lot of good info in that paper. Commercial mixes have changed in how they proportion the ingredients, but all the components are essentially the same 35 years later. Their mixes for tomatoes and seedlings are based with peat and vermiculite at 50/50. Most mixes today utilize perlite more and the peat in higher percentages. This could be total economics of the time, maybe perlite was expensive in the 70's. Promix HP 70% peat, 30% perlite Promix BX 70% peat, 15% perlite, 15% vermiculite

April 8, 2016	#4
tash11 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Ohio Posts: 156	Looking over it, the seedling mix is basically my general purpose mix. 50/50 vermiculite/peat and then instead of the other things I put a little fert. Right now for my toms I am potting up it's 50/50 vermiculite/peat and then a bit of a 4-6-6 veg food, and bone meal (6-9-0). I also have a tenancy to over water so I like things with really good drainage. For big pots I add sand because it's cheap and drains well. For my violets they get a basic violet mix with extra vermiculite or perlite. Orchids are in semi-hydro. I don't use perlite in things to sell because people seem to not like 'styrofoam' in their plant pots. I get tired of explaining it.