Plagron - Lightmix with perlite 50 litres

A substrate of peat moss with perlite, lightly pre-fertilised. Meant for growers who want to set their own feeding schedule from week two onward. Bag of 50 litres.

The pre-fertilisation is mineral, and it is deliberately short

Lightmix is called that because there is little in it, and that is a design choice rather than an economy. Plagron dose 1,5 kg of fertiliser per cubic metre. For comparison, their own Batmix runs around 10,5 kg per cubic metre. You are deliberately buying a nearly empty soil here.

What many people miss is that this pre-fertilisation is mineral rather than organic. Plagron give NPK 12-14-24, an ordinary mineral ratio. That matters for how quickly it is available: mineral is there at once, organic has to be converted by the soil life first and that takes a week or two. In a lightmix you want the former, because the point is that your seedling or cutting has something to eat straight away and you take the wheel after that.

Reckon on about a week. After that it is gone and you are up. Start light: the mistake made here is not starting too late but starting too heavy, because the pot is so clean that you see an effect immediately and then push on.

Why there is perlite in it

The perlite keeps the bag airy and lets excess water run off quickly. That is exactly what you want in a medium you intend to steer yourself, because you then water more often in smaller amounts and you want oxygen at the roots in between. Plagron also supply Lightmix without perlite; this is the version with.

Technical Specifications:

• Type: lightly pre-fertilised peat substrate with perlite
• Composition: peat moss and perlite
• Pre-fertilisation: 1,5 kg per cubic metre of mineral fertiliser, NPK 12-14-24
• pH: 5,9 to 6,5 (1:1,5)
• EC: 0,8 to 1,4 mS/cm (1:1,5)
• Contents: 50 litre bag
• Feeding: start feeding after roughly the first week

Frequently asked questions

When should I start feeding?
After about a week. Watch the plant rather than the calendar: a lighter colour in the youngest leaves is the sign the reserve is used up.

Can I enrich this bag instead of feeding liquid?
Yes. Lightmix is one of the two Plagron substrates that suit this, precisely because there is still little in it. A fully pre-fertilised bag is too rich for that.

Is this suitable for cuttings and seedlings?
Yes, and that is its strongest point. A rich soil burns young roots, an empty one does not.

Should I rinse the bag through before use?
No. With a heavily pre-fertilised substrate that is sometimes sensible; here you would be washing out the little that is in it.