In my Earthboxes I use ProMix BX and add 1 cup of dolomite lime and a band of 10-10-10 fertilizer. Then supplemental feeding through the season.

You do not need to add perlite to it - it has plenty - and vermiculite is no longer available because of the asbestos (doesn't need it anyway). What it MIGHT benefit from is the "optional addition" of some Orchid mix bark fines. I'm doing a comparison this year with adding it as well as the lime and fertilizer to 4 of my Earthboxes and leaving 4 of them with just the ProMix, lime and fertilizer.

I can't help you with the other brands as I never used them. I have heard of the FarFard but it isn't available around here. Never heard of the Happy Frog stuff. ProMix is commonly recommended here by many.

Dave

I've used Fafard when I split a truck load with a local florist who preferred its texture- It was OK. Lately I,ve grown to like the ProMix BX with biofungicide for different reasons. But these companies mix these products up to be complete for transplant growing. I wouldn't add a thing except to supplement extra nutrients in later plant growth stages. I don't think that you adding Vermiculite or more Perlite or more of other conditioners will be of benefit for vegetables you are growing. It is like buying the best variety of baked beans you can find and then adding more pork, more onions, more mustard until you no longer have the great baked beans you spent bug bucks for.

Dave, you can obtain Vermiculite but my supplier told me it is shipped from Africa, thus the excessive price.

Keep in mind that the "BX" in the ProMix name means that inorganic fertilizer is added so if you are looking to grow organically you will want the unfortified versions, probably similar to the later types you listed.

The BX is a natural biofungicide, the same ingredient that is in Serenade, sold as an OMRI certified organic product. Promix is a good product without any additions needed at planting time.

I rechecked the LABEL. BX does have fertilizer as an ingredient. The natural biofungicide (Bacilis subtilis) is another ingredient that would meet OMRI approval but the two together would not.