On 24 Apr 2003 11:03:52 GMT, (Anne)
wrote:

I will be starting to get my tender vegie seeds planted soon and was wondering
what sort of starting mixes you all use. The garden shop seems to use a mix
that is mostly peat moss. Do they add nutrients to the peat moss or fertilize
the seedling a lot to get such husky little plants? I have tried peat moss in
the past but found that it was either too wet or too difficult to get at the
right degree of dampness.

I have been using a 50/50 mix of compost and garden soil (sterilized in the
oven) and then add some vermiculite or perlite to keep it from packing too
much.

Thanks for your input


I use a specific 'seed-starting mix' - labelled as such.
It's probably more expensive, but it's simpler and easier.
(Anyway, we don't *have* garden soil - we have 99% clay.)

Some of the seed-starting mixes have time-release fertilizer
and some don't. The ones that do, say so on the package.

If I'm using a non-fertilizer-included mix, I feed the
little seedlings once or twice with an all-purpose plant
food. I use fish emulsion outside, but it wouldn't be a
good idea to use it for seedlings under lights inside - it
smells plus we have a cat. I don't want her to become
interested in digging up the seedlings.

Pat