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Anne 24-04-2003 01:08 PM

Seed starting mixes
 
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

Anne

Pat Meadows 24-04-2003 03:08 PM

Seed starting mixes
 
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

zxcvbob 24-04-2003 04:32 PM

Seed starting mixes
 
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

Anne


I've had pretty good luck with Miracle Grow potting soil. It is fairly
light, and seems to be a mixture of sphagnum moss, compost, and a little
perlite. Peter's Professional potting soil is better, but I havn't seen
it in several years.

I use the Miracle Grow stuff for seedlings. For very fine seeds, you
might have to sift if potting soil, or at least pick through it to get
the little sticks and lumps out.

When I transplant the seedlings up, I mix wet soggy composts with a
little perlite and enough dry potting soil or sphagnum moss to make it
crumbly and workable.

The garden centers get such husky little plants by having plenty of
light and controlled temperatures. They also may use growth inhibitors
on some of the ornamentals. I have stocky little tomato and pepper
plants indoors under lights right now, but they will get out of control
next month before I can set them out and the tomatoes will be tall and
spindly and probably blooming. I just plant tall tomatoes in a post
hole with the top few leaves sticking out. I don't even pull off the
lower leaves, I just bury them. You can plant really tall tomatoes in a
shallow trench with just the top sticking out and propped up a bit.

Best regards,
Bob

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Dianna Visek 24-04-2003 08:44 PM

Seed starting mixes
 
I use one of the specialized seed-starting mixes. Fertilizer in it
doesn't seem to matter, since the plants go out into the garden so
fast. It's fine textured, sterile and worth the price, in my opinion.

I use 5-oz. plastic drink cups as my pots. I poke 4 holes in the
bottom and label with a glass-marking pencil. They hold up well.

Regards, Dianna
_______________________________________________
To reply, please remove "fluff" from my address.

Pat Kiewicz 25-04-2003 01:32 PM

Seed starting mixes
 
Anne said:

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.


Like Bob, I was fond of Peter's Professional mix, but haven't seen it for
several years.

I will use Miracle Grow sometimes. Most other brands of I've bought locally
been disappointingly inconsistent in quality. (There was a brand that
SPROUTED WEIRD MUSHROOMS one year.)

Gardener's Supply sells consistantly good seed starting and container
mixes. (I also like the seedling and houseplant fertilizer they sell, PHC,
which contains humates, kelp and some micronutrient in addition to NPK.)

Gardener's Supply has a web site (http://www.gardeners.com) but it seems
to be down this morning. Phone: 1-800-427-3363
--
Pat in Plymouth MI

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)



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