Seed Starting Soil

[TerraFirma]

I am curious about the best soil mix for starting seeds and would like to hear ya’lls opinions/experiences with various mixtures.
-Is there a commercial brand or mix that anyone recommends?
-Is it better to mix your own, and if so, what mixtures do you recommend?
Thanks for any comments! –Walt

[sandih]

I think I got some special soil from Redenta's that was supposed to be specifically for seed starting because it was supposed to be fungus-free. I think it was just called seed starter. I never have success with starting from seeds anyway, so I don't know if my failure was from the soil or from me...but I think I know :(

[Tricky Grama]

I'd also like to hear from those who start seed indoors/greenhouse/whatever. I've done this b/4 w/no results.

Someone told me to use a little compost mixed w/my soil & put it in egg cartons. Even better would be to place 1/2 egg shell in the bottom of each hole. Then a seed in each compartment.

Any thoughts?

[HerbGirl]

I'll try to answer several of the posts. I use a seed-starting kit I got at Lowe's. It's a tray that sits on top of a heated mat, and it also comes with a clear domed cover. I use very small pots for each plant and put 2 seeds in each pot. I got these tiny pots from Garden Medicinals--just Google that and you'l find the web site. I have used Ferry Morse seed-starting mix, also bought at Lowe's. This year, I thought I'd mix it half and half with homemade finely-sifted compost. I had a few seedlings croak (I guess the damping-off fungus) within two days of their sprouting. The dome, which keeps heat in, also allowed some fungus to grow on the soil surface in some pots. So now I'm back to using a sterile mix just to start the seeds.

I also experimented with those little discs that you soak in water and they fluff up. My tomatoes and peppers started very nicely with those, even though I normally hate peat. I remove the new seedlings from the domed tray as soon as they sprout. I'm keeping the peppers on another heated mat without a cover to keep them warm in the garage under flourescent lights. I will transplant them into 4" pots as soon as the roots fill the peat plug and/or the seedling gets a few sets of true leaves. At that point I will use the homemade compost since they are no longer as vulnerable to the fungal problems.

I put the seedlings out for a while on nice days that are not too windy. When in the garage, I run a clip-on fan that I got from Charley's Greenhouse. Having a little wind blowing on them is supposed to keep fungal problems at bay and also make the stems stronger and more stout.

Don't use a heated mat when trying to germinate lettuce and cool-weather crops, however. They don't germinate as well with that much heat. And in the garage, hang flourescent light fixtures so that they are within several inches of the seedlings. Mine are on chains so I can move them up as the plants grow. I've had very good transplants using this method. The only problem is that last year, the leaves of the tomatoes turned purple on the bottom side. I think I read that it could be a phosphorus deficiency. (?) About once a week I fertilized with a diluted liquid seaweed mixture or Sea Tea. Anyway, the purple went away after transplanting.

Happy Seeding!

[merri]

i am having the WORST time with my first seed starting attempt (see post titled stunted seedlings).

i am stumped: my radishes, kale, lettuce, spinach, turnips all lack true leaves! the first seed leaves come out then NOTHING! and any tiny true leaves that manage to appear are getting chewed off every night!

any seed experts out there?!?!?! help we need you!

thanks, merri

ps, the heat amt and grow light sound like great idea, tho!!!

[Tricky Grama]

I mixed up some garden dirt, expanded shale, compost from my compost pile, and a little cornmeal. Put it in egg cartons & planted a couple seeds in each section. Have some good looking seedlings!

Sooo glad I didn't set them out yet...we got a lot of near golf ball sized hail.

Patty

[merri]

...and now it is supposed to freeze!

le sigh.

maybe a chance for me to get a fresh start!!!!

thanks for all of your help, merri