seed starting mix

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

All the other peat-based mixes I have tried will crust over at the top and keep sprouts from breaking through. That's probably my fault for not keeping a high enough humidity, but it's a lot easier to maintain one environment for both growing plants and starting seeds.

And yes, vermiculite works fine, roots love it. You can use a very diluted MG. They like fish emulsion, too. I start most of my inexpensive seeds in vermiculite. Lately I have been putting a little peat pro mix in the bottom of the cell, then vermiculite on top of that.

Cole you asked this question in another thread.
I have used good clean sand before, not blow sand but builders sand.
Mostly because I didn't have any money and it was all I had but it worked just fine.
I used tin cans with saran wrap over each one with a rubber band on it.
As soon as I saw one sprout I would pull the wrap off.

Worth

[feldon30]

Fortunately I have a source for ProMix BX nearby so I'm set for seed starting. My only complaint about this material is, it's rather course. I'll be screening it through a medium mesh screen before I fill trays with it.

[Gardeneer]

Here is some of my starting mix , leftover from last year.
The white stuff is mostly Floor Dry and and some perlite. The rest is pine bark fines
Floor Dry is balanced moisture retentive. Say one once of it absorbs one oz of water.

This mixture has ZERO nutrients. So I have to soak it with 1/3 strength MG.

Gardeneer

[RayR]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

Here is some of my starting mix , leftover from last year.
The white stuff is mostly Floor Dry and and some perlite. The rest is pine bark fines
Floor Dry is balanced moisture retentive. Say one once of it absorbs one oz of water.

This mixture has ZERO nutrients. So I have to soak it with 1/3 strength MG.

Gardeneer

That's a new one, bark fines, perlite and DE. What's the PH of that mix? Did you need to lime it?
I've had great results with my 50%DE/40% Coco Coir/10% Worm Castings mix

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by RayR

That's a new one, bark fines, perlite and DE. What's the PH of that mix? Did you need to lime it?
I've had great results with my 50%DE/40% Coco Coir/10% Worm Castings mix

DE and perlite are probably nutral and pine bark is acidic , about 4.5 t0 5. I add Dolomitic lime to it to raise the pH. According to the soil lab a pH of 5.5 to 6.8 is within acceptable range for most garden vegetables.

PS: Probably I have added some Dolomitic lime to that mixture last year.
The recommended amount of dolomitic lime to pine bark based mix ( 5-1-1) is roughly 1.5 TB spoon per gallon, according Al Tapla , the creator of 5-1-1- potting formula.

I will soak some of that to chech the pH.

Gardeneer

Update :
After soaking for about 2 hours, I checked and the pH is about 6.2 .
I will do again later.
It seeds that I have had added lime to it.

[RayR]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

DE and perlite are probably nutral and pine bark is acidic , about 4.5 t0 5. I add Dolomitic lime to it to raise the pH. According to the soil lab a pH of 5.5 to 6.8 is within acceptable range for most garden vegetables.

PS: Probably I have added some Dolomitic lime to that mixture last year.
The recommended amount of dolomitic lime to pine bark based mix ( 5-1-1) is roughly 1.5 TB spoon per gallon, according Al Tapla , the creator of 5-1-1- potting formula.

I will soak some of that to chech the pH.

Gardeneer

Update :
After soaking for about 2 hours, I checked and the pH is about 6.2 .
I will do again later.
It seeds that I have had added lime to it.

Ya, I figured it would have been acidic with the bark fines.
You must have limed it, 6.2 is OK.
I think after 2 hours the PH of the solution would be equilibrated good enough. I usually only let it stand for 20 minutes before taking a reading.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by RayR

Ya, I figured it would have been acidic with the bark fines.
You must have limed it, 6.2 is OK.
I think after 2 hours the PH of the solution would be equilibrated good enough. I usually only let it stand for 20 minutes before taking a reading.

Right. Definitely must have limed it.

My overnight soaked test showed pH of 6.4 +. So I am sure that the mix formula that I use works fine. I grow about 10 -15 plants in containers/pots. I use the same (5-1-1 based) mix. I get pine bark/small nuggets/mulch @ 2 bucks per cubic foot (~=7 gallon). By the time I add other ingredients it costs me 45 cents per gallon or about $3.25 per cubic foot.

Gardeneer

[Ed of Somis]

Well, I am not nearly as experienced as you all. However, last year my commercial potting mix worked just as well as my commercial seed starter mix. I actually had good success (trying not to jinx myself here...)

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by Ed of Somis

Well, I am not nearly as experienced as you all. However, last year my commercial potting mix worked just as well as my commercial seed starter mix. I actually had good success (trying not to jinx myself here...)

There is no ONE mixture or way to start seeds. As the saying goes ; there is more than one way to skin a dead cat. What you need a medium that can hold enough moisture and nutrients for the seedling. I personally try to stay away from something that gets soggy, increasing the chances of damping off and inviting the gnats.

Gardeneer

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

There is no ONE mixture or way to start seeds. As the saying goes ; there is more than one way to skin a dead cat. What you need a medium that can hold enough moisture and nutrients for the seedling. I personally try to stay away from something that gets soggy, increasing the chances of damping off and inviting the gnats.

Gardeneer

I have seen bar fights break out about things more trivial than seed starting mix.
They have biker bars I wonder what a gardener bar would be like.

Worth

[Cole_Robbie]

I've always thought my farmer's market should get a liquor license.

[b54red]

I use nothing but diatomaceous earth that I get from Auto Zone called UltraSorb. I have had no trouble with damping off since I started using it after reading a post Ray put up. Damping off was my worst problem every year until I figured out how to use the UltraSorb. I will pot up into regular potting soil with plants that I want to get larger like tomatoes and peppers but most just stay in my little egg cup cells until I set them in the garden. I use a bit of TTF with every watering as the DE has little if any nutrients available. I will never use a commercial seed starter again for starting my small seeds because you can't get any better than near 100% germination. I like to check the germination rate listed on the seed packets and am usually surprised to get a much higher rate than is listed even with seed several years old.

Bill

[Jonnyhat]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I have seen bar fights break out about things more trivial than seed starting mix.
They have biker bars I wonder what a gardener bar would be like.

Worth

they have a lot of gardener bars in Colorado

[Aerial]

It's often mentioned here, what are the "blue fertilizers"? I went to Lowes and didn't find a blue bottle Miracle-Gro.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by Aerial

It's often mentioned here, what are the "blue fertilizers"? I went to Lowes and didn't find a blue bottle Miracle-Gro.

The contensst are dyed blue and it is water soluble solids. It comes in 5 lbs bag ( about $11.00) or smaller. It is called "All Purpose Plant Food". It has a 24-8-16 (NPK) analysis. Very economical.
Here is a picture