Bad Luck with Jiffy Mix or Sandhill Preservation? - Page 2

**carolyn137** · March 18, 2007

A couple of years ago a lot of rfolks were complaining about Jiffy Mix and someone contacted the company but I don't remember what the conclusion was.

I've always used Jiffy Mix or Pro Mix or Fafard for seed starting with no problems. And many of you know that I have a large seed collection and many of them are older seeds now. And from time to time I have to wake up some of that old seed and to date have never had problems doing that with Jiffy Mix. I've used the one without micronutrients and never use a dome and never a heat mat; just gentle bottom heat either in my farmer frind Charlie's seed greenhouse where the concrete benches are warmed from below by circulating warm water or here at home where I put the seed pans on top of a lighted fixture on a plant stand.

As for Sandhill, perhaps many of you don't know it, but Glenn sells no seeds that are more than two years old. And there's no one else who can make that claim. Actually it amazes me that he can do that.

With over 400 varieties listed do you realize how many plants have to go out each year just for new seed stock?

Fusion_power · March 19, 2007

I don't know for sure how many plants Glenn sets out each year but it has to be huge. I estimate over 2000. He has a few growers who produce seed for him. Maybe some of them produce tomato seed too. I sent him a few thousand tomato seed this year of Liz Birt and Gary O'Sena.

Fusion

caudill78 · March 19, 2007

This is my first year using Jiffy Mix and I am still not real sure what to think of it... I planted my first batch of seeds one week ago today and I still have no germination... I really don't know what to expect... Hopefully everything will begin to come up within the next couple of days... But still, it worries me that nothing has sprouted... Any one got any ideas about what might be up with my germination time

elkwc36 · March 19, 2007

Caudill,
This seems strange. I've started pepper and tomato seeds with it and had peppers up after 5 days and tomatoes started at 3 days. Not all are up so will have to wait and see about final germination rate. I wet mine in a bucket, put it in the cells, put seed on top and put about and 1/8 on top then sprinkled them with a spray bottle. Hope yours start. I've had some trouble in the past with others and have decided at times I think I was getting some to deep. Best of luck. Jay

feldon30 · March 19, 2007

Caudill,

Did you soak your seeds? Anywhere from an hour to overnight?

blatanna · March 19, 2007

Michael, is that pure peat you use or a peat mix?

Joel5000 · March 23, 2007

I used Jiffy Mix (also purchased from Wal Mart) to start my seeds 2 weeks ago, and I had 100% germination [48 out of 48] within 5 days. I do think that Jiffy varies quite a bit from batch to batch. I got a couple of bags last year that were very coarse with a lot of twigs. All my seeds were between 1-3 years old.

I always over-sow because I expect poor germination, and I end up with way too many seedlings. I;m only going to pot-up the ones I need (and the ones that family and friends have requested). I'll be composting the rest.

March 18, 2007	#16
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	A couple of years ago a lot of rfolks were complaining about Jiffy Mix and someone contacted the company but I don't remember what the conclusion was. I've always used Jiffy Mix or Pro Mix or Fafard for seed starting with no problems. And many of you know that I have a large seed collection and many of them are older seeds now. And from time to time I have to wake up some of that old seed and to date have never had problems doing that with Jiffy Mix. I've used the one without micronutrients and never use a dome and never a heat mat; just gentle bottom heat either in my farmer frind Charlie's seed greenhouse where the concrete benches are warmed from below by circulating warm water or here at home where I put the seed pans on top of a lighted fixture on a plant stand. As for Sandhill, perhaps many of you don't know it, but Glenn sells no seeds that are more than two years old. And there's no one else who can make that claim. Actually it amazes me that he can do that. With over 400 varieties listed do you realize how many plants have to go out each year just for new seed stock? __________________ Carolyn

March 19, 2007	#21
blatanna Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Ireland Posts: 150	Michael, is that pure peat you use or a peat mix? __________________ Blatanna

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March 19, 2007	#17
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	I don't know for sure how many plants Glenn sets out each year but it has to be huge. I estimate over 2000. He has a few growers who produce seed for him. Maybe some of them produce tomato seed too. I sent him a few thousand tomato seed this year of Liz Birt and Gary O'Sena. Fusion

March 19, 2007	#18
caudill78 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: South Woods of Southern Kentucky Posts: 1	This is my first year using Jiffy Mix and I am still not real sure what to think of it... I planted my first batch of seeds one week ago today and I still have no germination... I really don't know what to expect... Hopefully everything will begin to come up within the next couple of days... But still, it worries me that nothing has sprouted... Any one got any ideas about what might be up with my germination time

March 19, 2007	#19
elkwc36 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: SW Kansas Posts: 339	Caudill, This seems strange. I've started pepper and tomato seeds with it and had peppers up after 5 days and tomatoes started at 3 days. Not all are up so will have to wait and see about final germination rate. I wet mine in a bucket, put it in the cells, put seed on top and put about and 1/8 on top then sprinkled them with a spray bottle. Hope yours start. I've had some trouble in the past with others and have decided at times I think I was getting some to deep. Best of luck. Jay

March 19, 2007	#20
feldon30 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 5,346	Caudill, Did you soak your seeds? Anywhere from an hour to overnight?

March 23, 2007	#22
Joel5000 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 43	I used Jiffy Mix (also purchased from Wal Mart) to start my seeds 2 weeks ago, and I had 100% germination [48 out of 48] within 5 days. I do think that Jiffy varies quite a bit from batch to batch. I got a couple of bags last year that were very coarse with a lot of twigs. All my seeds were between 1-3 years old. I always over-sow because I expect poor germination, and I end up with way too many seedlings. I;m only going to pot-up the ones I need (and the ones that family and friends have requested). I'll be composting the rest.