Your choice of starting mix

[Mike723]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

Does anyone use plain sand? It seems like that would work well, but I haven't tried it yet.

Haven't used plain sand, but I have had good results in the past with straight perlite.. it does wick up moisture more than you'd think (with a 2" internal res at the bottom). I don't see why sand wouldn't be effective early on, but would have a low CEC moving forward without some organic matter added to the mix..

[FISHBONE]

mike723, I did have second thoughts after watching some alternatives.. perhaps you are right that i can make my own..some tomato guy on youtube mixes peat moss a few shovels and a hand full of 10/10/10 and 1/3 cup pulv. lime right when he digs a hole for each plant , he mixes it and sets the plant deep and hills it,, also going to try epsom and mg garden soil..home depot also has a 50lb. bag of black cow manure too so today I'm going to stock it all in the yard shed.. it all I should need for this year,, my beds are already growing green with weeds so that is a good sign i been doing something right last several seasons. But the milorganite works great on the lawn and so thinking it says "for veggies too" on the bag ,, I thought why not, it can't hurt,, but i don't need it and these days , I especially do not trust the government.. I never trust what they do to our tap water either.. here in northern nj ,, our tap water smell strong of chlorine almost like my swimming pool!I do not like the FBI especially but that is a different matter

[Mike723]

Originally Posted by FISHBONE

mike723, I did have second thoughts after watching some alternatives.. perhaps you are right that i can make my own..some tomato guy on youtube mixes peat moss a few shovels and a hand full of 10/10/10 and 1/3 cup pulv. lime right when he digs a hole for each plant , he mixes it and sets the plant deep and hills it,, also going to try epsom and mg garden soil..home depot also has a 50lb. bag of black cow manure too so today I'm going to stock it all in the yard shed.. it all I should need for this year,, my beds are already growing green with weeds so that is a good sign i been doing something right last several seasons. But the milorganite works great on the lawn and so thinking it says "for veggies too" on the bag ,, I thought why not, it can't hurt,, but i don't need it and these days , I especially do not trust the government.. I never trust what they do to our tap water either.. here in northern nj ,, our tap water smell strong of chlorine almost like my swimming pool!I do not like the FBI especially but that is a different matter

Yea, it just rubs me the wrong way lol.. But agreed, the Milorganite works well on the grass and bamboo! I have great results on the veggies with a handful of 50/50 compost/earthworm castings and a tsp (or so) of kelp meal in the planting hole. I initially top dress my rows with greensand, 3/4 strength tomato-tone, Azomite and some alfalfa meal.. During vegetative growth I alternate weekly with fish emulsion/liquid seaweed and compost tea.

This year will be much different for me though as I'll be growing in the hoophouse for the first time.. I also planted a hairy vetch cover crop which should provide about 80+% of my nitrogen needs.. I'll hold off on the alfalfa and maybe go 1/2 strength or less with the tomato-tone.

Look into the Gard'n Gro filter to neutralize your chlorine issues: http://www.amazon.com/Rainshowr-GG-2...+filter+garden

-Mike

[jbond007]

Being a noob, I'm wondering what the thoughts are against starting in potting mix. I've never had any problems but heard that I should be using a peat, starting mix, or other medium?

[greyghost]

j, I think the most important reasons to use a "starter" mix is that it's
sterile-less likely to have damping off issues, weed seeds. Also, it's very fine
and light textured, easier for young roots to grow through. Many potting
mixes have added fertilizer which could burn young roots although it's not
too usual to see worm casings added to starter (I sometimes add a small
amount to my starter mix).

[kath]

Originally Posted by jbond007

Being a noob, I'm wondering what the thoughts are against starting in potting mix. I've never had any problems but heard that I should be using a peat, starting mix, or other medium?

I think they tend to hold more water than starting mixes. People often overwater young seedlings and the heavier mixes tend to exacerbate the problem. As greyghost mentioned, added ferts are more common in potting mixes, too, as well as additives to retain moisture longer.

[bughunter99]

For me I use anything provided:

1. It does not have moisture retention additives in it.
2. It does not have fertilizers added.
3. It does not have "beneficial" fungi in it.
4. It does not smell like chemicals
5. It does not contain "Miracle" in its name or in its family line.

Lately I mix a lot of my own using coir and vermiculite

[FISHBONE]

Originally Posted by kath

I think they tend to hold more water than starting mixes. People often overwater young seedlings and the heavier mixes tend to exacerbate the problem. As greyghost mentioned, added ferts are more common in potting mixes, too, as well as additives to retain moisture longer.

I read you Kath, been there done that,, I learned here and elsewhere how to grow from seed. Think this year is the first time I'm actually getting good results from seed to now.. actually started with a jiffy peat in 72 cell tray. transplanted after secondary true leaves deep in party cups with mg and peat mix..few days ago..today still hardening process but added a drizzle of epsom salt too .. got this watching a youtube video early this am.... but yes not to over do anything for these tiny roots is key while hardening process.

[FISHBONE]

Originally Posted by jbond007

Being a noob, I'm wondering what the thoughts are against starting in potting mix. I've never had any problems but heard that I should be using a peat, starting mix, or other medium?

been there and i'll never seed in it again.. i use starter mix,, i bet those peat pods are great too.. next time i'll use the peat pods in the tray (actually cheaper) and than when you get the seedling to secondary leaves..get a peat and mg mix..or even black kow!!! that stuff is awesome for what you get.. check out the video on the site about planting two seedlings in the50lb black kow bag!!! lol.. i'm going to try it in two beds using four bags..going to buy another few bags to mix at planting in my big beds that will have a dozen each.

[Vespertino]

I've been using the Lady Bug brand seed starter called "germinator". I've had amazing results with it, it's not sterile, though, but it hasn't been a problem and I'd say in my case it probably helped. I had lot of fuzzy mold growing over one batch that I used over 2 years, but I never had any damping off issues or other problems, the seedlings loved it and always grew nice and strong. So any mold in that mix was certainly a good mold or fungus. Some mold/fungus types are a sign of healthy soil (some form symbiotic relationships with a plant's root system), so if it ain't broke don't fix it