New to growing your own tomatoes? This is the forum to learn the successful techniques used by seasoned tomato growers. Questions are welcome, too.
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#16 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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I started with Burpee's mix, but ran out.
I've been using peat-based pro mix on the bottom half of the cell of pot, and then vermiculite in the top half with the seed. I have always had good results with vermiculite. |
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#17 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Anmore, BC, Canada
Posts: 3,970
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It used to be Promix HP for me. Not anymore. It was a great mix for seed starting, but pepper seedlings will not thrive in it.
We now make a mix from 75% coco coir and 25% perlite. Works so much better for pepper seedlings! When potting up, we just add 50% compost. Tatiana
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#18 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: ny
Posts: 1,219
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I start dense sowing (see NCtomatoman's videos) using either Miracle Gro Seed Starting Mix or this year, Espoma Organic Seed Starting Mix. Last year was great and this year seems on track to do the same. When they get a couple sets, I pot them up using whatever commercially bagged potting MIX I can get at that time. Last year again was MG potting mix, this year I'm trying Espoma potting MIX.
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Subirrigated Container gardening (RGGS) in NY, Zone 7! |
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#19 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: California Central Valley
Posts: 2,543
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Happy Frog. It's only $12 a bag at the local hydroponics store -- a great source for organic gardening supplies.
When I pot up, I use a mix of recycled soil and potting mix, with homemade compost. |
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#20 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 131
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This is my second year using Vermont Compost's Fort Vee as my seed starting medium. Had amazing results last year with this mix and experiencing like results so far this season. Seedlings are vibrant and exhibit tremendous growth habit. It's pricey but worth it in my opinion.
Fort Vee https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcktI2q_5mM
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Success in life is not guaranteed but a life with no purpose is guaranteed to fail. |
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#21 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 37
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IM about to pot up my seedlings. Would mushroom compost be a decent medium for potting up if it was mixed 50/50 with other soils? I have some happy frog soil left over from last year as well as perlite and vermiculite. I need to pot up before I leave on a trip and I can't make it back to my hydroponic store before then. This stuff is dirt cheap at the big box stores...
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#22 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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Some people do ok with compost in their media. I tend to get stem rot and damping off, especially in cold weather.
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#23 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: the garden state
Posts: 38
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jiffy bag of 12qt seeding mix and 72 cell hexagon cell tray.. soak mixed distilled water in a bucket and lightly filled cells .. used a pencil and dropped individual seeds in each cell lightly cover 1/8 to 1/4 inch depth. placed on a heat pad out of direct sunlight. less than 15.00 with a few burpee packs..rutgers and red brandywine ..plus last seasons seeds i purchased here from Renee.
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#24 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Michigan
Posts: 126
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I'm using Fox Farm's Light Warrior this year, and so far so good. Previously I've used Jiffy mix, and that worked just fine for me too. I give them a weak solution of fertilizer when they get their first true leaves.
I pot them up when they get their second set of true leaves (or sometimes third if I fall behind), into 3-4" pots with potting soil of some sort. |
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#25 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: the garden state
Posts: 38
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#26 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Ohio
Posts: 1
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#27 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: the garden state
Posts: 38
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I just repotted the seedlings into bigger 1 pint sized party cups.. i used a 1/4 drill bit and drill a hole center bottom about a half dozen stack cups at a time. also made a 50/50 mix of both the left over bag of jiffy starter seed mix which basically is fortified peat moss with miricle grow potting soil. I still want the peat because I think the seedlings root system grow much faster and bigger with enriched peat mixture, I shall find out soon enough.. I also started outside hardening process and so far they are looking great..24 plants potted so far.. going to pot the others next few days too. When i repot.. I use a sardine fork and gently lift from under each seedling in the jiffy 72 cell tray..using caution not to break both tray or the plants roots.. i also premix with water to half the party cup..easing the seedlingin the middle and gently back filling up the 3/4 full the party cup. plenty deep for these seedlings to grow well over a foot if need be before they can be put out after danger of last frost..probably end of May. I will be using miracle grow and milorgranite for in ground fertilizer and from there we shall see
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#28 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: CT
Posts: 290
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I used to use Promix HP but found it to be very clumpy. I like the texture of Light Warrior much more. Next season I'm going to try a mix I've been reading about: Double/triple ground hardwood bark mulch, my homemade compost and some pea gravel (or perlite).
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#29 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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Does anyone use plain sand? It seems like that would work well, but I haven't tried it yet.
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#30 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: CT
Posts: 290
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