Starting media - this sounds like a good idea

tam91 · March 23, 2012

Currently I start my tomatoes in row trays with sunshine mix, then transplant into metro-mix 360. Has been working out fine.
But I just heard an interesting tip from a nursery. They use the pots vegetables, flowers, etc. are going to grow in. Fill most of the way with metro-mix 360, then use a layer of the sunshine mix on top. So you get the fluffy seed starting mix, but then the plants grow down into the metro-mix 360, and you don't have the problem of it drying out too quickly. And saves all the labor of transplanting.
Of course, you'd lose a lot of mix if you had poor germination.
I probably won't change my tomato method, but I'm going to try this for basil and flowers this year and see how it works. Sounds like a great idea.

March 23, 2012	#1
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	Starting media - this sounds like a good idea Currently I start my tomatoes in row trays with sunshine mix, then transplant into metro-mix 360. Has been working out fine. But I just heard an interesting tip from a nursery. They use the pots vegetables, flowers, etc. are going to grow in. Fill most of the way with metro-mix 360, then use a layer of the sunshine mix on top. So you get the fluffy seed starting mix, but then the plants grow down into the metro-mix 360, and you don't have the problem of it drying out too quickly. And saves all the labor of transplanting. Of course, you'd lose a lot of mix if you had poor germination. I probably won't change my tomato method, but I'm going to try this for basil and flowers this year and see how it works. Sounds like a great idea. __________________ Tracy