Re: Best potting/seed starting soil?

littlejo 3/7/2013, 9:02 pm

treefrog62 wrote:Okay, this is my first time I am starting seeds in vermiculite (and SFG'ing). Previously I had just started seeds in potting soil, or seed starting soil (pre-packaged stuff).

In the ANSFG and ANSFG Answer book, Mel says he transfers seedlings from vermiculite directly into Mel's Mix, when they still just have the two seed leaves. I have done this for a few of my seedlings, and I am worried. Is this going to be too much nutrients for them?

I put the Mel's Mix in half toilet paper rolls. The seedlings in the vermiculite are getting very tall, but are extremely skinny (is that what is referred to as "leggy"?). I was concerned about waiting till they grew true leaves to transfer them, since they looked like they needed more support/nutrients/something.

Any recommendations?

I started mine in just vermiculite, but, as soon as they germinated, and popped up, just with their 1st leaves(seed leaves) I transferred to mm. It was not 'new mm' so I sterilized it first. My reasoning with this, I had S. blight and didn't want to start off on the wrong foot. I immediately put them under lights. I started toms., peppers, and eggplant. Eggplant did not germinate for I had no heat source and they require hot weather. Toms and peppers did fine. Then when I watered, I used worm tea. It was fine for the peppers except they put on blooms at less than 6 in. tall. I don't recommend it for toms. Some of them are 2 ft tall, and showing signs of blooms and I have up-potted several times and it has just been 5 weeks! I really don't think seedlings need more fertilizer than what is in the mm.
Jo

Tris 3/8/2013, 3:55 pm

RoOsTeR wrote:Most folks have their own way of sowing their seeds and the medium they use. Me, I plant mine directly in Mel's Mix. YMMV

This is good to read, it was what I was planning on doing Very Happy

CapeCoddess 3/8/2013, 4:21 pm

I planted my seeds in used MM, but I didn't have any diseases last year (that I was aware of anyway). They are doing just fine even tho some are a bit leggy. I potted my tomatoes up into more used MM after the true leaves appeared if they needed it.

I plan to fertilize with very diluted urine if any look like they need nourishing in the future, but it seems to me that the used MM still has just enuff kick in it for seedlings.

CC

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