Up Pot? (Pot Up) Soil

twodaend 4/24/2013, 5:55 pm

When up potting do you continue to use seed starting mix or do you use potting soil? I currently have my seedling started in a seed starting mix using the Jiffy Greenhouse Kit with 2" peat pots. I need to move them to larger pots however I'm wondering which soil to use?

Thanks

CapeCoddess 4/24/2013, 5:58 pm

I made up a smallish new batch of MM in my wheel barrow and am using that to pot up. I added some extra compost for the tomatoes. Very Happy

CC

**llama momma** 4/24/2013, 6:14 pm

I up-potted my tomato, pepper, eggplant, flowers, all went into solo cups with Mel's Mix. And they are loving it. Still doing half strength fish emulsion once a week. Can only hope this is ok, or else lucky. But I'm usually not good at luck.
It's my first time starting these from seed.

twodaend 4/24/2013, 6:18 pm

I don't have any extra MM and didn't want to take some out of the garden. Would potting soil be ok to use? Because I'm using the peat pots would I be able to just plant as is in the garden with the peat pot and potting soil when it's time.

**llama momma** 4/24/2013, 6:28 pm

So Sorry I don't know since its my first year. Maybe Quiltbea or another will show up here soon. Or you can pm her too.

plantoid 4/24/2013, 6:49 pm

twodaend wrote:I don't have any extra MM and didn't want to take some out of the garden. Would potting soil be ok to use? Because I'm using the peat pots would I be able to just plant as is in the garden with the peat pot and potting soil when it's time.

Hi Towodaend ,
Can you clarify what you mean by " potting soil " .

Does it have mother earth and sand in it or is it a pure peat looking type thing ?
If it is pure peat type go ahead and use it watch out for the peat pots making wicks and drying out far quicker than you'd firts realized . Once your last frost ( if neded ) is past plant the peat potted plant in th bed a fractionof an inch below the average level of the MM this is to prevent the peat pot acting as a drying wick .
Some folk use scissors and cut the peat pot away so that it will not restrict the plants roots any more. ( I'd go with that for i had the same probs with peat pots years ago )

If it is an earth type potting material ..we don't reccommend putting earth based stuff in the ANSFG bed using Mels Mix as it defeats the object of having a light weight soilless growth medium .

**camprn** 4/24/2013, 6:50 pm

I use BM8 for potting up. It is less likely to have fungus and disease.

jazzycat 4/25/2013, 12:03 am

camprn wrote:I use BM8 for potting up. It is less likely to have fungus and disease.

What is BM8?

chjbr63 4/25/2013, 12:11 am

http://www.berger.ca/products/mixes/bm8

brenda g 4/25/2013, 8:59 am

I am not sure what you are "supposed" to do when potting up, but I mix my own seed starting mix (approx. 4 parts peat, 3 parts vermiculite, 2 parts worm castings). When it's time to pot up I use this same mix, adding a little more worm castings. I also water with worm tea every 1-2 weeks; my plants all seem pretty heatlhy so far!

plantoid 4/25/2013, 11:27 am

brenda g wrote:I am not sure what you are "supposed" to do when potting up, but I mix my own seed starting mix (approx. 4 parts peat, 3 parts vermiculite, 2 parts worm castings). When it's time to pot up I use this same mix, adding a little more worm castings. I also water with worm tea every 1-2 weeks; my plants all seem pretty heatlhy so far!

That seems fair to use the worm casts in you mix as it is an almost ideal mix.

The secret is that you do not use a high nitrogen content in the potting up material or else you'll get rapid top growth and no decent root ball formation. In the end the plant look a bit limp and lanky .

brenda g 4/25/2013, 12:12 pm

I did not know that, plantoid - thats great info!! thanks

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