Mels Mix for Seedlings

They look fabulous, Jimmy!  I just tried some regular (more coarse) MM to start a few more carrots and spinach plants, and just made a "dent" on top, dropped the seeds (that are usually pre-sprouted in wet paper towels) into the dent, then sprinkled fine vermiculite over them.  They loved it.  I think you're onto something, here.

I start mine in MM, too, but it's used and unsifted.  And not beautiful like yours, since mine grow leggy in the window.
Jimmy, could you experiment with those cukes and put them into a plastic mini green house or the like to see how far you can take them?  Maybe a clam pack around them after transplanting them into their permanent spot?

CapeCoddess wrote:I start mine in MM, too, but it's used and unsifted.  And not beautiful like yours, since mine grow leggy in the window.
Jimmy, could you experiment with those cukes and put them into a plastic mini green house or the like to see how far you can take them?  Maybe a clam pack around them after transplanting them into their permanent spot?

I was considering up potting, then taking them out to my mini hot square..Only problem is temps being down to teens sort of changed me on that one...70s coming up soon, maybe will do then

Those in the know are always telling us you don't need anything special for starting seeds.  They only need seed starting mix.
Jimmy.....Your lovely healthy plants show that isn't so.  I think your MM is doing the trick of starting a healthy bunch of crops.  
Thanks for the photographic proof that MM is great for starting seeds.

Jimmy has also got the watering , lighting and heating sorted spot on , judging by the plant structure & green colour of the leaves .


I noticed that quite a few folk who say that they didn't think much of using the MM for seed starting  often seemed to produce long yellowish green lanky spindly baby plants that looked as though they had either too much light or too much heat or both .


 Jimmy , I make my own 2 " dia x 8 inch long wax candles ,  to give a 1& 1/2 tall flame to heat my 12 x 8 foot  glass greenhouse  .  One keeps it above 5 oC  ( about 40 oF ) at night .

 One of my candles burns for about 28 hours , the carbon dioxide given off from the flame also helps the plants grow.

 The candle is sat in a shallow cast iron dish so it won't cause a fire if it fall over .

 Would a 3/4 inch domestic plain candle or similar one sat in  a 4 inch deep glass ( Pyrex ) dish in the middle of your " cool house "  be any good for heat to get growing your stuff on in bigger pots till the weather gets warmer ?

Jimmy, they look so healthy! You have got it goin' on!

plantoid wrote:Jimmy , I make my own 2 " dia x 8 inch long wax candles ,  to give a 1& 1/2 tall flame to heat my 12 x 8 foot  glass greenhouse  .  One keeps it above 5 oC  ( about 40 oF ) at night .

 One of my candles burns for about 28 hours , the carbon dioxide given off from the flame also helps the plants grow.

 The candle is sat in a shallow cast iron dish so it won't cause a fire if it fall over .

 Would a 3/4 inch domestic plain candle or similar one sat in  a 4 inch deep glass ( Pyrex ) dish in the middle of your " cool house "  be any good for heat to get growing your stuff on in bigger pots till the weather gets warmer ?

GENIUS!  Love it!  

Why not try one, two, or even 3 crock pots, ( slow cookers )  set on low and full of water, Me I would prefer that over a candle for safety reasons.  I had one in my plant cubicle last year, this year I did not use it, results are just as good...My thoughts are to many out there are making to much out of the heat pads used for seed starting., but thats only my thoughts.
Seeds have a built in gene for starting up to their true leaves, enough nutrients are built into their makeup, after that they need help.
I did try starting seeds in plain vermiculite, it worked, I just thought it was to much of an extra task and not necessary.

I like that idea about those giant candles, however, due to a fire years ago because of my ignorance, I would be really concerned, although I could have one in a steel 6 foot container with 12 fire alarms and probably still feel apprehensive

quiltbea wrote:Those in the know are always telling us you don't need anything special for starting seeds.  They only need seed starting mix.

Personally, I've tried numerous mixes "designed" for starting seeds, and I've been disappointed with all of them. I've gotten very slow/low germination and/or slow growth with all of them, compared to general purpose growing mixes. Either the folks who use them are a lot more patient than I am, or I'm missing something crucial in the proper use of them.