Seed Starting Indoors

markqz:Whole Paycheck Foods wrote:

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Funny and true!  

I started many of my seedlings inside this year. First I used MelsMix for the growing medium.  The majority of what I planted came up but now I have a couple of cells where my tomatoes are damping off...it's a 72 cell starter kit..

I believe the fungus that causes the damping off was already possibly in the compost I used when making MelsMix...

I've since removed those plants and mix and restarted many of my plants using Jiffy Seed Starting Mix...

One tip...was kinda hard to get the Jiffy Mix wet when putting in the each little cell. It is a very light mix and much of the mix would just rise to the top.... so I put a good amount of the mix in a bowl, added water, mixed it up then filled my cells with the moist mixture. Worked out good for me..

Scottie

I use Jiffy Starting Mix to start my seeds in a 72 or 36 situation.  I use Miracle Gro potting mix for larger containers with jiffy mix on top if using seeds.  

Trial and error!  And lots of notes!

I don't use Miracle Gro anything.  I think it's best to use either fine or medium vermiculite, or a high-quality seed-starting mix.

Hawgwild wrote:... so I put a good amount of the mix in a bowl, added water, mixed it up then filled my cells with the moist mixture. Worked out good for me..Scottie

That's what I do with the finer Mel's Mix I use for the seed cups.

I'm sorry you got dampening off. Did you only water from the bottom (tray)once they sprouted? I try to keep the MM dry on the surface.

sanderson wrote:

I'm sorry you got dampening off.  Did you only water from the bottom (tray)once they sprouted?  I try to keep the MM dry on the surface.

I do have the self watering mat to pull the water from the bottom but think I may have added a little too much water from the top when I misted the plants.. Most are looking good though and starting to put on their second set of real leaves. Be re-potting pretty soon..

Scottie

I never mist or water from the top once they spout. The root develops first and will grow down the to where the mix ix wet.