Best seed starting MIX

[mensplace]

Over the years I have tried many different seed mixes with a broad range of success. Trouble is, here in Georgia even the most expensive mixes seem to have lots of pine bark mulch..in fact, MOST compost and manure here is pine bark. I have considered making my own mix of pure ground sphagnum moss, perlite, and some starter fertilizer solution in a weak concentration. Anything better? Formulas proven to work every time with no risk of disease? I like stocky, deep green plants..not frail, thin, spindly things.

[ContainerTed]

For starting seeds, I buy a bag of Miracle Grow Seed Starter and screen out the larger debris. Then I add a small amount of "Bio-Tone" and pinch or two of dolomite lime. This gets to steep for about two or three weeks before the seeds are sown. After germination and the first pot-up, the temperature in the "nursery" gets reduced from 75F to about 65 over a one week period, and fertilizers are begun. This and plenty of light (and plenty of darkness) gets stocky plants. Lowering the temp and keeping the lights down close to the plants reduces the "spindly" factor greatly.

Ted

[newgardener_tx]

Where do you buy the "Bio-Tone" and dolomite lime? I have check HD and Lowes and local nursuries, never seen them. Thanks.

[Blueaussi]

I think this is what Ted was talking about:

http://www.espoma.com/p_consumer/biotone_overview.html

If it is, the Lowe's near me carries it, but not this time of year. Check back in January when they start putting the other seed starting stuff out.

[recruiterg]

I would try Fafard.

[ContainerTed]

The Bio-Tone is now available from Lowes. And I actually got mine from a local nursery (Northside Gardens on Peachtree Industrial for Atlanta folks). The Dolomite lime came from Walmart on sale ($3.00 for a 40 pound bag) last winter.

Ted

[shelleybean]

Fafard is my favorite as well. I get it at my local garden center. Not sure if any of the chains carry it.

[recruiterg]

I tried BioTone half strength and it burned my seedlings. It didn't kill them, but set them back a little. I would use caution using any fertilizer on seedlings. You can wait till plant out to fertilize in my opinion.

[Blueaussi]

I tried Fafard with no fertilizer and Happy Frog this year. Both worked well, but the Happy Frog is too expensive for me to use on all my seedlings. It's good stuff, just a little too pricey for me. There's a guy selling earthworm compost not too far up the road from me for about a dollar a pound. I was thinking of mixing a bit with the Fafard to give the seedlings a little boost.

[ContainerTed]

I guess I should have quantified my Bio-Tone use in starter mix. I put about 4 tablespoons of Bio-Tone in enough starter mix to fill 3 of the 72 hole flats. I just want the seedlings to be "INTRODUCED" to it enough to help encourage root growth.

Sorry for the confusion

Ted

[OmahaJB]

Miracle Gro Cactus, Palm & Citrus soil works much better for me in starting tomato seeds than any seed starting mix I've used - by a longshot. It was the only thing I had when I wanted to start seeds a couple of months ago, so I took a chance on it and it worked extremely well. I was using 2 year old bulbs in my shoplights with no supplemental lighting, and the seedlings ended up with nice thick stems. I wont use anything else when I start seeds in late Feb./early March.

[Mischka]

Originally Posted by mensplace

I like stocky, deep green plants..not frail, thin, spindly things.

Insufficient light intensity/exposure time and ambient air temperature (too high) contributes to thin, spindly seedlings more than any seed starter mix would, IMHO.

[eddie46]

Used Jiffy Mix for years with no problems.

Ed

[remy]

I use Baccto Professional Planting Mix. If any nurseries near you carry Michigan Peat/Garden Magic products, you can see if they carry it or will.
http://www.michiganpeat.com/commercial/planting.htm
Also I pet my seedlings when I check on them. I think it makes them stockier.
Remy

[Blueaussi]

Originally Posted by remy

I use Baccto Professional Planting Mix. If any nurseries near you carry Michigan Peat/Garden Magic products, you can see if they carry it or will.
http://www.michiganpeat.com/commercial/planting.htm
Also I pet my seedlings when I check on them. I think it makes them stockier.
Remy

I had a botany professor who titled one of his lectures "Shake your tomato plants". It was a discussion on the effects of the different plant hormones, but he used his tomato plants as an example. It's one of those things that has stuck with me, but he said to shake your tomato plants every day for stockier plants. I suspect petting the plants has s similar effect.