hillbillypie
Breeder in Training
Tomato Growing Nutjob
Posts: 210
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Post by hillbillypie on Mar 9, 2011 19:11:35 GMT -5
I have always used Sunshine or Promix for potting seedlings. But just because you have always done something doesn't always mean it is the best thing to do. Last year I ran out on the last few plants and used a composted potting mix. They seemed to grow faster and bigger. Do you have more damping off with potting soil? More disease? Or is that just a myth? So, I was curious what everyone else uses to pot up their young tomato plants.
Do you use a soilless mix or can you suggest something better?
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Post by blane on Mar 9, 2011 19:29:04 GMT -5
The formulas are endless, Jiffy seed starter is good, texture seems smooth, but they leave out a key nutrient...,( Phophorus)... I cant stand to see some poor little baby plants with a purple coloring on the underside of the leaves- Which is why I mix up my own stuff, using some well sifted peat moss, a potting soil mix called Baccto, plenty of perlite and a sprinkle of bone meal. Good thread Steve- Hope to get some nice reads here on this!
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Post by littleminnie on Mar 9, 2011 21:39:49 GMT -5
Hmmm.
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Post by reubent on Mar 9, 2011 22:20:56 GMT -5
I get seed starting mix in bulk from a nearby nursery supply, it's peat and perlite with some balancing ingredients, like a little lime and maybe some preplant fertilizer. I use kelp, nitrogen, and some soft rock phosphate in the water, and always have very nice plants.
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jcm05
Administrator
Posts: 1,685
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Post by jcm05 on Mar 10, 2011 8:41:23 GMT -5
If you are just asking about potting up mature seedlings, It should be plenty safe at that point to use regular potting soil or whatever concoction you desire. Damping off generally only destroys seedlings in the first few weeks after germination. I use only promix and new tray inserts for seed starting and usually pot them up into a regular potting soil at least the third leaf stage. I have never witnessed DO while using this method. Overwatering is another leading factor resulting in conditions that lead to it. There is really no reason to use a lot of water before and for at least a week after germination. Only the soil surface down to the depth of the seeds needs to be moist. I sow the seeds into the moist promix and saturate the surface with a mist from a spray bottle and cover the tray with a dome lid. No more water is usually necessary before the seeds begin germinating. Anyway, this is how I do it and its worked fine for me.
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Post by tucsontomato on Mar 10, 2011 10:33:38 GMT -5
From my experience, damping off occurs the most in seedlings before they get their first true leaves, then decreases over time. In order to decrease damping off I try to make sure that the initial sprouting medium is as un-biologically active as possible. Compost is good- but when it comes to sprouting I do not add anything. I actually pre-spout my tomato seedlings in Ziplocks with slightly damp (not wet) paper towels before planting them. This increases germination quite a bit.
For the mix I use a mix of sifted peat moss, sand, and very fine dirt (I have a very high pH here to counter-balance the peat moss) and then solarize it or let it sit for a while in an enclosed environment. I sometimes add only a slight amount of non water-soluble amendments in very low concentrations. I make this mix into 2" soil blocks for germination, then I "pot on" or increase pot size into a medium that has a greater concentration of organic ammendments and compost as the plant grows.
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amideutch
Breeder in Training
Golden Cherokee
Posts: 139
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Post by amideutch on Mar 10, 2011 11:22:12 GMT -5
Start my seeds in "Jump Start" peat pellets and then transplant to 4" Smart Pots or Dot Pots using Fox Farms "Light Warrior". 1 bag will do 100 seedlings. Ami
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surf4grrl
Tomato Gardener
Head Growerouter
Organic farmer
Posts: 99
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Post by surf4grrl on Mar 10, 2011 14:04:05 GMT -5
I've always used either an organic mix from a certified farm or used Pro-Mix BX. I can't use that particular Pro-Mix anymore because it's not OMRI listed - so I might try the Sunshine brand that is - either way, I'm still going to have to take 3 hour trip upstate to pick up quantity of soil. I wish I could find a way around it.
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Post by giardiniere on Mar 10, 2011 14:59:17 GMT -5
I'm using Jiffy Mix this year. I found it on sale, the day after Thanksgiving for $1.00 a bag, so I bought several.
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surf4grrl
Tomato Gardener
Head Growerouter
Organic farmer
Posts: 99
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Post by surf4grrl on Mar 11, 2011 13:48:41 GMT -5
Hillbillypie,
You mentioned you used the Sunshine - how was it compared to Pro-Mix and what kind did you use (just for germination)?
I hate to go with a partial unknown but I need something more local for seeding starting than hauling myself upstate. & it needs to be OMRI approved, Sunshine looks like they a few mixes on the list.
Any help would be appreciated.
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hillbillypie
Breeder in Training
Tomato Growing Nutjob
Posts: 210
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Post by hillbillypie on Mar 11, 2011 22:09:21 GMT -5
I couldn't wait. I went with Promix because it was easy to get. I still want to hear what everyone else is using.
Surf, in the past I used the Sunshine #5, but I don't really remember why...hehe...
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grunt
Breeder in Training
Posts: 160
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Post by grunt on Mar 12, 2011 12:44:35 GMT -5
I mix peat moss and perlite at 3:1, add a little MiracleGro and dish detergent (as a wetting agent) to the water i use to moisten the peat/perlite mix, and mix it all together. I do a few garbage cans full at a time, so I have it ready in advance.
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PVP
Tomatophile
head spellerer
Only an Amateur
Posts: 798
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Post by PVP on Mar 12, 2011 13:04:48 GMT -5
For starting seeds, I like 50/50 coir/Jiffy mix. For potting up to 16-oz. cups or 4-inch square pots, I use ProMix BX or Baccto. For growing out in 7 - 10 gallon nursery tubs, I use a homemade potting mix of composted horse stall bedding, composted bark fines and wood chips, native clay loam, sand and a bit of ag lime.
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peppereater
Breeder in Training
TREE HUGGER
just tell me when to shut up
Posts: 230
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Post by peppereater on Mar 14, 2011 2:26:30 GMT -5
I had very bad luck using Baccto. I wonder if it varies from batch to batch. Anytime I find a "soil" to have a lot of bark and woodchips, I refrain from buying it again, but, this said, I have a couple of 20 pound bags of Baccto I bought for lack of anything better, but I plan to use no more than 50% in a mix, and I won't risk my whole crop to it. I think it may have been an excellent product, as it was the first I know of to emphasize active bacterial content, but may have fallen to the fate of overdemand and scuttled quality for quantity. I wish I could find coir, pap, just ain't happenin' here for some reason, even JiffyMix isn't always available, nor ProMix, which is only ever available as Sunshine ProMix, an excellent product, when you can find it. Jiffy has become my seed starting mix of preference (because it works and I can find it) and I still struggle with WTF to pot up seedlings into...I'll be damned if I'll waste a season's effort using MiracleGro Organic potting soil again...but around here it's Baccto, MG, bagged clay or peat moss. I'll be mixing peat, Baccto and Vermiculite and praying this year...well, maybe not praying, but it wouldn't hurt.
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Post by summerhawk on Mar 14, 2011 4:35:29 GMT -5
I seem to be having good luck with this recipe so far this year: Sphagnum Peat Moss (4 parts) Coconut coir fiber (2 parts) Vermiculite or Perlite (1 part) Sphagnum Moss (1 part) (the full intact moss) (not the decayed peat) Once the seedlings develop true leaves I give them a diluted drink of fish emulsion. I mix 2 tablespoons per gallon of water and use this to water the plants when they require watering at that stage of growth. I continue to give a diluted drink of fish emulsion every 2 weeks until transplant. I use composted manure in my garden. I like to go fishing. If I catch fish, I will clean them... save the scales, skin, and bones... dig a hole near the base of a plant and bury the remains... Other than keeping an eye on the daily moisture content of the soil mixture that is all I do... Blane asked me how I am able to grow my plants with out a watering tray. I monitor the moisture of the soil each day, twice a day... I think the mix I made seems to hold moisture somewhat well... I try not to drown them when I water. I like to keep things moist. I have noticed that on warm days you have to pay extra close attention! They can dry up on you fast if you forget or get busy with a honey do list The coco coir is good stuff! It can be hard to find and the price can be higher but it seems to be worth it if you can find it. I ended up running out of that recipe that I listed above. I found some organic jiffy seed potting mix. I am using this to finish up my starts and re-pots this year. Sometimes I like to use the jiffy peat pellets because they are easy... The only problem is having to re-pot them soon... it is more economical to make your own mix and plant directly in the size pot you plan to keep those babies in until ready for transplant. Speaking of pots. Last year and this year again I am using peat pots... I like re-usable pots as well... I bought the peat pots because I could just plant the whole thing deep and the price was right also I try to do the best I can on a budget... anyone have suggestions or comments? I am enjoying reading what you all are doing. Thanks!
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