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Location

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Date Posted

New Britain

what do people use in general for pumpkins. and veggies. Make your own or a brand? I have used various soiless mixes and have yet to be happy

2/11/2004 8:26:32 PM

Indiana

I use Ferry Morse seed starting mix or miracle grow potting soil. both have worked well for me.

Steve

2/11/2004 8:29:43 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

I use Miracle grow potting soil with good results.

Phil

2/11/2004 9:05:41 PM

Bristol, ME ([email protected])

ProMix

2/11/2004 9:43:34 PM

i think i might mix in a little patch dirt when i start my seeds this year.....apparently roots don't like growing into what they're not used to, so i'm going to do part patch dirt right from the starts, and part.....whatever else i have around. for my houseplants, i used whatever i have, then add some vermiculite and perlite and maybe a little peat until it looks nice.

2/11/2004 10:16:35 PM

Western NY

ProMix BX

and for the pumpkins, i use ProMix BX with some of the best garden soil mixed in to acclimate them. not too much as to make the soil heavy, though.

2/11/2004 11:53:35 PM

So. Maine

Miracle grow...............

2/12/2004 12:42:41 AM

Nova Scotia

I am using horticulture BM2 professional germinating mix
Jeff

2/12/2004 6:55:13 AM

Brillion Wisconsin

50% Scotts seed starting mixture, 25% Scotts potting soil for African Violets, 25% top soil from garden.

2/12/2004 8:32:42 AM

Montoursville, PA

Garden's Alive has one called Perfect Start. Other companies are now showing this base type of starting mix made from coir, fiber from coconuts. This mix is all natural for those who feel all natural is important.

Someone gave me some of this last year. I potted up a test seed. It germinated and emerged within four days. This is good or it is what many of us have come to expect. I did not stay in the potting mix long enough to determine if the early grow showed any signs of early growing support that would be a credit to this product.

In practice I use whatever pro type mix I may have within reach on the planting day. Over the years I have never had any suspect about any of the better name brand starting mixes. They all work fine for me.

2/12/2004 9:47:26 AM

Norton, MA

I use Hoffman Seed Starter. I get a sprout in two days with that. It's amaising stuff. I think it might be a local thing though. Medium priced: 2.99 for 10 dry quarts. Alex.

2/12/2004 5:44:24 PM

In the shade - PDX, OR

OK Who Sterilizes their starter mix?

2/12/2004 8:34:49 PM

Montoursville, PA

My friend Billerbeck in Waynesboro, Pa. had seventeen acres under glass in the 1960's. He went into soiless mediums in the late 1940's. His business was all done in two inch square wood dividers or fifty two in a flat. His business was making thousands and thousands of rooted cuttings. He did not sterilize his soiless mediums. The makers of the high quality soiless starting mediums do a consistantly fine job of maintaining a clean product.

The reason he put two extra in a flat was because his failure rate was far below four in a hundred. The average gave the customer one or two free plants and saved major bucks in flats that did not have to be fixed before the sell.

Most commercial greenhouses now use all soiless poting mixes. I know of none that do anything but pop open the commercially prepaired starting mediums.

Today I would be more concerned about the pathogens on and in the seed. I believe the seed should be treated.

2/12/2004 10:43:53 PM

I'm with Gordon... GO UTES!

Fertilome!

2/13/2004 10:20:27 AM

Cologne / Germany

I use the microwave at 600 W (big amount) or smaller amounts at 360 W, each 5-10 min. Just for the starter pots. Smells incredible earthy, like taking a meal outside...or being somewhere in the tropes...from my own earth mix (screened compost, worm castings). Mix it with fine sand before and I can´t think of a better soil. Not a single weed occuring (usually when untreated). But don´t forget to let it cool down before planting anything, it really gets hot.

2/13/2004 12:38:21 PM