seed starter

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I am planning on starting my own seeds this year but I am not sure what type of planting mix to use. I don't have any compost (spread it all on the garden). What planting mixes work best for this purpose? Also if I use a mix that contains no soil, will I need to fertilize regularily? Can I use liquid fish fertilizer? Has anyone had any luck growing brassica veggies under lights? I heard they must be grown in a greenhouse or they would be too leggy to plant.

-- Tiffani Cappello (cappello@alltel.net), February 13, 2001

Answers

I use perlite or vermiculite mixed with a little worm castings to start seeds in. Check out the Square Foot Gardening book for excellent seed starting advice. I have over 95 percent germination.

-- Elizabeth (ekfla@aol.com), February 13, 2001.

I have had the best luck using the packaged soiless mixture although I'm sure it is not organic. The one I buy contains fertilizer so no need to add anything. When I tried other soils, the plants would always get "damping off" disease.

-- bwilliams (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), February 13, 2001.

We use a very fine starting mixture put out by Sunshine. Everything is started in plug trays so we dont use that much soil. This mixture has a wetting agent which we really like because the water is pulled immediately into the soil. From the start we use a mild kelp fortified solution and after the plants are up and running they get a little fish fertilzer in the water occasionally. It amazes me how little feeding the seedlings need to get started.

-- jz (oz49us@yahoo.com), February 13, 2001.

Last year I started broccoli and cabbage under grow lights and they worked out just dandy. I made a el cheapo starting area by covering a set of heavy duty plastic shelves with clear plastic and putting a florescent style glowlight vertically behind it on the wall. I had the shelves for storage anyway so it was only the cost of the growlight which was around $10. Best of luck to you!

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@excite.com), February 13, 2001.

Be sure to use only a sterilized seed starting mix, don't try to make one from regular soil. Nor should you add any manure that hasn't been heat-treated...reason being, non-sterile stuff harbors the cooties that cause damping-off in seedlings. You're little plants will grow nice & then suddenly die. Very disappointing! Anyone know when the risk of damping-off goes away? (At what age of plants, I mean.)

-- Shannon at Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary (gratacres@aol.com), February 14, 2001.


I use the plastic trays with covers for most of my seedlings, only because I got them very cheaply. I've had the best luck with sterilized potting soil or medium covered with 1/4 to 1/2 inch of vermiculite.The depth of the vermiculite depends on how big the seeds are- the bigger the seed the more vermiculite. I plant the seeds in the vermiculite. The reason for this is that I seldom get back to the seedlings at the right time for transplanting so the soil in the bottom buys me a little time. The vermiculite the seeds sprout in seems to be much more resistant to damping off than any other medium I've tried. I've grown cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts with no problems. Just count back to make sure you don't start them too soon and with grow lights they shouldn't get leggy.

-- Peg (NW WI) (wildwoodfarms@hushmail.com), February 16, 2001.

I have always just used a good quality potting soil..no fancy mixes or anything just whatever I find suitable in the grocery stores. Usually its some sort of soiless mix. If you are worried about damping off and critters you can cook soil 5 minutes in the microwave to help sterilize it. This goes for your own compost too!

-- Alison in Nova Scotia (aproteau@istar.ca), February 19, 2001.

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