seed starter soil??

15 years ago

I usually started my seeds with peat moss only indoors. They were doing fine. However, I have to be out of town for a while in a couple of weeks, so the seedlings-to-be will stay in their LITTLE peat moss container for too long without some nutrients. Thus, I use 4" pots to fill bottom half with peat moss mostly, little aged manure, epsom salt, bone meal, cotton seed meal, and pearlite. I filled top half with peat moss only. I sowed about 3 seeds each of tomato, cucumber, watermelon, cilantro, and pepper 3 weeks ago. There has only been ONE single tomato sprouting 5 days ago.

When I was using peat moss only last few years, they were all coming up within 2 weeks. Is the soil THE PROBLEM? But the seeds are still in the depth of peat moss zone. Could someone explain to me why they are NOT sprouting yet, or will they?

Thanks

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Comments (4)

tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
15 years ago
It sounds extremely water retentive/anaerobic and full of fungaluglies that likely rotted the seeds or root radicle as it formed.

Think 'sterile and a very airy, just damp (never wet) medium' when you think of seed starting.

What was the soil temperature?

Al
chueh
Original Author
15 years ago
about 75 degree
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kqcrna
15 years ago
I'm confused by your post. How long will you be out of town? And nobody is going to water? Do the pots have a humidity dome of some sort? plastic bag?

I'd use larger common containers with a humidity dome (thinking of my favorite- milk jugs with hinged tops if they're in the house. And instead of trying to amend peat with a little of this and a little of that, why not just use potting mix? Works great for me.

I use trudi's wintersowing method and do them outside, too. I just don't sow them 'till spring.

Karen

Here is a link that might be useful: wintersown tomatoes
wayne_5 zone 6a Central Indiana
15 years ago
I am using Fertilome Ultimate Potting Mix and really like it for my seed starting. I have used several seedling mixes and this one is my favorite. It really wets down easily which some fluffies don't. I place the flats outside as much as possible where they get sunshine and a bit of breeze.