The difference in starting soils.

18 years ago

Hi all. I had been thinking that different varieties grew at different rates and that would explain why my NAR sprouted earlier and grew faster than my Black Cherry. Apparently I was dead wrong. The Black Cherry were started in Miracle Gro seed starter mix in peat pots. They are purple and only an inch or so high after a month. Not good. I also sprouted Black Cherry in plastic pots a week and a half later than the first set and used MG potting soil. These have already doubled in size over the previous planting and are not purple but the deep green of healthy growth. I tend to think that rapid evaporation in the peat pot causes cooling and slow growth. I would also think that rapid evaporation would intensify salt buildup in the mix since they had to be watered daily. The plastic, being black absorbs heat from the lights and also retains water much better. I did the same with the Neves Azorean Red and the results were identical. Seeds sprout fine in potting mix and grow twice as fast in black plastic pots. JB

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Comments (6)

shelbyguy
18 years ago
Indeed I am finding 'seed starting mix' to be lacking for tomatoes. Works FANTASTIC for peppers, though. I guess a pepper seed just has more nutrition in it than a tomato seed.

Mine don't show a p deficiency, they show an n deficiency.

I've also sprouted Black Cherry, but I'm not going to get around to trying NAR this year. Maybe next.
sandy0225
18 years ago
The problem is that seed starting mix is just that, it's for starting seeds that are soon to be transplanted to more adequate soil. Seeds aren't supposed to be started in a mix with fertilizers added because they don't need it as small seedlings.
The miracle grow potting soil has fertilizer in it. the seed starter mix doesn't. So if you'd fertilized the ones in the seed starting mix, your results probably would have been almost identical.
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gardenscout
18 years ago
Hi neighbor,

I think you are right about the peat pots and rapid evaporation. I sprout in styrofoam cups and they take a while to dry out. I have also used plastic drinking cups, and they work well too.

All of mine sprouted fine this year, but then did nothing. Just sat there and took forever (weeks) to make their first true leaves. When I potted them up into MG potting mix, they took off. Last year I used MG starter mix (it has a little fert in it), and this year was just some off brand starter mix. It was nice and fine, real fluffy, and seemed fine. But I am convinced that the MG starter mix feeds them just enough to get the first few sets of true leaves going on.

Agreed that peppers did better without the fert than the toms. Same experience here.

Enjoy those Neve's. Mine are shooting up too.

Good luck, and have a great season.
timmy1
18 years ago
These were seeded april 10th. I transplanted them into the trays underneath april 25th.

Seedlings need a lot of light, air flow and a balanced. nutrition
jbann23
Original Author
18 years ago
Man, what a killer setup there timmy1. I imagine by the end of season you're sick of tomatoes. Keep the pics coming, most inspiring. JB
jzaleski
18 years ago
Tim
What kind of balanced nutition do you add to your potting soil. The tomato's stems look real good.