Selecting Soil for Starting Seeds

[Joey_Gladstoner]

Ok....maybe not selecting. I just like alliteration.

Anyway, after one successful outdoor season (and one underway currently, hopefully successful as well) I'm turning my attention indoors. My 4x4 tent is nearly setup, and it will be time to pop some seeds sooner rather than later.

I'll be running coots mix soil in 15g planters which is basically what I have outdoors also. In the past I used my premixed soil blended down with some extra peat and perlite to start my seeds.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it....but I'm definitely open to hearing what others do. Thanks in advance!

 

[futurebanjo]

Main thing is don't use a material that is too 'hot' ... seedlings hardly need any fertilizer at all, even zero for the first few days agter germination.
Secondly you want a material that won't get waterlogged, but won't dry out too quick either.

I use these with a REALLY WEAK nute solution, as you can just stick the whole thing into your main pots once the roots breach the sides/botom of the cubes. https://www.thehydrobros.com/products/root-riot

 

[MissinThe90’sStrains]

I germinate in paper towels, and then transfer to solo cups with : pro mix, worm castings, mycos, and a spoonful of Espoma Bio Tone Starter+. From there, they go into 1 gallon pots of my pre-cooked soil mix, and then into 15 gallon pots. When I germinate tomato seeds, I do them in some screened pro mix, with extra vermiculite added to help hold moisture.

 

[GenericEnigma]

1:1, buffered peat:buffered perlite. Transplant to same with a bit of added compost when cotyledons start to yellow.

 

[Joey_Gladstoner]

1:1, buffered peat:buffered perlite. Transplant to same with a bit of added compost when cotyledons start to yellow.

I like this approach. Simple, and I have plenty on hand.

 

[conor c]

Ok....maybe not selecting. I just like alliteration.

Anyway, after one successful outdoor season (and one underway currently, hopefully successful as well) I'm turning my attention indoors. My 4x4 tent is nearly setup, and it will be time to pop some seeds sooner rather than later.

I'll be running coots mix soil in 15g planters which is basically what I have outdoors also. In the past I used my premixed soil blended down with some extra peat and perlite to start my seeds.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it....but I'm definitely open to hearing what others do. Thanks in advance!

Seedling compost does fine imo

 

[Star Dog]

I've not grown anything in soil for decades but I still remember the healthy vibrant green plants using a reasonable quality compost and water nothing more.

Different thing but a plants a plants, my buddy doesn't know shit about gardening and he grows cracking tomatoes (through veg) with compost and water.