Question about "starter" soil

I have this starter soil for seedlings that's 55% sphagnum peat, vermiculite, limetstone gypsum, wetting agent.

My question is, does this mix have enough nutrition on its own to grow the plants through their second leave set before I put them in a stronger potting soil like Happy Frog? I picture the plants not having anything to live on in that mix.

Thanks.

use the stater soil till they've got 5 sets of leaves then on to john innes #3 mixed with perlite for finnishing off. or any multi compost mixed with perlite.

I was pretty much going to say the same thing- I wouldnt put seedlings into a "stronger" mix until they are more mature than just 1 set of leaves.. gotta remember that those are babies.... and a set of leaves is only crawling... you would give a crawling baby some smirnoff?? hell no!!! maybe some pedialite!!! lol- thats a pretty good analogy- might have to keep that 0ne.....

So with just enough water they can get all the nutrition they need from the peat, right?


And by the way, the reason I'm asking this is that my first three seedlings were in this mix and did well. I even gave them a very diluted seedling mix of water and ferts after a week- it was very light and they did great. But my last "batch" of seeds were three different strains with the seedlings surrounded by this starter mix and the rest of the grow cup filled with Happy Frog soil. My thinking was that they'd grow for a week or so then bust through to the Happy Frog and all would be well. But they've struggled mightily and have had trouble standing up even. I think the Happy Frog was just too much for the stems or root system. They're showing a little strength now but it was touch and go. So, I'm back to using just the seedling mix and want to make sure there's enough food in the peat to get them by for a couple weeks til they are strong enough to be transplanted.

they will be fine, alot of people dont give any nutes until they are about 6in in heigth.. and when they do, they start off very low

I know what you are saying about soil and different strains. My soil mix is working for my Mango and my Bubble Gum but my Blue Berry is struggling so hard right now, out of 11 3 have survived....not good. I hate this freaking Blue Berry it sucks to grow!!! Who's seedling soil are you using?

Actually in the beginning, they get all they need from the first set of leaves, called cotyldons. Assuming I spelled it right, these leaves supply everything for the 1st week to 10 days of growth.
You could grow the 1st ten days in nothing but pearlite and it would live just fine with only water being added.
After this point, you want to watch the leaves, and "listen" to your plant for when to add nutes.
I hope this helps you.
Peace

VirginHarvester said:

So with just enough water they can get all the nutrition they need from the peat, right?

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Gygax1974 said:

Who's seedling soil are you using?

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It's called Majestic Earth Seed Starter Potting Soil. It's nothing special but it's light and probably easy on the seedlings. It has no guano, no worm castings, nothing.

The funny thing though is that if a rich soil is too much for seedlings how do they survive in nature unless the soil's weak. But if that's the case it probably would not have much nutrition for the plant later in veg or flower either. Oh well.