Seed Starting 101: Soil Mix
After choosing your containers, you’ll have to decide what kind of soil mix you want to use for you seed starting efforts. There are all kinds of options: store bought soil less mix, home mixed medium, soil blocker mix, coconut coir, and peat pellets. There are all kinds of ideas floating around about what you should use for starting seeds. Some people say you shouldn’t use compost in your seed starting mix, others say you should because it’s good for the plants. Some people are against peat for environmental reasons and claim coconut coir is the way to go. Some people prefer the convenience of peat pellets or store bought soil less seed starting mix, some people mix up their own.
Here at Chiot’s Run I like to mix my own and I have since the beginning. With the amount of seedlings I start I’d spend a fortune on starting medium if I bought it. After trying all kinds of recipes I settled on one that consists of 40% peat moss and 40% medium vermiculite and 20% worm castins (I’ve tried using coconut coir and haven’t been as happy with the results as I am with peat moss). I like to add some Dr. Earth Organic Starter Fertilizer as well (I use the directions on the package and mix it in at half strength). Seedlings don’t really need fertilizer until they get their first or second set of true leaves, and you can’t fertilize with full-strength fertilizer because you run the risk of burning the seedlings. Always use half strength when adding fertilizer to seed starting mix or when watering with fish emulsion.
I’ve also experimented with watering my seedlings with weak a fish emulsion every week or two instead of using Dr Earth Starter fertilizer. I prefer adding the starter fertilizer directly to my seed starting mix, it seems to give me better results and it saves me from remembering to add fish emulsion. Some people use this mix and add 30% peat, 30% vermiculite and 30% compost instead of a fertilizer (you can us perlite instead of vermiculite if you’d like, I don’t like perlite so I always use vermiculite). I don’t have a ton of compost so I save it and add it to the holes at planting time, I also use it in my homemade potting soil mix. Some people recommend only using sterilized compost or peat to start seeds, personally I would never sterilize my compost, pear or anything I’m using to grow plants, part of the value of is the microbes. But I also drink raw milk, so I’m a big believer in the beneficial microbe world.
The main reason I mix my own seed starting mix is to save money. I buy the peat moss and vermiculite at my local farm supply store (the drive-thru feed type store). It costs me about $25 for 8 cubic feet of final seed starting mix. I like to mix it up in small batches in plastic storage containers. I make sure to mix up a batch in the fall and store it in the basement for late winter seed starting mix.
Whether you mix your own, buy it in a bag, or use peat pellets, your seed starting medium will need to be wet before you can plant your seeds. It’s often difficult to get peat to absorb moisture if it’s really dry. The vermiculite or perlite helps it absorb moisture and using hot water is also very beneficial. I warm water in my small teakettle and pour it on the dry mix. I keep adding water till the tray feels heavy and the soil is nicely moistened. If I add too much water and there is some collecting in the bottom tray I usually wait an hour then pour out any excess water. I also like to wait a day before adding the seeds to allow some of the moisture to evaporate, too much moisture is the most common seed starting problem and it can lead to disease problems. Then I plant the seeds according to their needs.
What’s your favorite seed starting medium? Do you have better luck with one kind of soil? Do you mix your own?
The rest of the Seed Starting 101 Series
Why Start from Seed
Getting Started
Containers
Soil Mix
The Needs of Seeds
My Workflow
Diseases and Problems
Hardening Off
Transplanting
Learn More Each Season
Visit my Amazon store to see what seed starting supplies I like.
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Seed Starting 101: Containers
Containers are a very important part of the seed starting system. There are all different kinds of containers, you can use specially made pots or recycled items from around the house. You can use anything from: plastic, terracotta, pressed peat, newspaper pots, toilet paper tubes, egg cartons, egg shells, and so much more. I’ve used just about every single option in my seed starting career, and continue to try new methods each year.
A long long time ago when I first decided to start some seeds I attempted to make newspaper pots and used some toilet paper tubes as well. They are cheap, but with the amount of seeds I start I just don’t have time to make the hundreds of pots I need. There are many people that use them for everything and love them, but they’re not for me. The next year I bought one of those Jiffy Mini Greenhouse that came with those little Jiffy Peat Pellets. I do like the little peat pellets, they’re very nice, quick and easy, but they can be pricey! Especially if you’re starting 500 seeds or more each spring.
photo courtesy of Joey’s Planting from Flickr
After that I used some flats with small cells that my mom gave me and I bought a few more at the local greenhouse. They cost between .99-$1.50 for each piece and can be used for several years. This is the method I still use and love. I like that you have the option of different cell sizes. I prefer to the smallest ones because they maximize the space under my grow lights, which is limited during the seed starting season.
This past year I bought some Peat Pot Strips from Johnny’s. I have to admit, I am not very fond of them. I find they dry out much quicker when my seedlings are outside and I often have to water several times a day. I also don’t think that my seedlings do as well in them as they do in plastic pots. I’ll save my remaining peat pots for things like beans and peas that don’t like to have their roots disturbed, but I’ll be back to using plastic pots after this.
There are a lot of gardeners that love to use soil blocks for seed starting. You can buy different sizes, the smallest fitting into the next larger one, and on up (here’s the soil blocker page at Johnny’s that shows all the sizes & extras). I have a medium soil block maker, but I have yet to master the soil mix for them. I also need to invest in some strong trays, soil blocks are heavier than plastic pots so the black plastic trays aren’t really strong enough to support the weight (at least with the soil mix I’ve used).
I really love using terracotta, since it’s reusable and my plants seem to thrive in it. But they’re expensive to get enough, especially for the amount of plants I have. I do use them for some of my seed starting, especially for things that I want to keep in pots or grow inside as a houseplant.
Of course you can also direct seed in the garden, then you don’t even have to worry about containers. I try to do this as much as possible since plants, like gardeners, prefer to be in real soil and under the sun, instead of indoors in a plastic pot under lights.
However, if you’re a northern gardener you’ll have to start things indoors if you want to eat a ripe tomato before the first frost. Also, some seeds are just easier to start indoors (like onions and seeds that take a long time to germinate). I like to start heat loving plants, like tomatoes, peppers and squash family plants indoors. Lettuce, spinach, carrots, peas and other cool season crops do much better when started directly in the the garden.
I’ll continue to try new container options just because I like to try new things and it gives me some great fodder for my blog. For the majority of my seed starting I’ll continue using regular plastic trays because I have a bunch of them, they’re inexpensive, they can be used for a few years, and they’re convenient. I’ll keep posting here about anything new and fantastic I find.
What’s your preferred container for seed starting?
The rest of the Seed Starting 101 Series
Why Start from Seed
Getting Started
Containers
Soil Mix
The Needs of Seeds
My Workflow
Diseases and Problems
Hardening Off
Transplanting
Learn More Each Season
Visit my Amazon store to see what seed starting supplies I like.
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Seed Starting 101: Getting Started
Making the decision to start plants from seeds instead of buying them at the nursery can be a scary endeavor for someone who’s never done it before. The catalogs are shiny and colorful, promising all kinds of bounty and beauty from a packet of seeds. The terms are often foreign: stratification, open pollinated, heirloom, OG, hybrid, F1, F2, heating mats, air pruning, soil less mix, soil blocks, etc. How does one get started down the road to seed starting success without spending a fortune and ending up with withered, leggy or dead seedlings?
First of all, I’d recommend: START SLOWLY. Start off with one or two flats of seedlings, the investment in time and money with be minimal. You will quickly find out whether or not you want to someday have 15-20 flats to monitor on a daily basis, starting seeds takes a lot of daily attention. Not to mention you have to plant all those seedlings when the time is right (which is usually when you don’t have the time to do it).
Grow a few things from seed that are easy and fairly hardy, almost fool proof.
If you like vegetables, try tomato, pepper or zucchini.
If you like herbs, try basil, oregano, or parsley.
If you like flowers, try petunias, snapdragons or zinnias.
The second thing I’d recommend: READ, LEARN, ASK, READ AND LEARN SOME MORE. Read blogs, books, articles, magazines and anything you can get your hands on. Ask friends, neighbors, or family members that you know start seeds. Search for local seed starting workshops in your area; often greenhouses, libraries, community centers, and farmer’s markets will offer free classes on gardening. I know of 3 different places in my area that offer all kinds of workshops for the new gardener on a variety of topics, seed starting being one of most the popular classes.
The third thing I’d recommend is: DON’T BUY TOO MUCH STUFF. You really don’t need much for seed starting, especially in the beginning. All you really “need” is soil (or starting medium), a container, seeds and a good light source, that’s pretty much it. Don’t be wooed by all the fancy expensive seed starting items and light tables in catalogs and on-line. Plants have been starting themselves for years outside without our help, they certainly don’t need all the bells and whistles that some gardening catalogs would have you believe. When I first started, I used a few old yogurt cups, some home mixed potting soil and a few packs of cheap seeds. Talk to a few fellow gardeners, you may find someone that is willing to give you some advice, share seeds or even loan you a grow light for your first seed starting efforts.
You also want to MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE TIME. Seed starting is fun, it’s amazing to watch the seeds germinate then grow into tiny seedlings, then grow into beautiful plants in the garden and produce beautiful flowers or delicious vegetables. It’s definitely something that I enjoy doing, but it does take time and effort. If you’re a busy person and don’t have time to babysit little seedlings you’re better off buying a few from your local greenhouse each year instead of starting your own. You don’t want to end up with trays of dead seedlings and feeling bad about it, that’s no fun. Perhaps you can find a fellow gardener that has the time and you can work out an agreement, you buy all the seeds and supplies and they grow the seedlings.
And finally, DON’T BE DISCOURAGED IF YOU DON’T SUCCEED AT FIRST. Some seeds are difficult to start, there are diseases that can wipe out seedlings, perhaps you got a bad pack of seeds and sometimes it’s not the right time to start a certain plant. We’ve all had failures, the key is to try again. One year I couldn’t start a chamomile seed, not even one. Most years I end up with more chamomile seedlings than I need.
If you find you don’t have the time or patience to start plants from seed, there’s nothing wrong with buying plants from a good local nursery. For the small home gardener, it’s often much easier to buy already established seedlings. I would recommend not buying from the big box type places, search out a small local place. They’ll be able to give you better advice and information on what you need, what works in your area and tips to successfully grow what you purchase.
What was the first kind of seed you ever started? Any great advice on getting started from you experienced seed starters for all of our beginners?
The rest of the Seed Starting 101 Series
Why Start from Seed
Getting Started
Containers
Soil Mix
The Needs of Seeds
My Workflow
Diseases and Problems
Hardening Off
Transplanting
Learn More Each Season
Visit my Amazon store to see what seed starting supplies I like.
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Seed Starting 101: Why Start from Seed
Starting plants from seed is a great way for gardeners to take their hobby to the next level. There’s something incredibly satisfying about seeing a plant blooming in the garden or harvesting a vegetable that you started from a tiny seed.
Seed starting can also save you a lot of money, providing you don’t spend too much on expensive light set-ups and other equipment. A pack of seeds ranges from 50 cents to a few dollars. From each of these seed packets you can get a large number of plants. It also doesn’t hurt as much when one of them doesn’t survive the winter or languishes in the conditions in your garden. I feel terrible if I lose a $15 plant, but one I started from a pack of seeds I paid $1 doesn’t hit me quite as hard.
Another great reason to start seeds is the variety of plants you can get that you can’t find at your local nursery. There are so many seed companies out there that offer so many wonderful things, especially when it comes to vegetables.
When you start your own plants from seed you also know exactly how that little seedling has been treated. If you’re an organic grower and strive to have a chemical free garden, then you pretty much have to start from seed. My local greenhouse offers a great variety of interesting plants, including heirloom vegetables, but I know they’re not organic and those little plants are covered with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Often the ones you start at home are much stronger because they have been treating with love and care.
There are so many reasons to start your plants from seed. I love growing interesting plants, especially vegetables, this is why I start most of my plants from seed. I also strive to achieve a completely organic garden so I don’t like buying plants from the nursery, especially when it comes to food plants. Saving money a nice bonus that can’t be overlooked. It would cost me a fortune to buy all the plants I like to grow, especially annuals.
Why do you start your own seeds or why do you want to start growing from seed?
The rest of the Seed Starting 101 Series
Why Start from Seed
Getting Started
Containers
Soil Mix
The Needs of Seeds
My Workflow
Diseases and Problems
Hardening Off
Transplanting
Learn More Each Season
Visit my Amazon store to see what seed starting supplies I like.
Share this:
Seed Starting 101 Series
After many requests from readers, I’ve decided to do a Seed Starting 101 Series. I figured this would answer many of the questions readers have, and be a good resource for new gardeners. Of course I’m not an expert seed starter, I’m still learning as well. This is where you come in, all you experienced seed starters. You’ll be able to add valuable information in the comment section (so make sure to read the comments if you’re new to seed starting and gardening).
I’ve been thinking about what to include in the Seed Starting 101 Series and so far I have a few ideas:
Type of Seeds (pelleted, OG, heirloom, hybrid)
Seed Starting Supplies (lights, heating mats)
Specific Seed Needs (stratification, light, heat)
Containers (soil blocks, flats, peat pellets, peat pots)
Soil Mix (options, my own mix)
Diseases (dampening off, fungus)
Do you have any specific questions or things you’d like to see discussed in the Seed Starting 101 Series?
