issue with seed companies- starting mix

[littleminnie]

My issue with the majority of mail order seed companies is that they are a sucky place to buy seed starting media. Some companies have nice big bags at not too bad of prices but the shipping gets you. Other companies don't have anything decent at all. I save sifted compost for transplants which cuts down on the need for more potting mix purchasing, but need to buy plenty for germinating. I also get some jiffy pellets for sweet peas and cucurbits. Anyway I wish the companies would address this issue since they sell the seeds!

[paquebot]

Check around your area for garden centers or plant nurseries. Most should have starting mix. I buy Jiffy Mix Plus in 3 cubic feet bags locally so no shipping. It's not very heavy but the size would require extra UPS shipping costs. That's one thing that the seed companies can't control.

Martin

[mnjrutherford]

Jiffy Mix Plus you say? Would you use that for everything? Seeds, scion wood, bulbs, the works? Or just for annual seeds like tomatoes, peppers, cabbages, and the like?

I'm having a hard time starting things and I'm pretty sure it's my starting mix experiments.

[remy]

I'm lucky I live near a locally owned nursery that carries Michigan Peat products. They get the Baccto(Michigan Peat's commercial grower product name) mixes. If you can find a nursery who carries this near you, that would be great.
www.michiganpeat.com/commercial/seedling.htm
Remy

[paquebot]

I've used Jiffy Mix or Jiffy Mix Plus for starting most seeds for about 10 years. There's nutrients added to supply the seedlings with enough food to get them to transplant stage. Don't have to worry about under-feeding or over-feeding them. Also use some when I make mixes for potted plants. Closest to scion wood that I've done with it was bay and it worked great for them.

Martin

[grunt]

I just mix peat moss and perlite 3 to 1 and add a little MiracleGro and dish soap as a wetting agent. I use it for everything.

[littleminnie]

I did find a store near me last year that was a good place to buy mix but generally they don't start putting it out until March or so. But that is good for when I run out. It is ridiculous that it costs so much when you need a lot.

I've tried all the alternatives like the coco peat stuff and rice hulls and they are not good. I think mixing some into a peat based pre-made mix is decent and saves money. I use the rice hulls for cat grass pots. I used to just mix my own peat and vermiculite, but it is harder to find vermiculite now and just as cheap to buy a mix with everything just right. I don't like using non-renewable materials but as I said the coco peat isn't as good. I wouldn't use peat in the yard or garden.

[michaeljohnson]

Coco peat-is probably one of the best things ever invented, especially for disease prevention in tomatoes etc during their first few weeks after germination.
But- it only works very well if you mix it with standard moss peat on a roughly 60/40 basis-with the moss peat being the higher amount one.
Coir fibre as it is known by it's real name has unique properties of drainage and aeration in the mix, and almost always prevents disease by keeping the mix surface in the tray from getting overly wet and sloppy, so there is no damping off and stem rot etc on the little seedlings.

[paquebot]

Bought coir when it was just catching on about 12-15 years ago. Lots of mold problems. Blamed everything else except the coir and figured that it was the peat pots. Little better the next year with plastic. Our local garden center stopped selling it some years ago.

Martin