About to start six new seedlings, at my disposal I have Roots Organic original formula, Miracle Gro ( I know, would be first couple weeks only if used ) or dirt from my yard, I will make sure to dig super deep and get the good black soil from under a tree , or I could mix any combination of the three, what do you guys think would work best for starting seedlings. Edit, a lot of people say Roots Organic Original will burn them up, yard soil doesn't have the same aeration. Seriously considering robbing the soil from my gf's raised bed garden box, she has been growing herbs and flowers in it, has perlite in it, probably other good stuff, but has been watered only , and mixing it 50/50 has anyone ever tried this?
Soil for starting seedlings
- Thread starter Jhuck
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Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
I like Fox Farm's Happy Frog... it was originally marketed for just this purpose and I still use it in my starter cups for that reason.
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Is Fox Farms at Ace Hardware? I have access to Hardware stores and that is it. I won't have time to order anything, they are showing taproots now.
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
Doubt it. Just plant it in anything. Your choice in soil is only a small part of the equation.
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Ok, going with Roots organic, they have a seedling specific formula, but I think it will be ok, will do a bit of digging before I do.
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Actually, my latest thought is , I have a raised bed that my gf has been using to grow herbs and small flowers, I could just rob some soil from it and replace it, probably best option, has perlite, better airflow.
It would be best if you planned this out ahead of time.
By the time the taproots are showing on the germinated seeds the soil should have been bought and in the small containers waiting for them. That way it is only minutes of handling the sprouted seeds which means less chance of breaking a taproot.
Since it is a seedling specific formula that sounds like the way to go. The seeds with the little taproots are seedlings. Those seeds are ready to be put in the soil already based on the photo in your other thread.
Why would they burn if it is a seedling specific mix? You might be trying to overthink this stage of the game.
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It isn't the seedling specific blend, I am mixing it 50/50 roots organic original and soil from a flowerbed in the yard with perlite, no nutes in it .
Nunyabiz
Well-Known Member
I would go with the seedling specific Roots Organic.
I use the Buildasoil Light.
Main thing is that the soil be very aerated and light on nutrients.
The more oxygen to the roots the better.
I use the Buildasoil Light.
Main thing is that the soil be very aerated and light on nutrients.
The more oxygen to the roots the better.
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
I start my seedlings in a cup with minerally enriched super hot super soil in the bottom third, very rich Fox Farm Ocean Forest in the middle third and Happy Frog in the top third for the seedling first to see. I am reasonably confident that your plants could have handled the 101 just fine... now you have an unknown and untested soil mixed in there too. Overthinking? Definitely.
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I have seen multiple people say the original is too hot by itself, the flowerbed is just simple potting soil from the store with no amendments, seems safer.
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Not to mention it is over a year old in there, whatever was in the original cheap potting soil from a hardware store, I'm sure any artificial nutes are long dead.
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Roots organic original does have like fifteen organic amendments in it, it is a super soil, I had numerous ppl say they have killed their seedling from burn putting them straight into it on a different forum. The stuff in her flowerbed is just cheap topsoil from Lowe's with perlite , she put it in there many years ago, and doesn't use nutes, only waters, she has grown basil, mint, a few , micro flowers, has and aloe vera in it right now and that has been it for quite a while, it seems a lot safer to me, and pretty confident anything non organic or non benefiting in that flowerbed soil has been long dead.
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
Sorry, but roots 101 is not a supersoil. Lots of new growers use their strong soil as the excuse as to why they killed their seedlings, but it rarely is the case. Ask yourself why Miracle Grow doesn't ignite plants on fire as soon as they hit it, because it is packed with nutrients. Usually the cause of seedling deaths is simply from watering too much. You should be fine... just don't water too much.
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Sorry, but roots 101 is not a supersoil. Lots of new growers use their strong soil as the excuse as to why they killed their seedlings, but it rarely is the case. Ask yourself why Miracle Grow doesn't ignite plants on fire as soon as they hit it, because it is packed with nutrients. Usually the cause of seedling deaths is simply from watering too much. You should be fine... just don't water too much.
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Thanks! And when you say Roots 101, this is what you are referring to correct?Sorry, but roots 101 is not a supersoil. Lots of new growers use their strong soil as the excuse as to why they killed their seedlings, but it rarely is the case. Ask yourself why Miracle Grow doesn't ignite plants on fire as soon as they hit it, because it is packed with nutrients. Usually the cause of seedling deaths is simply from watering too much. You should be fine... just don't water too much.
Emilya Green
Well-Known Member
yes
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Thanks, you really do sound very knowledgeable, so now I feel the need to ask why you start in cups instead of larger containers? Because somebody has me convinced starting bigger or final container is the better way. And if I started my next ones in a one gallon, would layering as you described above work? And I take it Fox Farm is the best performing soil that isn't insanely expensive that you have found?
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