I need a potting soil recipe or a brand of potting mix

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I have a bunch of seedlings to pot up. I have some that are older and I used Miracle Gro. I have only been starting my own seeds for about 4 years and usually use Miracle Gro, but I have some plants that look horrible and others okay, but my DH insulted my plants the other day and said they just do not look like the ones in the store. I have always thought the ones in the store are older or better lights, but I started thinking about it and reading about Miracle Gro and now not happy. I really looked the plants over and tomatoes that I started Feb. 20 and that have already been potted up are getting white on the top leaves. I looked it up and I think it is the roots are bound up and not growing right. I took one out of the pot and for as old as they are they do not have a lot of roots. What should I go and buy to transplant these seedlings and I have a few things I still want to start.

 

[catjac1975]

I use pro mix that you should be able to get or order from a feed store. I also use organic fertilizer along the way. You should not compare your seedlings to professionally grown plants that use high powered fertilizers, hormones, and have scientifically controlled greenhouses. I have found that my home grown less perfect seedlings do much better than the over fertilized seedlings sold at nurseries and big box stores. I find, especially with flowering plants, that they do not take off when planted. They are often root bound and go into shock when taken out of their perfect environment. Of course this is not always the case. I have also purchased many great plants. If you are not using bottom heat you will find that will produce a stronger plant.
Replant those tomatoes in a bigger pot burying them deeper than they are currently planted. Up near the first set of true leaves.Plant them deep again when you put them outdoors. Are the leaves white from being to close to grow lights?

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

I wondered about the lights. I read about the Pro mix and I can get it here. They are on shelves and the lights below are warm, so they sit with heat. Seeds will sprout fast and my peppers look fine. I bought the other day some peat moss, perlite and vermiculite and some Miracle Gro Organic Soil. I thought I was buying potting soil. I was in a hurry. I mixed it 2 parts the soil, 2 parts the regular Miracle Gro Potting mix, 2 parts peat moss, 1 part vermiculite, 1 part perlite and some worm castings. I planted a few in that, but it looks so strange to me. I have seen where you can make it with peat moss, vermiculite and perlite, but also these recipes will have green sand, lime and I just do not want to go buy all this stuff. The, I read an article that farmers would get garden soil, composted manure, compost, wood ash, leaf mold and make their own, so I planted a few in some compost, mixed with the Miracle Gro Organic soil, very old composted cow manure and wood ash. Now I bought Whitney Farms Organic Potting mix. About how many pots can you fill with the Pro Mix?

 

[lesa]

Don't panic, yet! I think the issue is light, more than anything. How long before you can start putting the plants outside- and hardening them off? Do you have any kind of a greenhouse or cold frame set up? I am not sure transplanting them again will have any positive outcome. Can you post pics so we can see how they look?

 

[MontyJ]

Keep in mind that not all Pro-Mix is the same. They make different products and all are labeled Pro-Mix. I use Pro-Mix BX. It comes in 3 cu ft bales and has orange highlights on the package. One bale wil fill many, many, many pots. I generally go through 2-3 bales each spring, but I usually pot up hundreds of vegetable plants, do all of DW's hanging baskets, window boxes and stand planters as well as my herb planters.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

The temperature is only in the 50s and going to be cloudy and rainy again. We did take saw horses and put plastic over them and put kale, broccoli and cabbage out there. I can use it for the tomatoes, but not at night. Here is a picture of them a few days ago.

 

[lesa]

I don't see any problem with them at all... The one thing we gardeners seem to all lack, is patience! Another thing to remember, when you go to plant them in the garden (after you carefully harden them off) you can plant them real deep. This will make the plants much sturdier. I have seen some sad, little, leggy seedlings- and those are not them! Happy Gardening!

 

[digitS']

Gardening with Rabbits, I have used Black Gold organic potting soil just about forever. Before forever, they probably didn't even make the organic formula and I was using their regular mix. Changing to something else makes me nervous just thinking about it. I once had a very bad experience with something with a cartoon daisy on the bag. That experience was pre-before forever. Don't buy anything with a cartoon daisy on it!!!

I make potting mix for perennials that require larger pots and lots of soil. There is a flat of rosemary cutting out there that will need potting up in several weeks. I will just use 2 parts peat, 2 parts screened top soil, 1 part perlite and some organic fertilizer. I don't know whether to recommend that for your seedlings or not. I wouldn't use it for that and would just stay with the Black Gold.

There are all these mixes now that are not really potting soil. I think some of the companies are just trying to fill bags :/.

Greenhouses have abundant light and if they don't have enough, they have supplemental lighting. Temperature is controlled. The people that run them are well practiced and they are very much focused on getting those plants to the retailers and sold.

If you have access to Whitney Farms organic fertilizer, that is what I use. And, I will use it sprinkled in the pots if I'm concerned that I've run too much water for too long a time thru that potting soil. There may be days before the weather is good enough for me to get the plants out in the garden. I'm talking about a half teaspoon in a 4" pot. That isn't very much fertilizer.

Your plants don't look like they are suffering. If your DH thinks he can do better . . . he should try it.

Your Gardening Buddy,

Steve

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

Well, I feel better. I think I started some things too early and now no place to go with them. I will get the Black Gold. I have seen it in one of the stores and I saw the Whitney fertilizer. If that is what you use then I will get it. I don't like change either, but Miracle Gro does seem to look different with each sack, so that may be another problem. Thank you all!

 

[897tgigvib]

I just now finished cooking my well aged forest compost on the propane heater, and right now cooling it off. Tomorrow I'll be planting the long season bean seeds in them. I had been thinking of starting them as early as february, but decided just before 1 April would be much better. Just get them started in the pressed coir 2 inch cells, and put them out in a month maybe a bit sooner depending on weather warmth.

Actually stopped typing to bring it back in and set on top of my wardrobe.