How to Make Seed Starter Mix
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- Опубліковано 21 сер 2024
- Seeds can grow better in a seed starter medium. Seed starter mix is different from potting mix. Gardener Scott discusses the differences and demonstrates how to make seed starter mixes using simple ingredients. (Video #331)
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Seed starter has so many recipes I think people try to overcomplicate things when it comes to seed starter. The seed itself has everything it needs for germination and people don't realize this. Great video mate
Imagine seeing you here Tony :)
Coconut coir is very salty when they harvest it. If you are buying it at a plant store it's probably fine as is, but if you buy it at a pet store or online and it doesn't say it's for hydroponics, make sure you heavily water the pot a few times before you plant the seeds to remove the salt.
It's so good to see so many great gardening folks on youtube reminding us all to keep it simple. Taking the stress out of seed starting 😀
Yes I have been using coir in place of peat...and getting good results.. I tend to use perlite for fast drainage and vermiculite for slower drainage..
Thank you for the information and simplifying it. Happy Planting!🌱
Thank you for this teaching! For years it was impossible to even find a single bag of pre-made seed starter mix. And no one could tell me what went into seed starter mix, or how it differed from potting soil.
I enjoyed that video. Thank you for posting. Now I need to get up and start the process. I pass by my grow light every day. February is usually my start month.
I am starting seeds three different ways this year . (1) The standard, as you prescribed, peat and perlite. (2) Leaf mold and perlite. (3) Full blown potting soil (leaf mold, worm castings, compost, green sand , blood meal, bone meal and perlite.
Plants that I will be transplanting multiple times I will start with #1 and/or #2. Plants like onions , leeks, celery and perennial plants I will start with #3.
I am also experimenting with mycorrhizal fungi. I split my trays, with and without... to see if it makes any difference.
I am a third year gardener and I am trying to do what works best for me in my zone 5b garden.
I know one thing, if leaf mold performs as well as peat or coco choir, guess what? I will be using leaf mold.
Another GREAT!!! video Scott.
Good plan. I'm waiting for my leaf mold to be ready to do some similar experiments.
I would love to hear how this experiment went 👍
Hi. Did you finish the experiment ??? Very interesting mixes!
Still perfect info
I love this channel! Thank you so much for being a great teacher! I feel like we would be great neighbors. I've been gardening with my dad all my life. He left to be with Jesus years ago. Now my wife and I enjoy being outside gardening. She loves flowers and I enjoy fruit and vegetable growing. But I'm always looking for new ways to be a better gardener. You're very thorough and I appreciate that you take the time to explain in detail and I really like that you keep your channel family rated. Thanks again and god bless!
I used this mix this year and sadly my plants have really suffered. I *think* it's because peat moss is acidic (which is why professional mixes add lime). Some of my plants did OK but my tomatoes I had to toss! They all turned yellow and purple and wouldn't uptake the nutrients I was giving them (fish emulsions). If I were going to do a diy mix again, I would be SURE to add something to fix the pH! I agree with some of the comments about coir being 1) salty! and 2) not really any more sustainable than peat. I love the comment below about using leaf mould and that will be my next experiment once my mould is ready - a combo of leaf mould, perlite, and work castings. Hoping to skip peat and coir altogether and use what I have available to me locally (lots and lots of leaves!).
I was curious about this. I use peat moss, and my seedlings do "ok". This year I've been plagued by damping off. Fan helps, but I only used peat moss and vermiculite. Next year using perlite as well
Great info. I’m going with sifted potting mix this year because that is what I have on hand. In future, I might experiment and try the same seeds in sifted potting mix as well as my own seed starting mix. Need to find better prices on ingredients and better storage for what I don’t use.
Thank you for this video Sir, and just being you! Your an inspiration!
Thank you gardener Scott. This is the best gardening channel. Simple instructions, simple ingredients and hence simplifies gardening so much.
Thanks for the tips. Making my mix this weekend.
I like your very clear explanations.
Thank you so much ! I will try this mix and see how it will work for me.
Thanks for your information!!
And your straight forward presentation
You are a great teacher… have a great growing season!!!
Thank you, Gardener Scott, I'm going to make mine this year.
I think I'll make my own this year. I'll likely be starting a lot of seeds too.
You made this seem so easy. I'll definitely give it a try
This was very informative! Thank you!
Wow! So simple, and I never knew. Thank you, Scott!!
Very nice and informative video. Thanks a lot.
💚 Thank you! So easy. Getting ready to seed start in the high desert of Arizona.
Great video! I love how timely your information is! I watched your last video on making soil and love it! Thank You!
Thanks! I’m going to try your recipe.
Thanks! I’m learning so much from you!
Thank you for the videos Gardener Scott!
Some brands of coco coir seem less shredded and the longer fibers can stop seedlings from growing. I just mad scientist it, adding a lil of this a lil of that.
Bless your heart for sharing this knowledge, thank you.
The made it so easy thank you!
Great idea by Brian Seybert about seeds that dont get ‘up-potted’ like onions, leeks, etc. should we include compost or worm castings in these cases?
Yes. I'll discuss that in my next video on potting mix.
Great advice. Thank you
Thank you. Now I know what I've been doing wrong.
Very educative. Learning a lot. Thank you
Another fantastic quality video! thanks!
Great simple directions, thank you! 👍 subscribed.
Thanks, Linda. Welcome to the channel.
Another good video! I’ve had good luck with using potting mix so far, although the big chunks of “forestry products” in it get in the way. This year I got some soil sieves for Christmas, so I am going to try just sifting the potting soil for seed starting this year. 🤞
That's a good idea. I show that in my next video.
I have trouble sprouting some seeds in peat moss. It's probably because of the acidity. You should mix 2 teaspoons of garden lime per gallon of peat moss to neutralize it.
Yes!
When starting my seeds indoors, I don't treat them that differently than the ones I start directly out in the garden. I prepare garden beds with manure and compost before planting directly, so why wouldn't I start my indoor seeds the same way? I make a blend of compost, cow manure, and store-bought potting soil, sift it, then start the seeds in that. My plants absolutely love it and hit the ground running.
Thank you
This year I'm going to try a combination of coco coir and homemade leaf mold for my starts. I prefer to not add vermiculite/perlite if I can help it, since it's a mined substance.
While leaf mold is a great addition for a potting mix, using it in a seed starting mix may lead to damping off because it's not sterile. Try some experiments to see if it's a problem.
@@twitwicki1 I think the whole sterile thing is a bit overblown. I've reused pots without sterilizing, reused potting mix, you name it. Damping off has much more to do with improper moisture than with sterile media (which seed starting mix is not the moment it touches the air)
@@richards5110 Good that it hasn't been a problem for you.
I really like your videos.
Thank you
Great episode Scott. But would have been helpful if you included how many "parts" of water to add to your 2 parts peat and 1 part perlite. Care to provide that for us? Thanks
It tends to be about 1/2 part water but varies a bit depending on the coarseness of the peat.
10:58 Best EFFECTIVE use for a mask I've seen in a long time.
What would be the cheapest place to buy bulk perlite in the us?
I don't know if it's the cheapest place, but I get mine at greenhousemegastore.com
Would you ever use sand(play sand) to the starter mixture?
I don't, but it can be an option.
I want to use your recipe for when I winter sow again this winter in milk jugs. Should I sift the larger pieces out of the peat moss? I'm in Zone 4a, NNY and I had a 50% success rate last winter with potting soil. But I didn't like using it. As you stated, it is denser. Enjoyed as always! Take care!
I don't usually sift the peat moss, but I do try to pick out bigger pieces when I see them.
Love your videos! But is the audio oddly muffled for anyone else?
Thanks. I was trying a new mic and have replaced due to others saying the same thing.
Thank you, great info! I can only find enriched peat moss near me. Is that ok?
Check your local plant nursery.
I did some research on Vermiculite last year and I found that it holds water. It can be good to add to potted plants. I tried this on my whisky barrels and it definitely helped. I am in SW Colorado very arid area. Can you make soil blocks out of this mix?
My soil block recipe is similar but a little different. Here's my video on making blocks: ua-cam.com/video/rc2bMa4uHks/v-deo.html
I know this is an old video, but I hope you see this.... How long can you keep starting mix?? Can it be used after a few years?? I have a few bags of premixed see starter mix. It's been in a bin for at least 3-4 years. Is it still good, or should I just put it in the compost??
The mix can be stored indefinitely. If it is moist there might be some mold or algae growth. I often use a mix that I made the previous year.
@@GardenerScott wow!! Thank you so much for the reply!! I really didn't think you'd see me question!! Thank you!! I have a few bags for awhile now. Like you mentioned in the video, I don't do a lot of seeds, so buying big bags to make my own isn't practical!! Thank you again, love your videos!!
Great video gardener Scott - thank you for the information, and I've subsequently watched your older video on coir vs. peat and pros/cons of each. I was wondering, if I have some wood ash (potash) from my fireplace, would you recommend adding any of this to my seed starting mix, or would this be overkill/a waste? I keep my ashes in a bucket right now.
Wood ash can raise pH and may be okay in small amounts when using peat for a potting mix, but really is not needed in a seed starter mix.
@@GardenerScott thank you
So I have a question. Do you measure the coco coir after or before adding water?
I measure and add it after it is moist.
Hi Scott, thanks for all your great info. Can you tell me what size of perlite do you use and where do you get for the best price?
It's agricultural perlite I get from greenhousemegastore.com
The seedling mix gets transported with the plant to the garden. Wouldn't the plant benefit from compost in the seedling mix for when the plant gets bigger? Probably doesn't matter for deep rooted plants whose roots extend into the garden soil, but for a shallow rooted plant like lettuce maybe it would matter.
The reason he didn’t include it in this particular mix is because it is so dense for a starter mix. If he were planning to leave the seedlings in the containers for a longer period of time, maybe he could layer the compost toward a lower portion of the container; but for what he’s doing here, he’s probably intending to transplant very young.
As I mention in the video, I transplant from the seed starter mix to potting mix before it goes outside. The bigger seedling benefits from compost in the potting mix.
@@GardenerScott That makes sense, thank you for the prompt reply!
Scott, how about Sterilizing seed starting mix with boiling water?
The ingredients should be sterile from processing, but it won't hurt to add boiling water.
What grade of perlite would you suggest, or like to use, in this mix? To my understanding it comes in several different sizes.
Same question goes for vermiculite too?
Thanks in advance for your insight! 👍
I use agricultural grade. If pieces are too big I just crush them.
@@GardenerScott A Google search doesn't help me to understand if 'Agricultural' grade is fine, medium or coarse. However, in one of your videos I saw you using the coarse grade. So I'll go with that and crush it if I need something smaller 👍
@@living_in_wellness_gardening Agricultural grade is coarse.
On another video you spoke to placing lime in the seed starter what is the ratio for that addition? Thank you Alicia/ALA
I don't use lime and don't think it's needed for seed starter, but for potting mix in long-term pots a small amount can be used. One tablespoon of lime per gallon of peat is a ratio some use.
Hi. Great video and thank you. I have a question. I understand a seed doesn't need nutrients to germinate. Once germination has taken place, how soon does the seedling need nutrients?
Thanks. As soon as the seedling develops true leaves it will need nutrients. That may be a week or two after it first emerges.
@@GardenerScott thanks!
Adding a question onto this existing one... If I use the paper towel method to germinate/sprout my seeds into seedlings and then want to transplant them into small trays/containers, am I to assume (based on your previous answer) that I should not use the 'seed starting mix' in my trays/containers, but instead should use something like the 'potting soil mix' (which contains compost)?!?! 🤔 Thanks in advance for the advice! 👍
I find your channel quite interesting and informative. I am just getting started to get into the whole garden "thing" since I just bought a house in VA. I want to build some raised beds out of 2 x 10 lumber. How many years do you think they will last in my environment?
Thanks. Of what I know of VA, I'm guessing you should get at least five years and probably many more.
@@GardenerScott Thanks for that quick response. I just wanted to know if the beds would out live me but I dont think so. LOL!
I line all of the interiors of my raised beds with house wrap. The price of treated lumber these days is goofy.
After I construct the bed, I Stain and seal the wood. Make sure the bottom of the raised bed members are covered with the house wrap, so you do not suck up moisture.
You should get many years out of this type of construction. Hope this helps.
@@brianseybert2189 Is that Tvelk or something like that I see on construction sites?
@@ChefKevinRiese It is the same stuff. Then to go the extra mile I have lined some of my beds with insulation, to reduce in problems with winter expansion. To answer your question, any house wrap would be fine. Hope this helps.
Very informative as always! Quick question behind you by your grow lights is that just aluminum foil to help with reflecting the light?
Thanks. They are mylar blankets to help reflect light.
@@GardenerScott thank you!
If Peatmoss is acidic and dolomitic lime is added to balance out the PH,do you know the ratio🤷♀️ thank you🙏
I don't know an accurate ratio. For most seeds the pH is not a problem.
In your seed starting mix/potting mix if you use only SPM do you need to add lime?
While the peat can lower pH, because I use the mixes for temporary growth before the plants go into the garden lime isn't necessary. For growing in containers long-term, lime can help for plants that prefer a neutral or high pH.
Trying to avoid fungus gnats as much as possible. I saw your video about using boiling water to regenerate the potting mix. My question is on making the new seed starting mix, I have some left over peat moss from last year that is out in my barn in an opened bag but wrapped up as tight as I could get it. I also have the perlite from last year. When I mix the 2 for the seed starting mix do you think I should add the boiling water to kill any potential fungus gnat larva?
It won't hurt to add boiling water and will hydrate it in the process.
Please check out how coco coir is produced....
I've used this 4:1:1 mix for the past two seasons with mixed results. Germination is great but my seedlings seem to stall, sometimes even before starting to form their first true leaves. I'm wondering whether it could be due to the pH of the peat. Commercial mixes seem to include lime; is that necessary for this mix? In what quantity?
The seed starter mix is best for germinating seeds but the seedlings need to be moved into a potting mix with additional nutrients. Lime has some effect to raise pH and is good for potting mixes but usually not needed for seed starter mixes.
@@GardenerScott How long do you keep them in the seed starting mix before potting up? I have a 72 cell tray of tomatoes which germinated after ~4 days and then stalled. It's been in the tray for just over 2 weeks now but shows no signs of forming true leaves. Pot up?
I have a number of videos that show and discuss that. Here's one for tomatoes: ua-cam.com/video/wkSVYAU6Ols/v-deo.html
Ok I have peat moss, but at our local store has no perlite or vermiculite. Should I wait until I can get some? I'll look on line. I also have soil for in ground use.
I get mine online because the stores don't always have it.
CONGRATS I ALWAY WHATCH YOUR VIDEOS... IS IT POSIBLE TO INTERCHANGE THE VERMICULA WITH SAND (RIVER SAND )? THE ONE THAT IS MUCH CHEAPPER AND IS VERY ABUNDANT IN CONSTRUCTION.
Sand is an option but it will add to the weight and density.
Hi Scott. Do you ever feel you should screen the Peat Moss because of the bigger pieces?
Yes, sometimes it seems a bag can be chunky. Most of the time I pick out bigger pieces as I pot up seedlings.
Do you ever add mycorrhizae or worm castings to your seed starting mix?
I don't add them to my seed starter mix, but usually use worm castings in my potting mix.
If I make my own seed starter mix but don't use it all, will it mold? Should I leave the lid off the tote until it dries out? Will it be as successful if I save it for a long period of time?
I keep it in bins for months with the lid on and haven't had any mold issues. It won't lose effectiveness over time.
@@GardenerScott Thank you! I am excited to try this!
I bought a bag of vermiculite but it is ground very finely will that work for seed starting with peat moss?
Horticultural vermiculite is usually bigger so it adds to the soil texture. Very fine pieces won't have the same effect.
I didn't catch how much Osmocote to add to the potting mix for plants that will stay in pots. Can you give me an idea how much to add?
I use the amount recommended on the package.
What is the difference between vermiculite and perlite,?,I have always done peat moss, vermiculite and compost
Here's my video that discusses the difference: ua-cam.com/video/SKWtSxTsaas/v-deo.html
@@GardenerScott I saw that right after I asked you..thank you
1cu ft of seed starter mix is now almost 10 USD which is ludicrous.
How well would this work in a soil blocker?
It's similar. Here's my video on blocks with the recipe I use: ua-cam.com/video/rc2bMa4uHks/v-deo.html
I need seed starting mix uugghhh
I have the coir is it the same ratios perlite to coir as the peat to perlite?
Yes it is.
So no need to adjust the PH when using the Peat as a seed starter?
I don't think it's necessary for most plants that will be transplanted into the garden. For long-term container growing it may help.
@@GardenerScott Thanks, I appreciate the advice, I will follow it. This will be my first year on my own property (finally), going to make a very large garden and starting seeds myself for the first time on a large scale, so I appreciate a lot of the info in your videos!
Where do you get the vermiculite and perlite?
I get it at greenhousemegastore.com
I need an email that I can send pictures of the seed starter mix that I found at my local big box store to. I would love for you to look at the ingredients, and give me your opinion of.
gardenerscott@gardenerscott.com
Xin chào anh
Just being 'that guy' but if a persons reason for not using peat is ethical then coir is not much better. Coir production is done in terrible working conditions (respiratory problems are common) with low pay then it's shipped on big tankers guzzling oil thousands of miles.
If someone wants to be ethical then they need to be using composted bark etc or just accept that things have cost and you are offsetting them by not having food miles. Also in the UK peat has been so demonised by the likes of gardeners world, you basically cannot buy peat 'seed compost'. You have to buy multipurpose compost and add the inorganics yourself so this method is the only one you can use without paying a fortune.
Nobody has access to sustainable peat moss.