Best Homemade Seed Starting Potting Mix Test / Review: Miracle Gro, Espoma, Simple Organic DIY
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- Stop overpaying for seed starting mixes! Learn how to make a DIY seed starting mix that's better than retail. Which mix yields faster, bigger seedlings? Is organic seed starting mix always better? What can you do to energize plants that are slowing down & turning yellow? This grow test shows what works & what doesn't!
NOTE: In this unpaid, independent review, all prices are from Dec 2019.
The test compared 2 retail brands of seed starter mixes (Miracle-Gro vs Espoma) I used a 2nd type of Miracle-Gro Mix, a bulk bag of MG Moisture Control. While similar in physical properties, the higher NPK values makes it more fertile.
I tried more than 1 organic option, also making a DIY potting mix from coir (coco), vermiculite & perlite. (No peat moss). To fertilize, I used Espoma's all-purpose vegetable fertilizer: Garden-tone. This organic nutrient source yields excellent growth. I wish the same could be said for Espoma's Seed Starter mix!
1:41 Slide Correction: albopepper.com...
Espoma's Amazon listing showed a photo of the potting mix bag stating: "earthworm castings". Worm castings are a great organic nutrient source for growing strong, healthy plants. But the bag I received did NOT list worm castings. As the seedlings emerged it became clear that Espoma used NO nutrients at all in that mix. Their marketing claims were grossly false & misleading. And my test is clear proof! More below...
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PRODUCT LINKS (# CommissionsEarned)
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LED LIGHTS (Spider Farmer)
SF 1000:
► amzn.to/2YZfrLv (Amazon US / UK / DE)
► amzn.to/320wZss (Amazon CA)
SF 2000:
► amzn.to/2Nbs97b (Amazon US / UK / DE)
► amzn.to/2PJj8E6 (Amazon CA)
ORGANIC FERTILIZER
Espoma Garden-tone:
► amzn.to/2uSQPup
BASIC SEEDLING MIX
Miracle-Gro 8Qt Seed Starter (2 pk):
► amzn.to/2SepsD0
EMERGENCY NUTRIENTS
Miracle-Gro Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food, 4 lb:
► amzn.to/2GNAeef
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RESULTS
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5 seeds in each container / 3 types of vegetables: Lettuce, Kale & Peppers. Each mix germinated at least 1 seedling out of 5. But as time progressed, I saw clear distinctions between each.
ESPOMA SEED STARTER (organic): Not very good at absorbing water. Seeds germinated ok. But did not appear very impressive. After germination, the seedlings remained extremely small & never developed. They slowly yellowed & lost vigor. Espoma instructs growers to feed the plants with a fertilizer or to transplant. I think a good seed starting mix will be able to feed seedlings for at least a couple weeks. The seller claimed their product is "rich" & promotes root development. Without NPK, I find this to be an empty claim. The mix was overpriced & a waste of my money.
MIRACLE-GRO SEED STARTER (synthetic): An acceptable seed starting mix. It's fine for a beginner. Water absorption was ok. Seeds germinated fine. There was enough nutrient to keep plants growing for the first 3 weeks. Plant growth is not impressive, but it's not too disappointing & the price was better than Espoma's.
DIY MIX w/ ESPOMA FERTILIZER (organic): My homemade potting mix worked very well. It had the fastest water absorption. Germination was good. The nutrients allowed plants to grow nicely. In fact, the lettuce was extremely healthy & larger than expected! It's organic too, so there's no need to compromise!
MIRACLE-GRO MOISTURE CONTROL (synthetic): MG Moisture Control mix is not marketed or intended for seed starting. But it worked well for kale, peppers, beans, corn & zucchini. Lettuce was the only plant with issues. The seeds were slow to germinate & the rate of germination was low. I would not advise EITHER form of Miracle-Gro potting mixes for lettuce. In both MG mixes lettuce leaves show signs of either disease or damage. But otherwise, it's a good mix option.
VERMICULITE w/ DELAYED MIRACLE-GRO PLANT FOOD (synthetic): I thought it would be interesting to also grow seeds in some coarse vermiculite. (Ideally, I would recommend medium or fine grade for seed starting.) This mix served as an informal control for the 1st few weeks. Then I decided to use those plants to demonstrate how a liquid plant food can quickly restore depleted plants. Within a week of application, I was already able to see the seedlings perking up in response.
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FINAL THOUGHTS
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This video shows several viable seed starting options. But ONE product I would NEVER advise is: Espoma Seed Starter mix. Without supplementation, it won't work any better at growing plants than simple vermiculite. I could never see the price justification for it. I was so disgusted, I wrote Espoma asking for a refund!
#SpringGarden #IndoorGardening #Fertilizer #Horticulture #MiracleGro
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1:41 Slide Correction: albopepper.com/images/DIY-RECIPE-2020.png
In your diagram of DIY mix, is there a percentage of mass or volume? Thank you. Anyways, great wideo as always!
@@stepanvalasek1913 Thanks for watching! When I measured the potting mix components, I measured by volume.
@@Albopepper Thank you very much, sir!
Has your jora 270 held up through the years? I want to get one but see mixed reviews
Alright then. Just got my SF 2000 up and running, NEED SUNGLASSES! Got all my ingredients ( Canada so using GAIA 4-4-4 instead of Espoma garden tone) , coir pots and medicinal tomato seeds. I already had 6 seedlings started under my blurple. I guess they are not really seedlings anymore, they already have 2 full sets of true leaves. I've just put those girls in 6" fibre pots under the super nova SF. Tomorrow I will start 6 more with the DIY mix. I will start some other veg as well. I will still use my blurple too, it's brought me this far! Hope all is OK down there. It is very weird here, basically lockdown. Using Amazon, etc for deliveries but had everything stocked, even garden supplies, before TSHTF. Oh, I used your link for the SF 2000 and thanks for the pepper19 discount code. Take care in these non-groovy times. Peace.
No shock that Albo's soil is the winner. A lot of friends I know like fox farm soil for their medical tomatoes.
Thanks for watching Chris!
Several testimonies that fox farm is indeed CHEEEEKS
Medical tomatoes? What are those?
@@scootermom1791 that's his way of saying marijuana without saying marijuana...
0:12 Fertilized with grass fed unicorn poop ......🤣🤣🤣
I was wondering how long it would take someone to catch that! ;)
Ive used burpee's seed starting mix for several years with great success. It has plant food in it unlike that expensive espoma mix.
Thanks for the tip! I was checking that one out after seeing the utter failure of the Espoma stuff.
Wow! I've been using Espoma Seed Starting Mix. No wonder the seedlings just sit there! Thanks for this video and your scientific approach.
I LOVE THIS CHANNEL! I was searching the internet for information on a paper that I am writing for my job and I ended up on your wine cap video. Now I am LOCKED IN. I recently bought 5 acres and have been working on getting my garden going. I may have more space but this channel is LOADED with information. Thank you so much for being such an awesome source for information. You are doing with gardens what I do with mushrooms. Thank you so much!!!
This analysis is impressive and GREATLY appreciated!!! Thanks for sharing this awesome experiment and information!!!
I’ve replaced vermiculite with 1/8in lava rock. It serves the same purpose as vermiculite but gives the roots a boost in minerals. I don’t have to worry about iron and magnesium for peppers and tomatoes anymore.
New Viewer here, Love your scientific approach. You make it easier for a newbie like me to start buying the right stuff from the start and not waste money. Any Chance I could get you to a newbie list to start to buy, and basics on how to grow. Thank you
Thank you for doing this so I don’t have too!!! Omg homemade is way to go. I had problems with espoma and hated it felt so dry, thanks for calling them out!! This video makes me happy
This was a great video. I've been watching several gardening videos this year because of trouble I ran into last year when trying to grow lettuce. But then, I have to wonder, at what point did gardening become so hard? My stepmother used to simply go out to the backyard; create rows to plant the seeds in the free dirt already available in the backyard; planted the seeds; labeled them; and made me weed the huge garden each day. Lol She used an irrigation system to water the garden, but I don't think that really matters. By the end of the summer everything was ready to harvest. There was plenty of food without vermiculite, peat moss and special soil. She didn't even use compost or fertilizer. Also, it was a dry climate..not much rain, and she didn't even start the seeds before planting.
Anyway, it would be great to see a video where you get dirt from a couple of random places and try growing things in just plain, ordinary, free dirt. For comparison, you could use plain dirt; dirt plus fertilizer; dirt plus compost; and dirt plus fertilizer and compost.
You should run the test and share your results! :-D
The peppers on the left were grown in "dirt". The ones on the right grew in potting mix. albopepper.com/images/year-one-peppers_in-ground_vs_container-grown.jpg
@@Albopepper Okay, so the ones on the left - in dirt - still produced peppers, leaves, etc. but not as much as the ones planted in the pots. So adding the perlite and other things is about increasing the quantity of produce, which obviously is necessary on a higher level to fight against world hunger.
I appreciate you sharing this photo. I figured that creating a richer soil probably had to do with increasing the quantity of the produce and possibly the quality (nutrition value) but wasn't sure if doing so made much of a difference. Clearly, it does. And, yes, I actually was thinking of experimenting myself. 🙂👍
Very useful information ..AGAIN.. ! We may have to put these tips to use here in just a few weeks so we can "self" quarantine from the pandemic that MAY be fast approaching. If not growing your own, two months supplies would be in order, to keep contact low. Be careful out there people... and you and your family stay safe.
Thanks for watching Uncle Dave and for sharing the word of caution. It makes sense to have a backup food supply! Even if disease isn't a concern, certainly disasters are on the rise. But having extra food isn't too hard. Dried rice, pasta & oats are easy. And canned goods like beans can help out in a pinch!
@@Albopepper You are correct young man. If you think you need anti viral of some kind for internal or external...food grade H2O2 and or colloidal silver would be great choices.
I use Pro Mix all purpose potting mix along with Burpee starter & transplanting organic plant food. Works great on all my seed starts.
Thanks for your recommendations!
@@Albopepper 👍
I love these comparison videos! It’s so interesting to have someone show the differences! Thanks!
Thanks so much for watching Jeannie! :)
This makes me feel better, I bought fancy organic seed starting mix this year and I have never struggled as much with leafy greens! I didn't understand what I was doing wrong. I've been afraid of mixing my own, but I think I'll try it for fall.
I really like promix myself. But yes I have also used espoma with horrible results. Poor germination especially. Any time I’ve seeded in promix I have had excellent Germination and very healthy scented root aroma.
Thanks for the tip!
Well done video sir. I really enjoy your comparison videos, and seeing your tests and results has gotten me to get into the point of making my own growing mix.
Thanks Joe! I appreciate your support on my channel. :-)
I just bought a big bag of the moisture control Miracle-Gro...I didn't know anything about potting soils, just took a chance on it, but I did buy a cheap seed starting mix because I've heard that seedlings' root systems can be shocked by too much nutrients in the soil, perhaps that's what happened with the lettuce...obviously, the other ones weren't affected at all...I don't yet have anything to make my own mix, so I'll use the Miracle-Gro for now unless I'm starting lettuce...I don't care about organic, I care about production...whatever makes it produce, that's what I want, organic or not...
What a fantastic video. New subscriber here! Thanks for the science and all the effort you took to make this video. I do have a question about adding organic fertilizer to the home-made mix though. Don't you need soil microorganisms to break down the fertilizer? That would be missing in that sterile mix.
Welcome to my channel & thanks for watching! The Garden-tone / Plant-tone has actual bacterial cultures right in it. 1:37 Look on the right side of the label. These serve as inoculates. So this works fine in a sterile mix. :-)
@@Albopepper super helpful to know this. Thank you! Now going to binge watch some more videos of yours.
love your videos so much, very detailed and objective explanation. thanks so much for sharing, very helpful for beginner like me :) GBU!
Thank you for the awesome video! With all the information available on the Internet, it can get very confusing, especially when it comes to cost. I really appreciate the testing you did and showing the clear results. Subscribed!
You're very welcome! I'm glad the info was able to help. Thanks for your support! 😀
Your channel is amazing! This was exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate how scientific you were.
I'd love to see a 1 off video where you play stardew valley! I think it would be fun! :D love ur vids long time watcher! love ur sip raised beds!
hehehe That would be fun. I'll have to keep that in mind! :-D
Your experiments are the best! I keep coming back to them every year. This time I have a question... I started with ''pro mix' from Menards (mistake). Now things are starting to turn yellow and I have to feed. Moving forward, I'd like to amend this mix with the Espoma fertilizer you used in your homemade mix. I wondered the amount of fertilizer you used in your mix? Did you mix it with your soil? or did you dump a tsp in the hole?
Hi Trisha, thanks for watching! For seedlings I try to evenly mix the fertilizer into the soil.
not yet a long time follower of your channel, but I like what you have to say so far. in my part of the country (US), sphagnum peat moss would be an economically better choice (espectially since I'm trying to grow blueberries too and proper Canadian sphagnum is quite necessary). Think that would impact your thoughts? I know it's "just bulk" but I'm curious..
Thanks for watching! I use peat moss in various applications, such a Mel's Mix (1/3 peat, 1/3 vermiculite, 1/3 compost). I had also used it when setting up my blueberry beds. My only regret in this regard is that when peat dries out it is extremely hard to hydrate. This can be a problem during summer drought if you are trying to water a bed that has dried up. Conventional soils can face similar issues. But it's just something to take into account when prepping a site.
Thanks for sharing Al. Just curious, what's the temperature in your experiment and how long did you leave the lights on ?
The light cycle was 16hr ON / 8hr OFF. I grew these under the SF-2000 dimmed at 75w. The temperature of the soil was 74 F. Thanks for watching! :)
Your videos are always well thought out, thorough, to the point, and entertaining to watch. Thank you once again.
Thanks so much Cory! :-)
Thanks for all your hard work. I agree Epsoma seed starter no longer has the nutrients to grow a seed into a healthy plant without added fertilizer.
I find jiffy mix to be much the same, so the last two seasons I switched to using Miracle grow MC when repotting.
This coming season I'll add worm castings to Jiffy mix when moving my seedlings to the 4x4 pots since I prefer to garden organically.
Excellent trial/comparison. DYI is the winner! Love it! Thanks AlboPepper.
Would the homemade mix be a good way to start a sub irrigated planter or is it just for starting seedlings? We are building planters next year and I am hoping to fill it with a homemade potting mix to save money.
Did you have any issues with fungus gnats with any of these mixes? Especially the bulk ones that aren't specifically "seedstarting" mixes?
Thanks, Al, for this no-nonsense seed germination video. I've always used whatever brand of potting mix I had on hand for sprouting seeds, and so far I've been fairly successful. I really appreciate your direct approach to debunking some of the hype surrounding seed starting mixes. Buying a more expensive mix doesn't ensure success.
I agree 100%. Thanks for watching! :-D
In your DIY Potting Mix ilustration show that NPK: 0.18 - 0.24 - 0.24 .
Great comparison, bummer on the Espoma seedling mix. I love their Garden Tone and Plant Tone. I've had great success with pre-bagged Burpee coco seedling mix for cuttings as well as seeds. I do transplant pretty soon after sprouting into a hotter mix.
The organic base mix I use normally is:
5 parts well flushed coco
2 parts peat moss (holds a little more water and helps drag down pH a bit)
2 parts perlite
1 part worm castings
This works very well for seedlings and newly rooted cuttings, but in a week or two depending on container size, it will be spent.
To that base mix, I add a 2:1 ratio of Garden Tone (3-4-4): EcoScraps (5-5-5), at a rate of 1-1/2 Tablespoons per quart. This is great for established seedlings and cuttings for 10-14 days without re-amending/top-dressing .
Thanks for the great video, and saving me from buying a seedling mix I probably would have tried, given the chance. Come on Espoma, tighten the screws!
P. S. Did they get back to you and resolve the issue?
Thanks for sharing your personal tips! No, Espoma has not responded. It has been a couple weeks now...
@@Albopepper I wish you could have used the epsoma potting mix instead of the seed starter.
I think I should be mine with 33%/33%/33% parts of coco coir, compost and worm castings for seeds and most of actual transplants :)
I just bought myself a Spider Farmer light and it's working well. Under my Blurple lights, my seedlings kept trying to flower. I've been using the cheapest potting soil I can find to start my seeds. I've had very good results. Do you know how I can get my cilantro to germinate for hydroponics? It takes forever with low rates.
Thanks for sharing your experience with the Spider Farmer LED! Cilantro huh? I'm not sure. Have you tried the wet paper towel trick?
@@Albopepper Yes, I have a batch trying to germinate in a small medicine cup that has a tight seal. I have some in rock wool cubes and some in paper towels rolled up and in a bottle. Out of about 50 seeds, only 1 has sprouted and my seed is fresh.
You probably already know this by now, as your comment is several years old. I have read that you have to crush the seeds before planting. I just copied this from a website--"Coriander seed is actually a seedpod typically containing 2-3 seeds. With split seed, the pod is opened to leave 1-2 seeds per pod segment. The splitting of the seed aids germination." I'm guessing you don't have to smash it to bits, just break the outer coating ( as I remember, the person was using a rolling pin to do this...) I don't know--I've never grown cilantro since it seems to bolt very quickly, and I live in a climate that gets hot very quickly. Good luck!
Would using worm castings and some fertilizer in the starting mix be too much for seedlings after germinating or should be ok? Or one or the other should be good
did you try?
Mixing my own is my only option. I can adjust my mixes according to my changing needs and saves me $$$. I don't believe in paying huge markups for branding. No need to reinvent the wheel. If however you need a small amount or are looking for quick and convenient...then these brands will work for you.
Very interesting lab experiment, thanks. I have all those ingredients at home, so I'll make my own, including a bit of worm castings since I have them on hand.
Thank you very much for doing your video here and for others that I hope to see, have just fallen upon these and pleased to find someone with pluck enough to speak out,
but who has actually gone about investigating this area, have you ever thought about the use of wool in seed production?
Myself I have only just learned of this, but I am no way a big time grower but when I can find time like to research more in this field.
I appreciate many TH-cam production's and very thankful to those who like yourself for doing this and just like to say, keep up your good work and do not be put off by some
nasty folk who just keep thinking they are a cut above everyone else.
You just keep going, doing what this world needs is more people like you, so many thanks once more.
Maureen
Gardening and Data are two of my favorite things. Thanks for all of the wonderful experiments you do! I enjoy learning from you.
I appreciate your support on my channel Wayne! :)
Thanks so much.. there are so many variables.. my water is heavily mineralized..I have a cold house..
I fertilized with MG I diluted to a 1/4 tsp. Per gallon and my peppers lower leaves yellowed the next day.. any reason for that?
Is there any difference between potting mix and seed starter? Or can I use the worm castings + compost for potting mix?
Seed starter mixes tend to have smaller soil particles - no large chunks or bark or sticks. And they usually have lower nutrient levels, or perhaps ZERO nutrients. I don't agree with making a seed starter that is completely unfertilized. As for using worms castings & composts in a mix, I've done so in the past with success. Depending on the composition, your results may vary.
I usually start my seeds in the Aerogarden and then transplant them into Miracle Grow or whatever I have. So far so good. Love your videos!
Glad to hear it! Thanks for watching. :-D
I like your pixel art
Thanks CJ! :-)
Very compelling video. So disappointed in Espoma. At 9:35 I think the lettuce edges are a result of too much or too close light maybe?
Great advice! Great looking results! Great narration....😊
On a video of LED light looked you were growing lettuce on a foam board and just water.
Hi James. Sometimes I grow with a type of hydroponics called Kratky's method. I've used it in several of my videos.
What exactly is your recipe for seed starter mix and potting mix????
i like a mix of 50% peat moss, 50% vermiculite with some dolomite lime and gypsum mixed in there. then feed with a 20/20/20 general purpose fertilizer. buds for days!
oh, did you get your refund??
Yes! I did eventually get the refund. And they also sent me a bag of Tomato-tone fertilizer! :)
Thank you for do this video . It’s awesome vey good.
Thank you for this very informative video.
I mostly grow cannabis, but I also grow peppers. I love your channel and I respect your moustache! Keep up the good work Albopepper! I Also love all the oldschool video game sprites/pixels you incorporate into your vidoes. Ya know..... you kinda look like Luigi. I mean that in a good way. Much love!
LOL, thanks Nick!
Hi, thanks for the great video, 👌👍🔔wish you a nice weekend love greetings Siggi
Thanks for watching Siggi! I appreciate your support. :-)
Maybe you could do a fertilizer test?
That's a pretty good idea! :-D
Nutrients for the mix? Add in worm castings!
Video about grow tent please.. 😊
Very interesting
Thanks for watching Brandon. :)
What is the difference btw seed starting and potting mix?
This content is Golden Al!! ☆☆☆☆☆
Hey buddy I have discovered that magnets makes a plant thrive faster and better!!
Ho men you have to do one of yours comparative experiments with magnets!!!
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE 🙏🙏!!!
awsome video great editing and shots very informative thank you
Thank-you! And thanks so much for watching. :)
Hi.. I’m a newbie with this grow lights.. lights are super expensive down here in South Africa so I bought a cheap grow lights ‘ultronic’ is the name.. no specs on how high I must hang it.. no info to be found anywhere.. I’ve got about 30 clones under it but they don’t look good after about 2 weeks.. most of the trimmed leaves ‘weed plants’ have died off.. small leaves have come out on some but they are struggling.. the light is about a meter above them and I run them for at least 14 hours a day.. permitting rolling blackouts don’t rune it further..spray the leaves wet twice a day but they are struggling.. (they are in a closed plastic container with air openings.. )it’s sold as a 1000 watts.. 300w at the plug.. must I drop the light closer to the plants or will it burn it.. 3 little plants in the middle are doing great though.. any help will be great.. even comments from any one will help.. I’m not English so excuse my explanation.. thanks
Lightmix from start to end
My seedlings dont have first true set of leaves and arent doing well. I think they need nitrogen. How can i give a little to them without harming? I have a bag of Biotone starter plus? Is that good to mix in the soil?
As shown in this vid, a liquid feed is an easy way to supply a quick burst of nutrients in the event of a deficiency.
I've actually had good luck with the Peat pellets except for things like spinach or lettuce seeds. My tomato, pepper, and cucumber plants stayed nice and green in that and had no problems, and the stems were thick. Those are easy to use without alot of figuring and measuring proportions (all that calculation drives me crazy and I never get to the point of purchasing). I do use the paper towel method inside a plastic container sometimes.
Would your mix recipe be good for starting tomato seeds too? This will be the fIrst time trying seed starting indoors this year so I have been gathering info. Also, should I "sterilize" your mix? I've seen videos where they say to buy only "sterile" mixes or sterilize them yourself with boiling water or put the mix in the microwave??? Not sure this is even a good idea. 🤔
Hi Connie. If you use my mix recipe, I don't think it would need sterilized. Working from a clean supply of Coir, Vermiculite & Perlite, these materials should already be free from pests and pathogens. As for the Espoma Garden-Tone, sterilizing it would actually be counter-intuitive since it contains _beneficial_ microorganisms.
@@Albopepper it was only the coir I was worried about. No, I would not sterilize the Espoma, no I would not steriluze that! 😄 But, if I use the Espoma in the mix will I still need to use fertilizer after the seedlings germinate?
You would not need fertilizer for a while. It partly depends on container size. But if leaves start to lose their deep green hue, then it's time to either pot up into larger, freshly fertilized pots. Or supplement with some extra nutrients.
where did you get the clear containers? thx.
Thanks for watching! I got them here: amzn.to/2pjYmg5
This video talks more about container options: th-cam.com/video/tYUNIzi88dI/w-d-xo.html 😀
No need for fertilizer.in seed starter..till.they sprout right??
That's correct. It's not necessary. In fact, fertilizer salts might slow down the germination process, especially with salt sensitive plants.
Espoma gave me bugs
Thanks for sharing all the good info.
Thanks for watching!
Would the homemade potting soil work as well without vermiculite? I just can't seem to get a hold of it.
Hi did I miss what your seed starting mix was?
How much and what
Hi Karen! The slide was at 1:41. But I had a typo for the percentage of coir. This is the corrected slide which is listed in the video description: albopepper.com/images/DIY-RECIPE-2020.png
Make a video using grow light and white light on Venus Fly traps, it will be interesting
Your homemade mix is like a hydroponic system.
Homemade seed starting mix is the way to go. Finely shredded/blended leaves (1cup), soil (1/4 cup), bone/eggshell/banana meal (1tbsp) will get you far with no issues. There's no need to spend extra money here as everything could be made home with food you already bought well granted you have leaves at home.
You should do some tests with your recipe and share the results!
All sead
That was really helpful!!
I'm glad it could help out. Thanks for watching!
The point of seed starting mix is light to no nutrients for sensitive seedlings. It really shouldn't be used past 1-2 weeks. Interesting the Epsoma did so poorly right off the bat. Most seeds will have enough nutrients stored in the seed itself to get through the first week or 2 before decent roots are established. Guess that is not the case with these particular plants.
The Espoma mix used to have worm castings. It used to have nutrients. Then they took it out and there was ZERO nutes. There are plenty of other seed starting mixes and many of them do have nutrients. If you just want something for germination only, then use a paper towel. Or even vermiculite.
Great Video!
Thanks for watching Lynn!
Do you think that the Philips t5 led lights could be used for growing lettuce and what not ?
Yes, I think for lettuce & seedlings they would be OK.
Just to clarify for every 1 cup of coir/vermiculite/perlite mixture you add 1 teaspoon of Garden Tone? It's a lot more in this recipe than in others. I don't want to harm the seedlings, so I wanted to check. Most recipes say to add after they have sprouted. Im learning so I don't want to kill this years batch. Thanks!
That's correct. You can see how it worked out in this video. It's comparable to a standard MG potting mix. If your seedlings are super sensitive varieties, then you can try a reduced fertilizer rate. You'll need to re-pot them or add supplemental nutrients sooner though.
Or you could just try pre-germinating the seeds on a paper towel as shown here: th-cam.com/video/Mp0x6wisDgs/w-d-xo.html I hope you get good results and have a great growing season! 😃
@@Albopepper thank you! Would you add worm castings to this mix as well? The more I read about them the better they sound. Once upon a time I tried to make a worm bin and it was worm apocalypse in my garage 😂 If so about how much would go in per cup?
I've used worms castings with success. I have a couple videos with some small scale tests. Different batches of worm castings may have different levels of potency. So I can't give a specific ratio. I would only suggest that if you're unsure, start out with smaller amounts (10% ?). Or you could even try experimenting a little. Have a group with, and a group without castings. Then you would see firsthand if they make any difference for you. 🤓
@@Albopepper Thanks again, I appreciate the responses!
@@Albopepper I have a new question for you! I am using your soil mix and my coco coir in my plants and the opened bag have a white soft fuzzy mold on it. So even the dry stuff is moldy. I took a picture but can’t load it here. Any thoughts on this being good or bad? I’ve removed it once around the plants and added dry on top. I’m just surprised that it is even growing in the dry stuff.
That was an intense letter
Indeed. I had some pretty strong feelings about they way they were duping customers. They had no business recycling old reviews to prop up their completely reformulated, infertile mix. I got my refund check though!
Did you get the refund?
Still waiting... It's been a couple weeks. In the mean time, I keep trying to shed light on this product on Amazon. The seller has at least 4 separate listings for the mix which confuses buyers and makes it easy to hide my review. The alternate listings don't even show a photo of the back of the bag. And no ingredients were listed. So I keep asking questions on the review pages: "What's the ingredients?" "What's the NPK?" Consumers deserve to know what they're buying and how they'll need to use it!
As an update, I just got the refund check yesterday. So they made good on their money back guarantee.
Call me cheap but I've always just taken a few scoops of compost, a few scoops of sand and a scoop of perlite... seems to work. I always just figured something pretty loose and not too hot on the nutrients is the way to go for seedlings.
Nothing wrong with that. If it works, it works! :-D
Great video
Thanks for watching Tina!
Can you go into detail with your own mix. I only grow microgreens and I get damping off with my own mix which is equal parts vermiculite, compost, and peat. But when I use store bought mix it comes out fine but would like to save money because I plant every week with 7-10 harvest turnover. I haven't tried fertilizer with peat and vermiculite. What are the ratios?
You could try sterilizing your mix before usage. Not sure if that would help or if it's worth the work. Perhaps your mix is too moist? Maybe try including 10% perlite for better drainage & aeration. You could also try infusing some beneficial microbes into it by using a little organic fertilizer like Epsoma Garden-tone.
I would suggest other variables too, like sufficient light & temperature. But since your retail mix isn't giving you problems, the issue seems to be with your actual mix. You could try cutting the compost and using all fertilizer for the nutes. Maybe a mix similar to my DIY. Peat moss should be able to be used in place of the Coir if you prefer.
@@Albopepper Wow thank you for a nice detailed suggestion, I appreciate it. So you used 1 tsp of fertilizer for every cup of mix?
Correct. I had used 1 tsp of a 3-4-4 fertilizer per 1 cup of mix. And it yielded the growth shown in this test. Thanks for watching! :) Be sure to reference this corrected slide: albopepper.com/images/DIY-RECIPE-2020.png
@@Albopepper Thanks! I can't wait to try. Microgreens have changed my health. Studies show they are 4-40 times higher in nutrients than their mature counterparts. You don't have to wait months to eat them or endure pest problems and they are ready to eat in 7-10 days. I have so much to eat all the time. I highly recommend if you don't already. It's a no brainer to me. My favorites are radish, broccoli, red cabbage and kale.
I must be missing something... Homemade mix, 50% Coir/Coco + 20% Vermiculite + 5% Perlite ads up to 75%. If we go by the pie chart, then the Coir should be 75% or was there another component?
Good catch! I had caught that in my editing phase but failed to update the slide in the video directory, doh! Here's the correct slide: albopepper.com/images/DIY-RECIPE-2020.png I'll add a note to the video description. Sorry about that!
AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening If you were to add some worm castings to the mix, what percentage would that look like?
@@straylightx that’s what I’m thinking too, what if the starter mix had fertilizer and worm castings. If that would make any significant difference or not. I’d like a recipe where I don’t have to up pot
Nice comparison!
Im trying to replicate your DIY mix and for this test you recommend 75% coir/coco, 20% vermiculite, 5% perlite, but Im aiming at your large SIP bed setup.
When you say "coir/coco" are you referring to the fine coco products that some call "coco peat" or the stuff that is more fibrous? I ask because some people use coco coir and peat interchangeably which is confusing sometimes.
Unfortunately all the miracle grow products are not available in my country, so assuming one has only coco peat and/or coir, vermiculite and perlite, what would be the mixes you recommend for a large SIP?
I said "mixes" because from your large SIP bed video Im assuming you use 2 slightly different mixes: one for the bottom where the corrugated/perforated tubes are, and another mix for the top. How could I replicate them using the basic ingredients above?
Would you also recommend leaf mould in the mix as a (partial) substitite for coco?
As for fertilizers, Im considering osmocote initially but want to migrate to a self-sufficient organic option that works. You mentinoned in another video not to use manure or compost.
Would worm castings be ok? I also have insect frass from my mealworm setup and based on other mealworm videos that I've seen who feed their mealworms the same thing i do (basically wheat bran) their frass is rated at around 3-3-3.
Would that be acceptable or should I rule it out like any other manure?
Also, do you have any guesstimates on how much time such mixture lasts before getting
compacted or exhibiting any negative characteristics to a point I should replace it? The coco is organic after all and will break down eventually.
Thank you very much for your considerations, and keep up the good work!
I'm not the author, but I'll answer anyway. The coir is what comes in the compressed blocks or sometimes bricks. You add water to the block and let it sit and absorb before you measure it and mix in the other ingredients.
Why not try seeds in flour, oats , rice, shredded paper towels ?
I didn't get what was used in your homemade potting mix what are the ingredients listed please, new in gardening, sorry
I showed it in the video. See pinned comment.
AlboPepper - Drought Proof Urban Gardening
Vermiculite is not sold locally. I have no idea why but no place around me carries it. Oh, they can order it.
Wtf you didn't even show us what's in your homemade mix thought that was the point of the whole video 😢
Not true. I showed what's in it. There was a slide correction though, and this was noted in both the video description as well as the pinned comment.
I wish focus had been on germination results with more seed varieties. Hard to see on the chart (at least on a tablet). You tested these as a general growing medium. Starters are not intended to grow by design.
Honestly, if you're simply after high germination results then just pre-germinate in a small container of vermiculite. You could even use the paper towel trick. No need for some overpriced seed starting mix that can't grow seedlings to any significant size. Right now, Espoma is trying to sell that junk for $22 for a 16 qt bag on Amazon!!! They are raking people over the coals.
what if I told you...that seeds contain all the nutrients they need?
I would tell you that I've already proven otherwise through direct observation. The amount of available nutrients is quickly depleted, resulting in gross deficiencies without any form of supplementation.
clear pots .. your test is lost in a sea of algae
Not really. The clear pots are perfect for a test like this as a way to easily monitor root development.