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Organic Potting Soil

Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 6:28 am
by Decado
When going organic do most of you go with organic potting soil for starting your seeds in the winter? If so, is there any kind of readily available brand I should be using for this? Or is something like miracle gro's organic soil mixed with some perlite good enough if I can't find any organic potting soil?

Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 12:23 pm
by cynthia_h
I'm not sure whether this brand is available where you are, but this is the one I buy a bag of every other year (I just don't need very much, but this is nice stuff).

https://www.ebstone.org/35_masters_pride.php

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 7:02 pm
by Decado
Hmm, I'm not sure if I can find that around here. If I can't, would it be alright to go with some miracle gro organic soil and feed my seedlings with aerated compost tea? Or would I just be better off going with non-organic potting soil?

Edit: I just realized miracle gro makes organic potting soil. Is this any good?

Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 9:55 pm
by top_dollar_bread
Decado wrote:Hmm, I'm not sure if I can find that around here. If I can't, would it be alright to go with some miracle gro organic soil and feed my seedlings with aerated compost tea? Or would I just be better off going with non-organic potting soil?

Edit: I just realized miracle gro makes organic potting soil. Is this any good?
I hear both MG organic is not good at all and it that its pretty good. all I know (well I think) its not OMRI certified.
ive used this with pretty good results
[url]https://lawn-and-garden.hardwarestore.com/77-494-seed-starting-soil/jiffy-seed-start-soil-mix-507354.aspx[/url]
I see this at lowes for a decent price most of the time
you can also make your own mix, by bulk peat moss or coco, compost and sand or perlite..may need some dolomite or oyster shell lime if using peat moss..

Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2010 10:22 pm
by cynthia_h
Here's a brief but informative thread about Miracle Gro Organic from June 2009:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=75963

Cynthia

Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2010 8:42 am
by Gary350
I like composted cow manure for starting seeds. Many of those seeds are tiny and soil this is very small particals size works best for me.

When I clean out the house gutters I get some excellent potting soil that is perfect of seeds.

Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2010 4:01 pm
by bigdoug
Potting soil can be a bit heavy for starting seeds. If you look at the soil in the flats of plants at you local nursery you'll notice that it looks nothing like potting soil. It's usually a mixture of ground peat, a tiny bit of loam, and perlite. Some even go completely soil-less for their seed starter. I hate to encourage buying at the big-box home stores, but both HD and Lowe's sell 10 and 16 oz. bags of organic seed starting mix that will do fine until you start feeling more creative and want to try your hand at making your own mix.