Potting mix TEST!!

[earth]

I had 2 potting mix....Sta-Green from Lowes & Black magic which I happen to get at Biglots for just 95cents!! So I thought I would plant seeds in both to see which is better.
I planted seeds in both the same day...same time.
after 3-4 days both mixes had seedling from all kind of seeds - petunia dwarf, petunia wave, lobelia.
I thought wow! the 95cent one is cheap and equally good. But now nearly 25 days later I see the difference..... Black magic mix seedlings are still tiny while Sta green potting mix are growing healthy with new leaves...no new leaves in the Black magic mix.
So I guess sta-green is better..... never will I go for cheaper mix/soil again.


Or is it.... the ones growing slowly will be healthier later?


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[cynthia_h]

Good idea! I'm not familiar with many commercial potting mixes, so will want to know your results. I tend to buy a small bag (1 cu.ft. or less) of a potting mix every other year or so; something to mix into my compost when I can actually start seeds ahead of time vs. planting them directly into the ground.

(Has a lot more to do with my own stamina than the overall gardening conditions hereabouts.)

The orchids don't use potting mix--they use coarse orchid bark--so seed starting is pretty much what I need potting mix for.

Don't give up on the tiny guys yet; when the rains and cold fronts stop and the sun finally comes out for good, there might be some jockeying for position among those seedlings. If you add compost to any of the pots, make a note of that, too.

What kind of sun exposure (or light of any kind) are the "experiments" receiving?

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[earth]

Good idea! I'm not familiar with many commercial potting mixes, so will want to know your results. I tend to buy a small bag (1 cu.ft. or less) of a potting mix every other year or so; something to mix into my compost when I can actually start seeds ahead of time vs. planting them directly into the ground.

(Has a lot more to do with my own stamina than the overall gardening conditions hereabouts.)

The orchids don't use potting mix--they use coarse orchid bark--so seed starting is pretty much what I need potting mix for.

Don't give up on the tiny guys yet; when the rains and cold fronts stop and the sun finally comes out for good, there might be some jockeying for position among those seedlings. If you add compost to any of the pots, make a note of that, too.

What kind of sun exposure (or light of any kind) are the "experiments" receiving?

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

Hi, thanks ... yes! I will not give up on those little ones yet
the light setup is a very cheap one.... made from whipped cream box, milk carton and aluminum foil..... the only cost was the light fixture for $10... will improve on this next season now...because I think the little ones are good good with these lights..even the tomatoes which have grown now...but they have stopped growing any taller and concentrating on growing leaves now....without light they were becoming leggy.

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[rainbowgardener]

Super! I love it when people actually do the experiments!

But no, in my experience the ones that are behind now will stay behind.

[earth]

Super! I love it when people actually do the experiments!

But no, in my experience the ones that are behind now will stay behind.

thanks! I have kept the little ones right under the bulb... will update if they show any difference in growth in this position.

[a0c8c]

Any sedlings in the middle of your setup will do better than the outside ones, regardless of the potting mix. They're that much farther from the light. The middle gets the most direct light and the most warmth, whereas the outside pots are relying on weaker reflective light and less warmth. I ran into the same problem.