HelpfulGardener.com

which is better:

potting soil OR potting mix

I use organic potting soil from joblot for a $1.00 a bag.. does well for the plants.

I currently use hyponex from ace hardware, but it sux! but I have no choice atm because joblot stopped carrying the potting soil due to end of season.. I called their headquarters and complained!

anyways, I getting back to hyponex.. I added vermiculite.. but the water still just sits at the top for awhile... I hate that!

Try using warm water. Usually, when water sits on the surface like that, it's because there's a lot of peat moss in the mixture. When peat moss gets dry, it won't absorb water very easily. Warm water works better in such situations.

hmm.. I'll try that.. thank you

Be careful not to overwater the seeds/seedlings in an effort to keep the mix from drying out. I sometimes use a spray bottle filled with warm/hot tap water to just moisten the surface of the mix. The mix below the surface will stay moist longer, so you don't need to worry about wetting it so often. When you move your plants into larger containers, you might consider a mulch. I rarely recommend mulching container plants, but when using a mix that's heavy on peat moss, a mulch can be helpful.

If it's handy for you, try mixing a little sand with the new soil mix. Helps with the water and air flow for healthier seedlings and plants.