I have a question, for RG or anyone else, is how to get full pretty starts. This would be in 4" pots. I am thinking the commercial ones must be full of steroids, or least Miracle Grow.
I am dealing OK with the ones I start for myself, but want prettier and more full if putting them out to sell or gift. I also volunteered (!*?) to do some marigold starts at the g-sons preschool. For that figured to have kids put seeds in peat pellets, then up pot to 4". When pretty and full take home for a Happy Spring gift for parents.
This season I am doing more weak MG and fish on the seedlings and 4" pots.
Open to suggestions!
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rainbowgardener
- Super Green Thumb
- Posts: 25279
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
- Location: TN/GA 7b
Up until now, I have just started everything in MG potting soil. For a long time that was all I did and it worked ok, but didn't quite have that really full, lush look you are talking about. I finally realized that even though the potting soil has MG in it, since they are in small pots, after awhile they do benefit from a little extra fertilization. I have tried various things including fish emulsion etc.
This year what I am doing is just leachate from the worm bin. Every watering I add a little bit of the leachate to the pitcher of water. It's early on, to report results. But so far, the things that were started earliest, cabbage and broccoli and bunnytails grass, look terrific and thriving. Very handsome little plants in 3.5" pots. The seeds were planted 1/19. A month later they could really be transplanted, if the weather were cooperating.
In the meantime, I'm now switching to non-MG homemade potting soil (coconut coir, mushroom compost, perlite, and worm castings). Too early yet to say much about how that is working, but so far so good.
This year what I am doing is just leachate from the worm bin. Every watering I add a little bit of the leachate to the pitcher of water. It's early on, to report results. But so far, the things that were started earliest, cabbage and broccoli and bunnytails grass, look terrific and thriving. Very handsome little plants in 3.5" pots. The seeds were planted 1/19. A month later they could really be transplanted, if the weather were cooperating.
In the meantime, I'm now switching to non-MG homemade potting soil (coconut coir, mushroom compost, perlite, and worm castings). Too early yet to say much about how that is working, but so far so good.
I stopped at the 'real' garden center, just poking around, of course....seeing what is coming in....Yes, I got a few packets of seeds and a few empty flat trays for my 4" pots.
Anyway, asked the main guy how the commercial growers get their starts so pretty and full. It is what we have thought. Of course they are in optimum conditions in greenhouse (light, moisture, humidity, temp etc). They are also fed, MG or something. And get their hormone boosts. That makes them stouter and fuller, thicker stems.
Anyway, asked the main guy how the commercial growers get their starts so pretty and full. It is what we have thought. Of course they are in optimum conditions in greenhouse (light, moisture, humidity, temp etc). They are also fed, MG or something. And get their hormone boosts. That makes them stouter and fuller, thicker stems.