Very unhappy with my potting up soil

ScottinAtlanta · March 21, 2012

I have been using Miracle Gro Seed Starting Potting Mix to germinate, which works great, but I am also using it to pot up until the plants are ready to go into the ground.

I am not happy with its performance - it tends to get water logged, and take ages to dry, which rots roots and slows growth. It also encourages white flies due to the water logged character.

What are affordable, better soils I can use to pot up from the germination tray?

delltraveller · March 21, 2012

I use regular Miracle Grow Potting Soil topped with a little of the starter mix. Then I try to make sure to bottom water and let them get a little dry once in awhile.

kurt · March 21, 2012

HP pro mix bx,go to premier horticulture site to find products and suppliers for your area.

ScottinAtlanta · March 22, 2012

Kurt, Thanks for the suggestion. I found a dealer not four miles from my house, and I will try a 3.8 cubic foot bale. Scott

Worth1 · March 22, 2012

I make up my own.

Worth

gssgarden · March 22, 2012

Used Burpee's seed starting mix and it was the same! Like a sponge! Never wants to dry out. May not use it again!

Greg

VC Scott · March 22, 2012

I tried a number of different potting mixes this year and found a great variation in the water holding tendencies of the mixes. Do to my lack of experience I tend to over water, so my best results came from potting mixes that had the least amount of peat moss.

I think you should not use seed starting mix as a potting soil.

Worth1 · March 22, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by VC Scott

I tried a number of different potting mixes this year and found a great variation in the water holding tendencies of the mixes. Do to my lack of experience I tend to over water, so my best results came from potting mixes that had the least amount of peat moss.

I think you should not use seed starting mix as a potting soil.

You right get some MG or the likes potting soil and add more perlite and a wee bit of decomposed granite.

It works great.

Worth

stormymater · March 23, 2012

Metromix 360 or 365

Tracydr · March 27, 2012

Where do you buy decomposed granite?

Worth1 · March 27, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tracydr

Where do you buy decomposed granite?

I can get it from several places here.
Landscape supply, stone supply and so forth.
It goes for around $30 or so a yard.
Any place that sells stone should have it by the yard.

If you dont want a yard then HD sells it for about $ a bag.

Worth

March 21, 2012	#1
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	Very unhappy with my potting up soil I have been using Miracle Gro Seed Starting Potting Mix to germinate, which works great, but I am also using it to pot up until the plants are ready to go into the ground. I am not happy with its performance - it tends to get water logged, and take ages to dry, which rots roots and slows growth. It also encourages white flies due to the water logged character. What are affordable, better soils I can use to pot up from the germination tray?

March 21, 2012	#2
delltraveller Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Iowa Posts: 481	I use regular Miracle Grow Potting Soil topped with a little of the starter mix. Then I try to make sure to bottom water and let them get a little dry once in awhile.

March 21, 2012	#3
kurt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl. Posts: 2,491	HP pro mix bx,go to premier horticulture site to find products and suppliers for your area.

March 22, 2012	#4
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	Kurt, Thanks for the suggestion. I found a dealer not four miles from my house, and I will try a 3.8 cubic foot bale. Scott

March 22, 2012	#5
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I make up my own. Worth

March 22, 2012	#6
gssgarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: N.C. Posts: 1,821	Used Burpee's seed starting mix and it was the same! Like a sponge! Never wants to dry out. May not use it again! Greg

March 22, 2012	#7
VC Scott Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: San Marcos, CA Posts: 352	I tried a number of different potting mixes this year and found a great variation in the water holding tendencies of the mixes. Do to my lack of experience I tend to over water, so my best results came from potting mixes that had the least amount of peat moss. I think you should not use seed starting mix as a potting soil.

March 23, 2012	#9
stormymater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Pleasure Island, NC 8a Posts: 1,162	Metromix 360 or 365

March 27, 2012	#10
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Where do you buy decomposed granite?