Shouldn't have bought the seed-starting mix...

[habitat_gardener]

I've been growing tomatoes from seed for at least 10 years, but every year is different.

This year, I started my first batch with diatomaceous earth. Great germination, but lots of helmet heads -- probably because I planted the seeds on the surface without covering them!!

So for the next batch -- the really special varieties I'd gotten from Shawn/Carolyn and from Marsha -- I decided to buy a seed starting mix. The local nursery had EB Stone Seed Starting Mix.

Both batches were on a heating pad, covered loosely with plastic to germinate, then taken off heat and uncovered once the seeds had sprouted.

Almost total failure with the EB Stone! Most varieties sprouted, but the germination rate was poor and survival of the ones that did germinate was even worse. (And I still got lots of helmet heads.) Out of 24 varieties I started, I got more than 1 surviving seedling (so far) from only six varieties, a single seedling from 3 more, and no survivors from the remaining 15. Curiously, the oldest seeds I planted (at least 7 years old) were in the group that did the best.

I also did a control of sorts -- my saved arugula seeds ( no bottom heat) in DE vs. EB. The ones in DE did great. The ones on EB did not sprout.

I started a third batch in DE, also 90-100% germination.

Also, I've always used a mix of my own compost, whatever potting mix I'd saved from old plants, even some garden soil, for potting up. This year, I lost quite a few seedlings to damping off (and slugs) before I started using Sluggo and hydrogen peroxide, and bringing them indoors at night. The seedlings have been spending nice days outside, but on rainy days and cold nights they come back inside. I really miss having a greenhouse!