From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Saint Marys, PA

Has anyone used this? Is this the sterilized medium everyone says to use?

4/19/2014 1:16:59 PM

Ireland

The miracle grow in Ireland is not sterilized, could well be the same in the US, Micheál

4/19/2014 2:53:51 PM

Farming- a bunch of catastrophies that result in a lifestyle

This is what I started all my seeds in, also what I grew my winter project pumpkins on. I had a whopping case of some kind of fungus on the top of the dirt. It would start out white, then turn brown and emit puffs of reddish colored spores. it wasn't hurting the plants at all, but I couldn't stand it. Sprayed it with a 50/50 mix of dawn dish washing soap and it hasn't come back. We (greenhouse flower growers) use the dawn/water spray a lot to stop damping off and I haven't had any issues using it in and around my cucurbit seedlings, of all kinds.
The bag I used to pop seedlings hasn't shown any fungus of any kind. I think it's a bag by bag case?

4/20/2014 6:21:01 AM

Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

Better to use a soilless potting mix like Pro Mix.

4/20/2014 7:24:25 AM

BC, Canada

Cruising the board with the Sunday morning coffee- always fun.
I use coco coir now for starting a lot of seeds. Seems to be sterile enough that damping off hasn't been a problem. I like it because it shakes off the roots very easily if desired for potting on. I can get 60 liter blocks for 12 - 14 $ here. It is "soilless" that means it has no nutrients and you need to add a cal/mag if you keep the plants in it passed the sprouting stage. It is also very reusable. I find the advantage over a #4 mix is there is no perlite clinging to the roots and also I can dump the left over onto a garden spot if I want and there will be no little white litter showing up.

LB- I still have some "no damp" left that I use on occasion but it has been removed from market so I wanted to say thanks for that tip on the Dawn soap as a treatment for damping. I have used chamomile tea with OK results. I'll have to do a web search and read up on the using soap. Thanks again!

4/20/2014 12:01:30 PM

Eastern Pennsylvania

Pumpkin hare is correct, promix is the way to go.

4/20/2014 2:49:15 PM

Farming- a bunch of catastrophies that result in a lifestyle

The soap is easy CS. I haven't ever sprayed the actual pumpkin seedling, keep meaning to test that and don't have anyone I wanna 'try it on', LOL. However, I've doused every other type of cucurbit in years past, along with all my annual flowers and regular garden veggies with no ill effects. I mixed it half and half for that soil fungus I mentioned above, nasty looking fungus!!, However, normally I mix 2-4 T in a gallon of water and use the sprayer, works like magic.

4/21/2014 1:26:18 PM

President - GPC

BiZ used to use this stuff, he had the worse looking plants ever... I wouldnt use it... I like Fertilome Pro Mix for starting seeds.....Promix is excellent too....

4/21/2014 1:44:35 PM

3 acre corner in Whittaker,Mi USA (faulkner5@msn.com)

Promix brand is the best stuff I've used. You can buy it with the mycco in it or without. I bought the promix without mycco and just add my own mycco and mix well. Then get it wet enough to form in your hand when squeezed but not wet enough where I can wring water from it. Then warm the mix on a heating pad to 87 degrees and your ready for your filed and soaked seeds. They sell it at home depot here now and I've gotten excellent germinations from it....hope it helps!! Erik

4/22/2014 3:32:22 AM

Hinckley MN

I use miracle grow potting soil in a 5 inch peat pot and it does just fine. It will grow fungus on the surface, but so will promix. I mix up a spray bottle of dilute Captan and spray the surface before planting. The plant is potted up to a larger container or out in the garden within 10 days.

cinnamon is supposed to stop damping off, too and it smells great!

4/22/2014 1:22:12 PM

Farming- a bunch of catastrophies that result in a lifestyle

I used the cinnamon trick....that damned fungus stuff grew right over the top of it! LOL.

4/22/2014 2:03:40 PM

Ky

I used Miracle Gro Seed Starting Mix

and it worked excellant for me.

otis

6/3/2014 12:06:28 AM

Upa Creek, Mo

I think Miracle Grow seed starting mix is fine. The only time I ever had issues was when I incorporated a little garden soil from outside.

6/3/2014 7:37:08 AM