cowboyjames74
Well-Known Member
What's a good store bought soil to start seedlings in?
We have red clay out here is this good to plant in?
We have red clay out here is this good to plant in?
seed soil
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I've had the best luck with a store-bought 'garden center' potting soil. It's a blend of composted bark, sphagnum moss, vermiculite, dolomite lime, and a wetting agent.
Never had any luck using soil from my garden - compacts when wet, and too much disease/virus/mold for seedlings.
Never had any luck using soil from my garden - compacts when wet, and too much disease/virus/mold for seedlings.
Because of the tiny size of tobacco seed, I would suggest that you sift out the large debris fragments from commercial soil--often chunks and splinters of un-decomposed wood. I've found that some bagged soils contain substantial mold spores that can become a problem when the soil is kept quite damp, warm and covered for a week or more of seed germination. If that is a problem, you might consider baking the soil in the oven (to 200ºF) prior to using it. A fine soil with ample organic matter seems to work best.
Bob
Bob
cowboyjames74
Well-Known Member
I used a coffee grinder to grind up packaged soil to make the potting soil super fine.
Used maricle grow brand for tomatoes.
Used maricle grow brand for tomatoes.
BarG
Founding Member
Man if your growing in this time of year cowboy, your going to be breaking new ground,whatever soil you use. I recomend ground worm shit. 
start your seeds in mid feb. or early march for Arkansas. Be ready for a good crop as you would your veggies.
start your seeds in mid feb. or early march for Arkansas. Be ready for a good crop as you would your veggies.I think cowboy is doing what I did last winter. Starting in January I sprouted seed again and again several times over. Getting just a little better at it each time. I allowed it to grow for 6 weeks then started over. By the time spring came I had the starting of seed down very well. Problem was as soon as I set the plants outdoors new problems cropped up fairly fast for the first few weeks. It took us a couple to three weeks to get everything new under control and that cost us a little bit. But from then on everything went smoothly and we still ended up with a great season. Next year we will be far more prepared to keep that excellently started tobacco growing just as well outdoors.
The time spent starting seed was well worth it.
The time spent starting seed was well worth it.
ThomM
Member
Cowboy, the problem I've found using Miracle Grow is Fungus Knats.
So if you start to see them flying around your plants, it's because of the soil.
my experience with starting seeds was a lesson learned,,,
i try to use the finest starting soil i can find, { the closer to looking like sand the better}.. no chunks, no big pieces of matter,, just fine sand ''composition like'' soil...
i put the seeds in a saucer, and with a moist Q-TIP,,,, grab about 3-5 seeds, with the q-tip and place them in one seed starting hole,,,'' DONT COVER THEM UP... LET THEM LAY ON TOP OF THE SOIL....
and with a mist spray bottle just mist each hole daily until you see sproutage,,,
but the consitency of the soil is crucial
i try to use the finest starting soil i can find, { the closer to looking like sand the better}.. no chunks, no big pieces of matter,, just fine sand ''composition like'' soil...
i put the seeds in a saucer, and with a moist Q-TIP,,,, grab about 3-5 seeds, with the q-tip and place them in one seed starting hole,,,'' DONT COVER THEM UP... LET THEM LAY ON TOP OF THE SOIL....
and with a mist spray bottle just mist each hole daily until you see sproutage,,,
but the consitency of the soil is crucial
ThomM
Member
Just a thought here, but has anybody tried cactus potting soil?
cowboyjames74
Well-Known Member
The seed are about two inches tall now and also started some big gems about a week ago that are starting to sprout.
Figuring on planting these in the garden maybe by april of 2012.
Figuring on planting these in the garden maybe by april of 2012.
BarG
Founding Member
Check out BigBonners method for seed germination in a recent post on that subject. I plan on trying that myself this year.
dkh2
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I live in Washington State and because of the weather I start my Tobacco around the first of April
and transplant in the middle of May so there in the pot for around six weeks I've used 12 oz sized Styrofoam cups
with no problem and those peat moss cups about the same size but I prefer the Styrofoam cups so I can transplant
the whole root wad
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