Miracle gro seed starter mix

So I bought a bag of miracle gro seed starter mix. It's just peat moss, so I thought. I germinated 2 seed, paper towel method. when they sprouted a tap root, I put them into solo cups with a 50/50 mix of perlite and seed starter mix. Both of the seeds made it to the top of the soil then stopped before the husks came off. And they just stayed there. So, being the curious person that I am, I gently pulled the seedlings out of the medium. They came right up. No resistance at all! When I looked at the tap roots, the ends were curled up and did not look happy. Now I was really curious, so I looked at the bag of starter peat moss, and low and behold, the stuff is enriched with miracle gro food!!! So this just leads me to believe that the SEED starter "mix" is too hot for the seedlings. WTF!!! has anyone else had any experience with this stuff? I have 2 more seeds germinating now and they will be going into a 50/50 coco/perlite mix this time. I already have 2 in there that just started veg. About 3 weeks old and started the training on them last night. These two were started in used/depleted soil, basically inert soil. so there was no way they were going to burn. Now they are in miracle gro cactus, palm, citrus mix at about 70/30 soil/perlite and happy as heck! The food that is in this mix isnt the "feeds for 6 months" stuff. Just enriched with the nutients outa the bag. And the ratio is 0.6-0.2-0.4 so half of that is 0.3-0.1-0.2 which is found to be the optimum ratio for cannabis (3-1-2 or so I have read)

so far under 4 x 32.5w cfl 2700k 2600lm each and 1 x 23w (I think) 5000k just for spectrum diversity and 20/4 light schedule. I have 4 more 32.5w bulbs for flower.

Some pics

i made the same mistake years ago....i now use a 3 part mix,1/3 perlite,1/3 worm castings,1/3 peat moss

What nutrients do you use throughout the grow? I am really interested in organic growing, but I dont have the space for no-till, but I was looking into blending a supersoil. How do your girls like that mixture? Is it easy to work with throughout the grow? I went with miracle gro cause it was cheap and easy. It's been a few years since I grew last so I wanted an easy go for this reintroduction.

gassex444 said:

i made the same mistake years ago....i now use a 3 part mix,1/3 perlite,1/3 worm castings,1/3 peat moss

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Do the worm castings start feeding the plant right away or does the mix have to set to give that micro life a head start?

longarms90 said:

Do the worm castings start feeding the plant right away or does the mix have to set to give that micro life a head start?

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Buy a bag of Black Gold Seedling Mix. OMRI compliant so organic. I germinate directly in Dixie cups full. No weirdness.

Ya stay away from Miracle Grow. I also just plant seeds directly in soil, no paper towels. Just keep it moist. Good luck.

hotrodharley said:

Buy a bag of Black Gold Seedling Mix. OMRI compliant so organic. I germinate directly in Dixie cups full. No weirdness.

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One of my first grows I used black gold, it was truly a nice soil. I cant seem to find it anywhere anymore. I usually sew my seeds directly into soil as well, but this time around I did things a little different.

PadawanWarrior said:

Ya stay away from Miracle Grow. I also just plant seeds directly in soil, no paper towels. Just keep it moist. Good luck.

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I've used miracle gro with success in the past, not bad soil as long as it doesnt "feed for 6 months" like some of their stuff does.

I think when my two seeds germinate I may go with coco and perlite for seedlings and try out adding worm castings for the rest of the grow (1 gal transplant then 3 gal transplant) organic sounds like a nice way to go. No chemicals, I've never tried organic growing, but I hear it produces the best flavored buds when done right. Does anyone know if I can replace the peat moss with coco in an organic setup? I know coco is natural, but isnt ot best suitable for hydro?

The problem with miracle grow is it's full of chemicals which will kill your micro herd. If your thinking about growing organically, you should read "Teaming with Microbes". You should be able to find it around here. It taught me a lot. And yes you can use either peat or coco with organics. I happen to be using recycled peat based Ocean Forest.

Peat is organic you know. Yes you can go organic in peat or coco but be aware you have to stay on top of coco. You can’t let it dry out completely and it will. It’s easy to use but requires regular feeding. Not the best choice if you want to leave town for a couple of days.

I have been looking into no-till a lot lately and live soils. I dont think I have the means for no-till yet but the idea of naturally living soil is where I want to head next grow. I know MG soil and even their perlite is "enriched" with their chemical fertilizers. It didn't use to bother me, I was going to do a hydro setup this go around but settled with the best, loose term, MG i thought would work. But now o am really interested in organics and feeding the soil, not the plant. Looks like o have another 3 months or so to figure it out. I am going to veg what I have growing another month, training along the way, then switch to flower. Thanks for the info on coco. I've never used it so I dont know the properties of it or how it acts so this is good to know.

I just reused the Ocean Forest I'm using now to experiment with No Till and my plants are way happier this round than last and seem to be flowering faster. I've mainly just used Earth Juice since Sep 1 when I got the soil and no ph up or down. I let my soil buffer the ph. But if I knew more when I first filled my pots, I would of added some lava rock or at least perlite for extra drainage. But I haven't had any trouble even though I didn't lighten it up.

PadawanWarrior said:

I just reused the Ocean Forest I'm using now to experiment with No Till and my plants are way happier this round than last and seem to be flowering faster. I've mainly just used Earth Juice since Sep 1 when I got the soil and no ph up or down. I let my soil buffer the ph. But if I knew more when I first filled my pots, I would of added some lava rock or at least perlite for extra drainage. But I haven't had any trouble even though I didn't lighten it up.

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Hell ya that's what I like to hear. That's a nice easy take on no till. Reusing the organic soil and just reamend a little. Did you pull the old roots or replant in the same pot? I was thinking if I did no till I'd add some worm castings, I hear they have some worm cocoons in them, and maybe buy some night crawlers from the bait shop to boost the decomposition of the organic matter. Are you going to add a cover crop to your pots?

longarms90 said:

Hell ya that's what I like to hear. That's a nice easy take on no till. Reusing the organic soil and just reamend a little. Did you pull the old roots or replant in the same pot? I was thinking if I did no till I'd add some worm castings, I hear they have some worm cocoons in them, and maybe buy some night crawlers from the bait shop to boost the decomposition of the organic matter. Are you going to add a cover crop to your pots?

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Red wigglers. Not nightcrawlers. I reuse repeatedly but only after letting it weather a while. Also consider adding beneficial microbes to help recharge the soil. I don’t recommend immediate replanting into a container of medium you just used.

Thanks for clearing up the worm choice. I'll have to read up on that, for my own brain bank. I think I'll start building a soil soon so I can get it swimming with micro life by next month. I want to veg the plants I have now and then put them outside in the live soil. If I cant gett ot ready in time before the flowering season starts, then I'll grow a cover crop of clovers or somthing and keep it going until next years season comes around.

longarms90 said:

Hell ya that's what I like to hear. That's a nice easy take on no till. Reusing the organic soil and just reamend a little. Did you pull the old roots or replant in the same pot? I was thinking if I did no till I'd add some worm castings, I hear they have some worm cocoons in them, and maybe buy some night crawlers from the bait shop to boost the decomposition of the organic matter. Are you going to add a cover crop to your pots?

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No, I didn't pull the roots out. I tried to leave the soil as undisturbed as possible and just planted new plants in 5 of my pots. The other 4 are sitting downstairs weathering as hotrodharley puts it. I've been using Earth Juice, and making teas with it and some worm castings. I'm also using Build a Soil's Craft Blend as an amendment and Hygrozyme to help breakdown the roots. I think my microbes probably do enough on their own without Hygrozyme, but use a little anyways. And no, I didn't add a cover crop. I'm with hotdogharley though about not immediately replanting if you can help it.

gassex444 said:

i made the same mistake years ago....i now use a 3 part mix,1/3 perlite,1/3 worm castings,1/3 peat moss

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What about lime?

longarms90 said:

Thanks for clearing up the worm choice. I'll have to read up on that, for my own brain bank. I think I'll start building a soil soon so I can get it swimming with micro life by next month. I want to veg the plants I have now and then put them outside in the live soil. If I cant gett ot ready in time before the flowering season starts, then I'll grow a cover crop of clovers or somthing and keep it going until next years season comes around.

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I didn't realize you were talking about getting your outside soil ready. I thought you were talking about indoors. If I was growing outdoors I'd do a cover crop probably too. Ya start building your micro life. EWC Tea adds lots of good stuff. And as long as you don't use chemicals when you fertilize, the soil will just get better with time. I learned this awhile ago growing in my back yard.

PadawanWarrior said:

I didn't realize you were talking about getting your outside soil ready. I thought you were talking about indoors. If I was growing outdoors I'd do a cover crop probably too. Ya start building your micro life. EWC Tea adds lots of good stuff. And as long as you don't use chemicals when you fertilize, the soil will just get better with time. I learned this awhile ago growing in my back yard.

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I wouldn't replay right away either I figured you have to let the microbes and fungus break down the old roots as they die. Probably makes for a killer compost once it's all broken down. I'm assuming you need to keep watering those pots thought right? To keep the soil alive and happy. Ya I want to grow a plant or two on my porch in a 12 gallon tub, But I want to make it an organic living soil grow and just keep it alive in the off season with a ryegrass or clover cover crop. that's why I've been looking so hard Into no-till. I'm in the inland hills of so cal so it gets really hot in the summer. I am looking for the best option. And that way i can keep reusing the soil I make and just reamend every year. But if all goes well I'd like to use the same soil indoor too. I just hear you get the best flavor and aroma with an all organic grow.

PadawanWarrior said:

No, I didn't pull the roots out. I tried to leave the soil as undisturbed as possible and just planted new plants in 5 of my pots. The other 4 are sitting downstairs weathering as hotrodharley puts it. I've been using Earth Juice, and making teas with it and some worm castings. I'm also using Build a Soil's Craft Blend as an amendment and Hygrozyme to help breakdown the roots. I think my microbes probably do enough on their own without Hygrozyme, but use a little anyways. And no, I didn't add a cover crop. I'm with hotdogharley though about not immediately replanting if you can help it.

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So when you reamend your soil after the first grow is it just teas and top dressing?