best soil for starting seeds in?

nfimb

whats the best soil for starting seeds in. In the past i have used regular potting soil mixed with sphagnum moss and tiny rocks Although that was for flowers and that kind of thing.

Should i mix some bonsai soil with sphagnum moss and potting soil?
or just moss and soil?
Or what? what have you all used in the past?

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Gnome

nfimb,

For several years now I have been using the fines that remain when sifting my other components. After sifting to a 1/8" size I retain the fines and sift them again to 1/16" anything that falls through is discarded. What remains is a material that resembles my general mix but smaller, although it is too small for general use it is useful for seedlings and cuttings.

Norm

nfimb

Really? that sounds easy enough.

kcpoole

I have used a 50/50 mix of "sharp Potting Sand" and Dried Peat moss

Both available from the big hardware stores in samll quantities

Ken

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When engineers work out how to make something Idiot proof, humanity invents a better Idiot

cship4885

I went looking for "sharp sand" a few months ago because I read about using it to germinate seeds in a book. But here can you get this "sharp sand." I've been to nurseries to plant stores to home maintanance sttores and have asked for "sharp sand" and no one seems to know what I am talking about. Then they look at me like I'm some kind of moron.

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Chris

waltr

Most people working in those stores are just cashiers. Also product names can be very localized or even associated with a particular brand so you may need to describe what you need rather than ask.

Try building sand that is used for mixing concrete. You may need to sift it to get the size you need but it is usually fairly cheap for the small quantities needed to start seeds.
Another source is paving sand used to set paving blocks for walks and patios. Again sift to get the size needed.

Another media for seed starting is the fines that are sifted out of Turface (or other calcined clay as Norm posted) mixed with vermiculite and sphagnum moss. I use this for seeds and cuttings.