Lessons in seed starting soil.

Because of generally decent price and constant availability,  i normally use Miracle Grow Seed starting mix.  After i used up most of the Miracle Grow i bought a bag of Pro Mix potting soil and continued seeding.  The Pro Mix seedlings look very different than the MG seedlings.

This is two seedlings of Ancient Sweet peppers growing in Pro Mix



And these are Snapper sweet peppers and Raveena eggplant growing in MG




Also,  my tomato seedlings have also  had a purple tinge to the underside of their leaves when grown in MG, though MG SS mix claims to have extra nitrogen in it.  I can't seem to get that color to show up well in pictures.



Now the eggplant and peppers in the peat pots...   it could have something to do with that and the fact that the Ancients are in a paper tray,  but its pretty drastic for that to make such a difference.

So,  even though the Pro Mix was not labeled for seed starting ( i forget the exact product,  but i'll remember the packaging for next year)  i'll be using it next year instead of the MG.  I sterilize it anyway when i wet the soil in a bucket.

No more Miracle Grow.

Seedlings

I've got one parsley seedling finally up



one pair of Zsa Za peppers



Tea Hibiscus



Then the Raveena eggplant and Snapper peppers



Looks like none of the Brussels sprouts are coming up,  though the broccoli are already germinated.  I took the Brussels out of my garden plan because i just don't care.  I removed them so i could put the Minnesota Midget melons in their place.  I'll save the pots for cucumbers or something.

I'd like to get some tomatoes started today.  My Ancient sweet peppers were mailed out on Friday,  so i should see them in a couple more days.  I'll want to start them as soon as they come in the mail.  If they just happen to come today,  i'll definitely make time for tomatoes and them.

Seeds....just a couple more.

And i do mean just a couple...

My Zsa Zsa peppers have not come up,  but the others have.  Never did have luck with Zsa Zsa.  I think in three tries i got plants once. Even with a heat pad,  nothing is happening.  The other sweet peppers (Snapper) have been up for days now.  I found out about a sweet pepper called Ancient Sweet (possibly heirloom?  -depends on the info source) that  i'd like to try, so i ordered some.  They are supposed to be about 1.5 times sweeter than red bells.  So why not try them instead.  I imagine that even if they don't ripen all the way,  they will be quite sweet at the green stage as well.  If they are not hybrids,  i can save the seeds.  They weren't as cheap as i'm used to.

Also,  while going thoroughly over the Pinetree website,  i found a melon called Minnesota Midget. Its a tiny, sweet melon on 3 foot vines.  Its inspired me to try melons just one more time.  Its a 60 day melon,  so i may have a shot.

Hubby won't be too happy because i had to transfer a couple dollars to buy them,  i'm already well over my share of the paycheck this week. However,  it cost less than one take-out lunch...which i never have but he does. lol

Oh,  and i started some Goji seeds for my mom.  Four pots,  3-5 seeds each.  If seedlings fail and my plants survived their first winter,  my other option is cuttings.

Finally!

I got some seeds started.  

I planted in pots:

3 Snapper sweet peppers
3 Zsa Zsa sweet peppers
a tray of Italian Flatleaf parsley

...and i thought i was going to plant 3 pots of Raveena eggplant and three Slim Jim eggplant until i realized i was completely out of Slim Jim seeds.  *doh*
In my defense,  eggplant seeds are so thin its hard to tell if a packet is empty until you shake it...
Soooo...
I planted
6 Raveena eggplant.

I had just enough seed to put 3 in each pot.

These seeds all like heat,  so i have them in one flat on top of my new heat mat.

If i finally have good luck with the eggplant and peppers this year i'll have to reorder them.  If not,  perhaps i will try  some new varieties.