Best medium for seed raising

[greentoe]

I'm really confused by products such as rockwool and coco coir as a seed raising medium. Are they only used in hydro setups? what are their pros/cons?

Previously I've only tried basic outdoor grows but this grow season I'm experimenting a bit and starting my seedlings under lights indoors and moving them outdoors after 2-3 months depending on their growth. I've only ever used a typical seed raising mix from Bunnings, with a roughly 90% success rate, but from my research I've noticed everyone doing an indoor grow uses rockwool or coco coir(?). I will not be germinating in the medium, I will be hand watering while indoors and watering with a drip system while outdoors and will be growing unrestricted in the ground while outdoors too. Should I just stick to the good ol' seed raising mix?

Also those of you who use seed mix, how much do you usually use? Last year I filled a 120mm pot whereas someone else here only filled the cardboard of an empty toilet paper roll (apparently very useful for easy transplanting)

 

Thanks in advance,
Greentoe

[louise]

If you are getting reasonable results in seed raising mixture, I'd stay with it... on the other hand if the plants are going to be raised under lights for a couple of months, coco might be a better option than seed raising mix as the vegging is a bit faster in coco. Bear in mind, that for best results, you will need to buy some coco specific nutrients to feed the plants while they are in the pots.

 

On the pot size to use for seedlings... smaller is better, the little cups I use have a diameter similar to a toilet roll core, but only half the height. With smaller starting pots the temperature and moisture levels of the planting medium are easier to maintain and you can get a lot of sprouts under a fairly small light.

[ehle_fan]

Coir pellets, my job is done here.

[mastertig]

personally i like jiffys

other than that

if iw as to make me own seed raising mix

id combine worm poo and some perlite

but unless u got a worm farm i go jiffys every time

i find the jiffys have enuff goodness in em to keep seeds going to 3 or 4 sets of leafs

generally thats wen i start feeding them a low ec feed and some beneficials wen i have them

all the best

[greentoe]

Thanks for the info,

I heard jiffys retain water too well and I think I'm prone to over watering my babies, so I might steer clear of them.
I'd rather not do the entire first 2-3 months in only coir as they'll be going into soil eventually when they're outdoors but coir pellets look perfect. Will I not need any coir specific nutrients if I transfer the pellets into soil filled pots after 2 weeks as I can just use regular nutrients after that time?

Edited August 9, 2014 by greentoe