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need2seegreen

anybody tried layering over compost?

Hello:

I am going to start some tomato seeds. (I am already late!) I've been reading on here and I've been pretty convinced that I should either buy a seed starter mix, or make my own from vermiculite, perlite, and milled spagnum. (I already have vermiculite and perlite, but people seem to think the peat-y stuff is important, I guess to prevent dampening off? I am a little worried b/c I am new at tomatoes and have never tried heirlooms. The hybrid seeds I threw in actual dirt last year all sprouted, but that doesn't mean these will.)

But, I read in an (old-ish) seed starting book that you could layer things, for example, a layer of vermiculite over a layer of compost, with something that drains well on the bottom. I gather the seed would go somewhere in the vermiculite layer. (Note: my compost isn't real compost, it's some nice dirt I buy in a bag at the indie nursery.)

Does that sound like a terrible idea? I was kind of intrigued and I haven't seen anyone mention it here. Maybe I will put most things in the mix, and just use the layering on a couple of things.

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