yes, I use it all the time. I don't get the one with moisture control.
Duane

whew- I bought the right one! Thanks -- time to start potting!

I got the moisture control this year. I had to buy perlite and vermiculate to get it under some control.

I've used it before and it did OK but I like 'Stay Green' potting soil mix a lot better for texture. It also seems to be finer. Its got a slow release plant food in it in small round pellets. I mix a lot of vermiculite and some perlite into it. If its seeds that damp off easily I cover the surface with very fine gravel or sharp sand. For very fine seeds or seeds that take over a year to break dormancy, I use sterile seed starter mix.

Anyone else ever have damping off problems? I've been trying to germinate Feather Dalea for three years and only a very few ever germinate and then they damp off. I've done the WS plastic greenhouses and tried them in 4" pots uncovered and direct sowed in a protected marked spot with fine potting soil. I've tried indoors and out and just about every variation I can come up with.

There are a few seed types (and these are fresh) I have tried in the past, each type more than once, that are just quite difficult to get them to make it past seedlings or germinate at all. Feather Dalea seems to be one of them. Another I am having trouble to get to germinate is Pine Muhly grass, Creosote Bush and some other kind of grass that is a haze of purple I get seeds of when they are ripe at the History Museum. I've tried simultaneously winter sowing and indoors warm. I have tried winter sowed and spring sowed thinking maybe they just won't be forced indoors. No luck.

I posed the same question last year around this time. I got lots of good suggestions. I ended up using a large bale of Pro Mix BX. I filled over 150 containers and had very good results. Here is a link to the post which I hope will help you.

Here is a link that might be useful: What is everyone using for seed starter mix?

I always use a professional mix- ProMix, Fafard, or Sunshine Mix.

If you go to your local nurseries and ask what they use for their own seed starting and container plants, it will most likely be a professional mix, not the MG type stuff they have on display for sale to shoppers. My local nurseries have always been happy to sell me a bag of their own professional mix. The place I've been buying for the last year or so charges me $14 for the giant bag of ProMix.

Karen

This is my 7th year WSing and I have always used the Expert mix from Walmart. I have never been a big fan of Miracle Grow so I started trying small bags of other kinds. Expert is inexpensive and I have always had good germination when using it. I have WSed as many as 750+ milk cartons/2 liter bottles in 1 year, so expense becomes a factor.

Karen, check my message out about Fafard that I posted today. I couldn't remember who used it..I know you'll have a good answer for me.

I posted to that one before I got to this one :-)

Karen

pippi21 - I'm the one who uses Fafard. Bale #1 is about gone and I brought bale #2 in from the garage a few days ago.

So what is it about the moisture control mix that makes it bad to use?

Mel--Usually in the winter/spring we get so much rain (at least where I live) that the soil with moisture control can actually keep it too wet to the point that the seeds are swimming.
Duane

ahh. thanks. So moisture control is actually moisture holding. :)

My guess is the moisture control mix has those moisture-retention crystals in it. This is probably good for an outdoor container in a hot dry climate. Not for winter-sowing containers where there is regular precipitation and seeds or tiny seedlings that don't transpire much water!

For the past couple years, I've ordered a big bale of Pro Mix from the local Ace Hardware - they have it shipped from the warehouse at no extra charge. They were about $32-34.

I remember the post from last year asking about which mix do people use. I remember the posts speaking well of Fafard. Up until now I have used miracle gro, but no more. All the comments about the large sticks and un-decomposed material are so right. I had never noticed it before, but this time I see it. I have a mind to send back to the company all the non-organic waste that I've found as well-plastic bits, metal, a piece of wire, plastic bag material. I have completed most of my WS already, but next year, I'm looking for fafard.

I've used MG with the moisture control for two years, since it is the only large bag potting mix available at my local big-name retailer. Here in western Michigan I've still had great results. I have just found a place that is listed as carrying Fafard, and I plan to get some, if they have it in stock, to see how much nicer it is. But, if they don't have any, I won't be too disappointed, because the MG really is adequate and a reasonable price--and a reasonable size.

Martha

Thanks everyone for your input. I started my containers yesterday with MG .. but didn't like all the big wood chips in it. So I did about 15 milk jugs, then went to my local nursery and got a Pro Mix. Big difference! No big wood chips at all! Luckily, it was 20% off so a 3CF bag was $14.00. I'm doing the rest with Pro Mix. Some seeds I'll duplicate in Pro Mix so I'll be able to tell which has a better germination rate.