I have been having trouble getting seeds to germinate and I wonder if a seed specific medium (I have read that peat moss/vermiculite/perlite is the basic recipe) works better than soil to germinate seeds. Is this true, what is everybody's experience with this? I ask because it is not a simple matter of going to the local garden store to try it. I live on one of the smaller Hawaiian islands and our little hardware store does not sell any of the three at all, or any seed starting mix consistently; I found Miracle Gro seed starting mix there once but haven't seen it since. Is ordering the ingredients online to make seed starting mix worth it? I am growing a container garden for herb and veg that I can not get fresh if at all on my island. I have had some success but I would like to do better in the future. Thank you.

Hi, ConstanceReader

I'm sorry I missed this message earlier. It sounds like it can be challenging to procure some things in your beautiful state.

I'm not sure it would be worth your ordering the individual components if you wish to make your own seed starting mix, especially if you have to have them shipped. What types of things do you have access to? One thing you might consider is using a standard potting mix, but filling the top of your seed starting trays or pots with vermiculite, which is much finer and would prevent your really small seeds from getting lost in a coarser mix. It might be more practical to just add 1/4 inch to the top of whatever else you are using in your pots. A lot of seeds are not as fussy as many people think. I grow about 1000 seedlings of herbs and veggies each year for our master gardeners group. While I use seed-starting mix usually, I don't think it's absolutely necessary.

Honestly, I have direct sown some things (especially larger seeds, such as cucumbers/squash), or found that they can tolerate a coarser/heavier mix than small seeds if starting in pots.

Pro Mix is very good. A growing mix or seed starting mix would work better than soil usually.

Try looking for local feed stores or growers supply, or a local nursery as possible places to source it. Perhaps even landscaping firms if that doesn't work. On a small island you might not find a growers mix in stock at a retail store, but places that grow on a larger scale might be able to order you some.

The other option is to work up a spot in the ground to make a seedling bed - getting the soil soft, nutritious and well draining.

And in a real pinch, use whatever you have but line the bottoms of your pots with plenty of rock to ensure that heavier soil can't get waterlogged. Growing in cloth bags instead of plastic can also help with that.

I also use ProMix. After I finish using or re-using it indoors, I take the "spent" Pro-Mix out to my outdoor garden for incorporation in my outdoor soil. Some people object to using peat moss-based products like Pro-Mix because it is not "renewable". Which, technically, it is not. But neither are oil, gas, and coal. And the washed river sand that I add to my garden soil is probably not "renewable" either. I'm not sure about that. And I won't get into whether I, myself, am "renewable". However, I don't think my use of peat moss will destroy the planet. I certainly hope not. But this is a political issue in Canada, who have the peat moss deposits.

ZM