Soil:

In a previous thread, someone was asking about Miracle Grow soil.

I have 7 pots.

Pot 1: very old soil left over from a previous gardening attempt before the turn of the century. result - last to sprout - a week later than the others.

Pots 2 & 3: Soil purchased last year and used for house plants. I had transplanted the plants from a root bound container into 4 pots and at the end of summer, the best two plants became my new living room house plants. The pots I used for my current gardening sat outside all winter. I removed the now dead house plants and planted my seeds. result - best sprouts and very nice growth.

Pots 4, 5, 6 & 7: newly purchased soil. result - quick to sprout and slow to grow since.

All were under the same game conditions otherwise: same water, same sun

So was it all Miracle Grow?

Yes, it was all Miracle Grow.

Update:

Pot # 1 although late sprouting has good looking sprouts and they have now outgrown pots 4, 5, 6 & 7.

So far it looks like used older soil is better for the little babies.

They are still outside, but hopefully I will finish preparing my grow room today or tomorrow. (The room is a mess and had to be cleared of 15 years of junk. So far, 4 large bags of old clothes and 3 bags of trash and I am only 1/3 done with the cleaning. definitely 3 or 4 more bags of trash and another bag or 2 of old clothes (which I will donate to the Vets) + some large items to be trashed. But, the good part is I found some things that are keepers, like old school photos of my children and a nice 30+ year old pipe.

I would love to keep them outside (as my neighbors - non-tokers - would find it more of a curiosity than something to report), but the little grandchildren should be visiting to play in the yard soon. At that point my 21 year old, who still lives here, would finally notice and get paranoid. Plus, everyone in town knows of my habits, including police (who leave me alone at this stage in life) and I would be foolish to be blatant.

Anyway, so far it looks like the Miracle Grow soil is a bad idea for seedlings. Next time, I will use old soil for this stage.

I'll keep posting as to the progress in the different soils.

Right now i am using miracle grow moisture control and it has been great so far. my plants are about three weeks old and no problems. it has MG ferts in it but i keep them watered prob a little more than i need to just to make sure the dont get burned while they are so young. but thats a good experiment. good post

Ok. My babies are indoors. Pray for a successful conversion.

As for the soil. It is not that pots 4, 5, 6 & 7 are bad - just slower growth. they look healthy, but a week and a half behind (out of 3 weeks) as compared to pots 2 and 3. Pot 1 after starting slow is looking good and now ahead of 4, 5, 6 & 7. It is growing at the same rate as 2 & 3 did, but just started a week later. Time to vegetate. Pots 2 & 3 are on their 3rd set of real leaves.

I read about the molasses and will try it at the right stage. Sounds easy to keep without suspicion.

A friend has a question: If he grows in his bedroom, will the TV light have an affect? I think that bedroom is a bad idea since you may want to invite someone into it, but I would love to smell it as I sleep. (I may be old, but I am not dead.)