How To Start Tomato Seeds - part 2

So now we know what seeds to start, lets look at what we are starting them in. There are so many options, you can go with whatever works best for you. Here are some of what I am using this year:

Clockwise:
Peat Pellets: Compressed peat formed into a pellet and surrounded by mesh. When you get it wet it expands and when you are ready you can just put the whole thing in the soil. Pros - These are simple to use and you can find them in most garden/home centers. Cons - they are made of peat and that is a dwindling resource; despite the claims, you needs to remove the plastic mesh surrounding the pellets when you plant it; I've pulled up plants where the roots barely extended beyond the pellet. This year I am using these for my peppers and a few other plants

Peat pots: Peat is compressed into the shape of a pot which can be planted directly into the ground. Pro - can be planted into the ground I guess. Cons - In reality, you have to break the pot up before you plant it. When it dries out it becomes very hard and almost impossible to completely saturate again. The plant roots have a hard time breaking through the pot. I got a deal on a bunch of these many years ago - I still have some and use them occasionally.

Coir: This is a fiber from the husk of the coconut. It is formed into pots and pellets just like peat. Pros- can be planted into the soil. It is a renewable resource unlike peat. Cons - You may not be able to find it. This is my first year using these products so I'm sure I'll discover some. This is what my tomatoes will be planted in this year.

Plastic pots: These are generally what you get when you purchase seed starting kits and supplies. It's also what most garden centers use. Pros - simple and easy to use. Just fill with mix and drop your seeds in and go. Most sizes are standardized. Come in a variety of sizes. Cons - these are made from plastic so and that is always a pain to deal with. Plants can become root bound before you plant them. Roots can become damaged when you remove them from the pots. I use a lot of these for flowers.

Lastly, you need to start you seeds in some sort of mixture. I don't use straight soil nor do I recommend it. Too many risks- disease, drainage, drying, etc. I use commercially available mixtures. I have no brand loyalty at all, whatever seed starting mixture happens to be on sale at the moment. I try to stay away from the ones with fertilizer because I try to be organic as possible, but have used them in the past. You can also make your own soil-less mixture. Peat, pearlite, vermiculite, sand etc. Play around with the proportions and you can discover what works best for you. I've done this in the past and it seems to work fine. I've gone to commercial mixtures out of convenience. Maybe I'm just getting lazy as I get older, or maybe it was all the sneezing after mixing the stuff up.