Just plant at recommended depth, keep the surface damp until you see something break the surface. Water from the top with a light spray that won't disturb things. They should root themselves in just fine. Then you can start to transition to more plant like (and less seedling like) watering. These things want to grow, we just need to give them a chance. Update: added a link to an old discussion of small seeds and 5-1-1, but with reports that squash are just fine Here is a link that might be useful: small seeds in 5-1-1 This post was edited by johns.coastal.patio on Wed, May 7, 14 at 10:24

I am using a 50/50 mix of Turface and sphagnum peat for clivia seedlings, which take a very long time to be ready for moving into their "adult" quarters. Clivia seeds are different from most vegetable and flower seeds you might grow. They are very large and prone to fungal infections because of their slow growth. This mix is perfect because I can keep it damp but never soggy. The mix is fine enought that I believe even tiny seeds would not "fall through." I plan to use it for all my vegetable seedlings next spring. I've been growing five seedlings from a variegated Chinese clivia in this mix since August, and the mix has held up very well. The clay bulb pot the seedlings are growing in is on a heat mat. I water them every two or three days and fertilize weekly. Here's a photo of the mix after four months: Here are the seedlings: Variegated Chinese clivia seedlings are notoriously difficult to grow, but these are very healthy. I can get my finger into the mix all the way to the bottom of the pot, where I feel the strong roots. It's very "fluffy." I really like this mix.

Remember that I use the gritty mix and not the 5:1:1 mix for my houseplants. Also, I water almost everything on a 3 day rotation because I CAN, not necessarily because I have to. I'll explain. I have a few plants in containers so small they require watering every other day. Many of my plants can go much longer than 3 days between waterings, but to make things easier on me and to ensure nothing slips through the cracks, I water the rest on a 3 day rotation, whether the plants need it or not. THAT, is one of the benefits of using the gritty mix - it's so forgiving that you would really have to work at it to over-water. It's open poor structure due to large particle size ensures no, or VERY little, perched water ..... which is WHY it's so hard to over-water. FYI - in order to maximize water retention w/o a significant PWT, and in a perfect world, you would want porous and durable particles concentrated in the size range from slightly smaller than 1/8" to slightly larger than 1/4" or up to 3/8", with a small fraction of small particles to increase water retention additionally w/o adding any significant amount of perched water. A large disparity in particle size works against you. I compromise in this area all the time, using bark with the fines included and many chunky pieces larger than 3/8, but I keep a supply of bark that closest fits the profile I prefer on hand, and I'm always looking for 'the right stuff' when my supply starts to get low. I've found several brands and locations I can usually depend on to provide what I prefer, so keep your eyes peeled. I mentioned that because I think if you'd been lucky enough to find a bark product not so chunky, that there wouldn't be as much of an issue with toppling. Many of my plants are temporarily and mechanically secured to the pot by various methods. One reason is to prevent toppling because all of my plants are repotted in the summer when they're outdoors and in the wind. The other reason is plants secured against movement in relation to the pot establish anchorage in a fraction of the time required by unsecured plants. Bumping or jostling them, even turning them to water, can break large numbers of hair roots the plant needs for anchorage as well as taking up water and nutrients. In the end, I'd much rather see people approach the whole soil thing in a leisurely way instead of feeling pressured because of poor plants or new found information. There is no question in my mind that the more open soils offer plants MUCH greater opportunity to grow to their potential, but like you, we have to decide if they fit into our view of what's expected in terms of convenience. Keep fussing with your soils. I think you understand the concept, which is the important thing; if not, you're getting there fast, and it will always be a point of reference to help you diagnose any future problems you relate to your soils. I'll be glad to help whenever I can and as needed. Al

Hello and thanks Mike and Josh! I haven't tried 5:1:1, love gritty mix, but my variegated pink lemons don't? Mike, I'm taking your advice and trying 5:1:1 instead. The pink lemon is still in nursery soil and needs a bigger pot so it's time. Long as I'm making 5:1:1, my other trees currently growing in gritty mix are happy but really too heavy for me, so I'm going to try transplanting them. I also need to put them in plastic pots rather than ceramic-coated clay. I have the impression that 5:1:1 is much lighter weight, is that true?