i wandered into this topic by accident, and although i'm not greenman i can put a few pics of just germinated peppers in a bit grittier version of the 5-1-1, more like 4 parts bark,2 parts expanded clay and 1 part peat (i think it's white peat, it has a tiny bit of perlite mixed in by the manufacturer, we don't have sphagnum here).
this is the first time i've germinated them like this, these are some scotch bonnets, caribbean habaneros and piri piri. they weren't soaked or treated in any way before sowing, and they all came out in around 10 days. we'll see how they do from here, i think i'll have courage now to sow the more expensive kinds like this.
hope this helps a bit :)

you can see one coming up here just on the lower left from the center

I was about to ask this almost same question about seed starting soil recipe. Thank you for this thread.

I am also not greenmen but sharing my experience here and giving my opinion.

Nice sidling teyo.

I have used so many different recipes for this purpose.
First time I used only the peat moss (potting soils available in the super market) it was Okayed but I did not think it unlocked the potential of the plants. The soils were compacting and the roots growths were also too little I think.

I used coco coir and peat moss mix for sometimes but I do not like it, because coco coir's water retention type is not favorable for me.

After I have read Tapla Al's writings such as "Container Soils' Water Movement and Retention" and others, I started to think about soils' aeration and PWT.

Then for the first time I started experiment. I used 1 part perlite and 1 part potting soil. But the result was not very impressed because the soil dried so fast and most of the plants' growths were slow except Habanero, Goronong and Orzoco.

I used another recipe of 2 parts perlite, 1 part organic compost and 1part potting soil. The result remains as usual and had problematic experience of organic compost in the potting soil.

During these above experiments I have lost some of the plants.

Now I used Tapla Al's 5.1.1 I cannot tell the final result but the plants look very fresh.

Only my suggestion to you is if we used old soil we should be careful of soil related diseases, for seedling sterilized disease free soil should be one of the good options I think.

Caelian

Hey, guys.

Kevin, I like to make fresh mix to start seeds.
But, as Teyo shows, you can use a mix as coarse and open as the 5-1-1 to great effect.
I cover my seed-cells with plastic wrap to keep the moisture in the top of the mix,
then remove once they sprout.

An "Orchid Mix" is a decent seed-starting mix for anyone who has to purchase mix.
Although the ratios are off, the ingredients are often similar to the ingredients
found in 5-1-1. Adding extra Perlite and fresh Bark to "Orchid Mix" will stretch
the mix further, and improve aeration.

Bruce made a great save with his seedlings last year, using Orchid Mix, if I recall.

Josh

Yes Josh. Orchid Mix is what I will be using to start seeds this year. It is relatively expensive but for just starting seeds, you can get by with just a few bucks worth. It is quick easy and effective and as always it is tough to come across any pine bark or fir bark around here. In January, forget it. I am hoping to find it at the local Kmarts again this spring when they put out their garden centers in about April...just in time to mix it up for my containers.

But for anyone starting out trying to grow peppers from seed, I definitely recommend the Miracle Gro Orchid Mix. Usually can be found in the local Walmarts and Home Depots, even at this time of year.
Bruce

yeah i forgot to mention, of course the containers have to be covered or put in a plastic bag, or the mix will dry out rather fast compared to for instance standard seed starting mix. but unlike standard mixes there is no trace of fungus or anything, i used to have occasional problems with damping off etc. i find that the moisture distribution is much more even in this mix, and i'm sure the added aeration helps in germinating seeds.

Thanks everybody.

My CONTAINER peppers didn't do all that well with the 5-1-1 last summer(the thai is still trucking along though), but it sounds like a great medium for seedlings. So, I'm going that route. Still debating with myself to transfer to my organic oak barrels and/or the ground though once they finish infancy.

I might still try a couple with the 5-1-1 in buckets, but I better have greater production. I might have to go to larger containers when using the 5-1-1. I've read that 5 gal is plenty big enough but when I pulled mine, they were sorta root bound. Might be the extra long growing season.

Anyhow... happy seed starting!

Kevin

Kevin, they didn't grow well in 5-1-1, didn't fruit well or something else? I'm very interested as i plan to keep all peppers in it this year, mine did poorly in the ground last year, and great in containers in the previous years. But each time i pulled them out in the end of the season i noticed roots suffocated and rotted in the standard medium, so now i'm hoping for better root health in 5-1-1 :/

teyo: the thai did great, but it was my first time with that variety, so I can't compare. If I had planted is my raised plots or my oak barrels(organic media), I could compare. My naga and guajillo(5-1-1 5 gal buckets) did not perform well. The guajillo had stunted peppers and the naga, although tons of flowers and not much blossom drop, gave me very few fruit.

Some day( if conifer fines are ever cheaper) I might just try going with a 5-2-1-1 or something like that in my oak barrels (5 fines, 2 compost, 1 sphagnum and 1 coarse perlite. But this year, I'll try to have a superhot in all 3 media -- raised plot amended heavily with compost and fed organically, 1 in an oak barrel, potting mix amended heavily with compost, peat and perlite and fed organically and 1 in the 5-1-1 and fed synthetically. Maybe I can nail down what's the best for my area and situation.

But don't let me talk you out of using 5-1-1. I've seen the pics. Guys/gals have done great with it.

Kevin

This post was edited by woohooman on Fri, Jan 18, 13 at 3:18