"If not peat, what is the medium comprised of? I can't see enough of the label to know which of the many Scotts products this might be. From that little bit I can see in the bag, it looks like it is all organic matter of some kind. Maybe coir?" My apologies for the delay. Here's a closer look at the bag:

This is my first year winter sowing. I'm using milk jugs, beverage bottles (2 liter and 24oz), and a few plastic containers I had saved for seed germinating and rootings indoors. Unfortunately, we don't go through a lot of milk or know anyone that does, so the soda bottles were needed... and I just happened to have a stash already cleaned and cut from a self-watering planter project last year. I did see something somewhere about putting regular planting pots in a large "treasure bag" (?) from a dollar store. Put holes in the bottom of the bag for drainage, and perhaps a skewer or something that's clean and doesn't mold when moist sticking up to keep the bag from collapsing. The posting I read said to use the tops of water bottles (well, any beverage bottle, I'd think), and sit those on the pot. Then use a rubber band to secure the bag to the bottle's neck, leaving the opening open. I wish I could remember where I read that... Here's a link that might be useful. I'm going to try it this year for my clematis seeds. The site is about clematis, and since most need stratification, I figured this method of germination would work for winter sowing. Seems easy enough. http://www.bcollingwood.com/Germination.htm

> Keep in mind that NO tree will be at its best indoors. All trees are native outdoors somewhere on the planet. > If your winters are harsh, certain trees must be kept indoors out of necessity. Requirements for various trees will vary a lot. You need to join a club or read reference books to find out what your individual tree needs. > Five basic elements influence a tree's growth and health: water, temperature, relative humidity, light intensity and air circulation. Lack of a necessary element will inhibit growth and possibly encourage pests or disease. > Some trees will survive in average household temperatures with some added humidity and supplemental lighting. > Others require a cooler environment that can be provided in an attic or unheated room. > Some trees need to have good air circulation. > Many enthusiasts (who must grow tropicals and subtropicals indoors in the winter) put their trees outside in warm weather to give them a chance to thrive. > One of the easier trees to cultivate indoors is the ficus. Ficus come in several varieties suitable for bonsai including weeping (benjamina), mistletoe (diversifolia) and creeping (pumila). > Scheffleras and jades (either crassula or portulacaria) are relatively easy to maintain. > Among trees that will grow indoors and may flower are snow rose (serissa), brush cherry (eugenia), natal plum (carissa), dwarf geranium (pelargonium), Chinese sweet plum (sageretia), fukien tea (ehretia) and fuchsia. These take more than average care and probably should not be attempted by a beginner. > Many plants that are treated as houseplants can be trained as bonsai. These include some dracaenas, false aralia (dizygotheca), ming aralia (polyscias) and china doll (radermachera).

It sounds like tap water, other than the very high Na content. I wouldn't use it for your plants, especially since high pH is much more often a problem than low pH, especially in well-established plantings. Distilled water, rain water, dehumidifier or air conditioner condensate, snowmelt, RO water systems, are all good sources of water for plants. BTW - Na is an element needed for normal growth in plants, but it is used by the plant in miniscule amounts and becomes toxic at levels only slightly higher than what's needed. IOW, it's a fine line between adequate and toxic. Good luck! Al