First Transplant Question

[frjeff]

Now that I (actually, mother nature) have actually germinated my first pepper seeds, I am a bit confused about the next step. It seems that I see the terms seed starter, soilless seed starer mix, potting soil and planting soil used rather interchangeably.

I started my germination in simple seed starter mix (soilless) - a sphagnum peat, vermiculite, perlite, lime and wetting agent mixture.

When it comes time for me to pot up (to a 3X3X3 pot or beer cup) from the tiny cells they are in now, do I put them in a regular potting soil (like Miracle Grow)?

From what I understand here, the mix I have them in currently for germination has little if any nutrients. I also have heard that they do not need much outside nutrients until they have a couple sets of real leaves (which is when I will pot up).

After the pot up, they will live and grow there until the end of May when they will be transplanted into the garden.

Does my confusion make any sense? Maybe I am confusing all of you.

Better yet, can anyone answer my confused question - into what medium do I pot these up when the time is right?

 

[woody3says]

Potting soil.

You can either put them into a prefertilized soil, like MG, or into a soil without ferts, like the Promix. If it has no ferts you will have to feed them.

 

[Hot Pooper]

NOOOOOOOO Miracle Grow!! Read up on it here on the forum. There are getting to be more and more people that hate the stuff. To that I add this...IF you use Miracle Gro anyways, do not use it to pot up. Only use it for their FINAL pot! If you put them in straight Miracle Gro as a seedling, you will most likely burn them and kill them. That is not a 100% guarantee, but you would stand a VERY good chance of that happening.
MY advice is this...pot up using the same material you have them in now. Personally, I would suggest Pro Mix as a mix to use when you pot up and/or when you put them into their final pot. Whats good about Pro Mix, and similar stuff, is the fact that YOU can control what they eat. If you put in Miracle Gro, someone has already chosen that for you.
Just my $.02.