Using an ice pick, I punch four or five holes in the bottom of a 5 oz. paper cup and punch some around the cup close to the bottom. I plant the seeds in dry Espoma according to the depth on the seed instructions. Then, I put the cups in a low plastic container (have used bakery shells rolls and cookies come in), and have the tray some peat moss cups came in. I fill the tray with about 1/2 to 1 inch of water from the bottom of the tray. When that tray dries out, I add more water. I use filtered water from the faucet. The water is soaked into the cups in several hours so it is fed water from the bottom up. This mix works starting some seeds after four days and longer of course according to other seeds needing a bit more time and most of the seeds will sprout, usually all of them. It grows lots of roots on the seedlings before you know it and need to transplant.
Espoma Seed Starter
For all seedlings and cuttings
Promotes root growth
Espoma Organic Seed Starter is a rich, premium blend of the finest natural ingredients and is specially formulated to grow seedlings and cuttings.
Contains
Sphagnum peat moss, peat humus, perlite, and is enhanced with Myco-tone, a blend of mycorrhizae that helps to promote root growth, increase nutrient and water uptake, and grow larger plants.
What is Myco-tone?
We have enhanced several of our mixes with Myco-tone, a proprietary blend of 11 different strains of mycorrhizae, which have been proven to promote root growth, increase water uptake, and reduce drought stress and transplant shock.
I had read that willow leaves liquid when crushed and soaked in hot water and cooled can be added to act like a root hormone for growth. Apparently its the salicylic acid in small amounts--same compound as in aspirin. Once I did try an aspirin diluted but I used too much and it killed the roots instead. For the mad plant scientists in us FReeps>>> ('