Gary's Mailbag

December 15, 2019 My email inbox is always overflowing with landscape and garden questions wanting my advice and tips on being a successful gardener. Today I’m going to answer a couple and probably help you out too. Hey doc, I want to start my own tomatoes from seed, what tips can you give me to John, Merigold, MS John, great question. A fantastic way to get start is with a cell tray and clear dome, sometimes they’re called a seed starting greenhouse, and have everything needed to grow more than enough seedlings for your garden. Your local garden center will have the supplies you need. Follow the directions and next spring and summer you’ll be enjoying fresh, home-grown tomatoes. Gary, I want to start growing in containers like you are always talking about. What kind of “dirt” should I put into the pots? Lorraine, Bay St. Louis, MS Lorraine, to be successful growing in containers you have to use potting mix made for containers which is much different than regular garden soil. When choosing a container potting mix, I always look for these ingredients. Sphagnum peat or coir (coconut fiber) adds bulk and substance while being extremely light weight and has good water holding capacity. And perlite and/or vermiculite, which provides aeration and improves water drainage. Use a potting mix with these ingredients, and you’ll be sure to grow like a pro. So keep sending me those questions to southerngardening@msstate.edu and I’ll keep answering them as fast as I can. I’m horticulturist Gary Bachman and I’ll see you next time on Southern Gardening.