Miracle Gro Seed Starting Mix - Will damping off occur?

I have had really good luck this year with Jiffy Mix but I sent my husband to the store to get me some more and he brought home Miracle Gro Seed Starting Potting mix - I am a little uneasy about using it because of past experiences with DAMPING OFF. Please reply with any helpful info.

Thanks!

If you're worried about it, then I'd sterilize it before you use it. I've used MG seed starting mix though (without sterilizing) and haven't had problems.

How does one sterilize soil-less mix? Thank you again for your help.

the soiless mixes come sterilized already-is that what you have? Is it a peat based mix with perlite in it?

cakenyon, here is a post about sterilizing the mixes, by Critterologist, who has written a bunch of great articles on seed starting. Check out what she says, then click on her user name and look up the series of articles she has written. They have some FANTASTIC information in them!

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/698084/

I have had much less trouble with damping off now that I sterilize my mix in the microwave, and also add a couple of T. of hydrogen peroxide to the water I use to water my seedlings. I also have a spray bottle with a little peroxide in it, to mist the surfaces.

HTH!
Angie

And here is her article on preventing damping off, so you don't have to search for it!

http://davesgarden.com/guides/articles/view/277/

After losing a flat to damping off, then trying her methods, using the same brand of soil and seeds as before, I am now a believer in her methods!

Well I just lost 2 flats to damping off and I was using the MG seed starting mix.

I'm going to try and start two more flats with this mix, and hopefully now that I understand just how much to water that I won't have that same problem.

I don't really think it is the soil as I have some other seedlings that I haven't overwatered and they are growing just fine.

Guess this is just newbie error, not the soils fault....LOL

here is my other flat and you can see only a few seeds have even come up.

here is the little tray of Zennia's that I didn't over water....

wow is easy to upload photos.