Why does nobody talk about how a $4 bag of dollar store seed starting mix beat my fancy $19 bag for 3 trays straight | Balcony Vegetable Gardens - HW Forums
Did you check what's actually in the cheap stuff? A lot of those dollar store mixes are just peat and perlite with barely any fert, which is why they drain so well and don't burn seedlings. The fancy bag probably has too much bark or compost that stays wet and turns sour after a few weeks. I've had the same thing happen, and honestly I just sift the cheap stuff now and add a little vermiculite if it looks too heavy.