International Journal of Horticulture, 2025, Vol.15, No.5, 208-217 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 209 An ideal growing medium should have an adequate water-air ratio, adequate drainage, good aeration, low soluble salt concentration, and stronger cation exchange capacity (Bagci et al., 2011; Hazarika et al., 2022). These properties greatly influence root development, germination rates, and overall seedling vigor (Abad et al., 2002; Bilderback et al., 2005; Periasamy and Duraisamy, 2017). Furthermore, the use of well-formulated growing media reduces the risk of soil-borne diseases, promoting healthier seedling emergence (Mathowa et al., 2016). Since this topic has minimal research in individual regions, particularly in Nepal’s midhill areas, such as Kaski District. This study aimed to identify the most effective growing media for tomato seedling production under the mid-hill conditions of Nepal by evaluating seed germination traits and seedling vigor across seven substrate combinations. By determining the optimal substrate formulation, the study seeks to enhance nursery management practices, promote the production of healthy and vigorous seedlings, and ultimately contribute to improved tomato yield and productivity in the region. 2 Materials and Methods 2.1 Experimental site and conditions The experiment was conducted at Birauta-17, Pokhara, Kaski, in a naturally ventilated plastic greenhouse. The site's geographical location was 28° 12' 47.693'' N latitude and 83° 58' 16.596'' E longitude with an elevation of 800 m above sea level (Figure 1). The average temperature and relative humidity inside the greenhouse during the study period were approximately 28 °C to 35 °C and 70% to 80%, respectively. Figure 1 Map of the study area 2.2 Experimental design and treatments The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), with three replications. Seven treatments of growing media i.e., T1 - soil (control), T2 - cocopeat + vermicompost (1:1), T3 - cocopeat + perlite (1:1), T4 - soil
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