Addition of organic material to sandy soils with low organic matter levels (<10 mg kg^-1 organic matter) have increased organic matter and resulted in appreciable increases in sugarcane growth and cane and sugar yields. However, an optimum level of soil organic matter is not yet determined. In this preliminary study, six of 12 bulk soil samples collected from a commercial cane farm were selected to give increasing organic matter levels: 7.7, 11.1, 14.1, 21.0, 24.7, and 32.3 mg kg^-1.  The two most commonly grown sugarcane varieties, CP 78-1628 and CP 80-1743 were respectively grown in 15-cm diameter PVC tubes measuring 150 cm in length, each containing 15-kg soil. Number of days to germination of one-node seed canes, height of cane seedling at the top visible dewlap (TVD), rate of growth of the seedlings, number of leaves, and shoot biomass at 80 days after planting was measured. There were no differences in number of leaves (avg. 3) and tillers avg. 6) between cultivars and among soil organic matter levels. Number of days to emergence differed were similar for the two cultivars, except at the highest organic matter level where CP 78-1628 emerged after 7 days versus 9 days for CP 80-1743. Rate of growth (Plant height at TVD) differed between cultivars with 4.3 and 2.8 mm/day for CP 78-1628 and CP 80-1743, respectively. Shoot growth rate varied among cultivars (38.3 and 29.8 for CP 78-1628 and CP 80-1743, respectively) and organic matter level. Greater shoot growth rate was obtained at 11.1 mg kg^-1 (46.3 mm/day) than in the others that did not differ (avg. 30.9 mm/day). Study suggests that while increasing organic matter improved sugarcane seedling growth, responses and optimal levels may vary among production parameters and cultivars.