Seedling Soil

[Durgan]

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?BCJYP 31 May 2012 Seedling soil.

It was a nice day and all the ingredients were available, so it was decided to make seedling soil for the 2013 season. The underlying nutrient soil was the compost heap. It was modified using some knowledge and information from previous subjective experience.Ingredients added to the basic underlying compost was, coconut coir, mason sand, some garden earth, wood chip shavings, a bit of urea. My mental process was this. Coconut coir for moisture retention. Mason sand to inhibit coagulating of the basic compost. Garden earth to supply a few microbes. Wood chips shavings for aeration.Urea to replenish any nitrogen lost as the wood chips compost or break down.The wood chips also are an indicator of how through the mixing is, since they are easily seen.

The subjective quantities selected were mixed thoroughly on the compost pile using the Honda FG110G rototiller. The finished product was stored in 20 litre buckets and closed with lids tapped into place with a rubber hammer. A total quantity of about 540 litres was obtained for use in the 2013 season.Holes were drilled under the lid lip to allow air in.

 

[so lucky]

Durgan, how do you avoid damp-off or other soil beasties in your seedling trays when you use compost and wood chips in the soil mix? Do you sterilize the potting mix before you use it?

 

[Durgan]

Durgan, how do you avoid damp-off or other soil beasties in your seedling trays when you use compost and wood chips in the soil mix? Do you sterilize the potting mix before you use it?

Do not sterilize. Use exactly as shown in the photographs. Never have any visible soil "beasties". Damping off is not encountered, since I attribute this to poor lighting, excessive dampness, and insufficient ventilation, which is corrected. I never use artificial lighting, and consider it a waste of time, money and effort.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

Durgan - in your first pic you show your compost heap. What are the little white things in there. Perilite maybe?

I do something similar and I never sterilize my starter soil either. I do have a fan blowing on my seedlings to prevent damp-off. Works for me.

 

[Durgan]

Durgan - in your first pic you show your compost heap. What are the little white things in there. Perilite maybe?
I do something similar and I never sterilize my starter soil either. I do have a fan blowing on my seedlings to prevent damp-off. Works for me.

The little white pieces showing are some of the small wood chips. A schoolteacher neighbour brings them from the carpenter shop of a technical school. The size is too small for mulch, but they supplement the potting soil.

 

[DigginWithJon]

I used to buy that seed starting mix. But it would always dry up and turn into a brick. I found its best to make my own. I use a good organic potting soil, and i add peat, vermiculite, and perlite. The young plants seem to love it! I use the old T'12s (4) above them trying to keep them about 1-2" away from the light. Then come spring a mini hoop house then into the ground. My favorite technique tho, is winter sowing. Using some good potting soil I mix it into the ground and use half of a gallon milk jug to make a greenhouse. These seeds always sprout and thrive better than any other method I've tried.