compost

starlight09

Does anyone know if it is possible to make ones own compost for propagating flower seeds.

redser7

Absolutely, but they would tend to make up a mix. Seed compost needs to be water retentive, low in nutrients and free draining. So make your own compost (but sift it well and use only the very fine stuff), mix in your own leaf mould, and then add some sharp sand to aid drainage. Or some people just use leaf mould. In fact you could just use sand so long as you keep it dampish and transplant the seedlings pretty shapish. You can even chit seeds if they are big enough on some damp kitchen paper and then drop them into compost once the radicle appears. Stuff just really wants to grow!!

planetX

try to use the 'cleanest' ingredients possible though - nothing worse than losing a tray of seedlings to fungal disease.

redser7

I'd go for store bought myself. If you're sowing in small modules or in flats it goes a long way. You could even stretch it by filling the bottom half of modules with multipurpose and topping it off with seed compost.

starlight09

redser7 wrote: »

Absolutely, but they would tend to make up a mix. Seed compost needs to be water retentive, low in nutrients and free draining. So make your own compost (but sift it well and use only the very fine stuff), mix in your own leaf mould, and then add some sharp sand to aid drainage. Or some people just use leaf mould. In fact you could just use sand so long as you keep it dampish and transplant the seedlings pretty shapish. You can even chit seeds if they are big enough on some damp kitchen paper and then drop them into compost once the radicle appears. Stuff just really wants to grow!!

Thank you,
How do I make the leaf mould?

starlight09

planetX wrote: »

try to use the 'cleanest' ingredients possible though - nothing worse than losing a tray of seedlings to fungal disease.

I agree, I'm good at propagating but I have no idea of making compost

starlight09

redser7 wrote: »

I'd go for store bought myself. If you're sowing in small modules or in flats it goes a long way. You could even stretch it by filling the bottom half of modules with multipurpose and topping it off with seed compost.

It is a good idea to top off with seed compost. If I fail on how to make my own then at least I will save money

redser7

starlight09 wrote: »

Thank you,
How do I make the leaf mould?

It's fairly easy. Gather as many leaves a posible in autumn. Two ways to make it ...

1. Create a wire bin or area, dump in the leaves, hose them down and leave them for a year or two.

2. Almost fill black bin liners, stab holes in them, water well, tie them up, give a shake and wait. Maybe hose them again a few months later.

You can run the mower over the leaves, it will hoover them up and chop them up and make the process much quicker.

Have a google, lots of info on it.

starlight09

redser7 wrote: »

It's fairly easy. Gather as many leaves a posible in autumn. Two ways to make it ...

1. Create a wire bin or area, dump in the leaves, hose them down and leave them for a year or two.

2. Almost fill black bin liners, stab holes in them, water well, tie them up, give a shake and wait. Maybe hose them again a few months later.

You can run the mower over the leaves, it will hoover them up and chop them up and make the process much quicker.

Have a google, lots of info on it.

Thank you so much for all that info