6/17/2023 0 Comments Vegetable seedlings![]() Worm castings are filled with a bevy of trace minerals and nutrients that can easily and quickly be absorbed by seedlings. The light, airy makeup of the castings helps to break up and lighten soil much like perlite does. Worm castings are the true power hero of creating a perfect seed starting mix. The 4th and final ingredient to the mix is worm castings. Talk about a perfect ingredient to help keep tender seedlings hydrated!īe sure to use finely screened or pulverized compost to keep your seed starting soil fine and loose. In addition, compost can hold in excess of 10 times its weight in moisture. Compost not only helps to lighten the soil mix even further, but it improves the overall drainage of the soil as well.Ĭompost is overflowing with nutrients that are easily absorbed by tender roots. Bag Compost – Finely Screened / Agedįinely shredded compost is a critical ingredient to a healthy, powerful seed-starting mix. Perlite can be purchased in bags, and will keep indefinitely. Perlite also never breaks down, so it keeps the soil from compacting together permanently. Both of which are vital to strong seedling growth. Perlite lightens the soil weight tremendously, all while creating air channels in the soil for water and air. It improves soil drainage, and helps young roots to grow more easily through the channels in the soil. Perlite not only lightens the weight of soil, it also helps create air channels that nutrients and water can pass through. And is it ever a helpful ingredient for making great seed starting soil! When exposed to extremely high temperatures (1500+ degrees), perlite puffs into an airy, lightweight substance that looks quite similar to bits of white styrofoam. Perlite is an all-natural substance made from volcanic glass. As you will see next, that is exactly one of the natural ingredients you will be using. On the other hand, if the mix includes a bit of perlite, that is more than okay. Unfortunately,too much fertilizer too early can also be fatal to young seedlings. If too much fertilizer is present, it can lead to plants with excessive early foliage growth, but weak stems. Young seedlings require a lighter, slow-release fertilizer to allow for slow, even growth. Be sure that it does not include any fertilizers in the mix, as they can actually hurt young seedlings more than help. Start by selecting a high quality all-purpose potting soil. Potting soil is the perfect base for creating a rich, healthy seed starting soil mix. Here is a look at the 4 ingredients, and how they work together to create the perfect homemade seed starting mix. ![]() And that can certainly be helpful, especially when growing vegetable plants from seed. Not only will making your own mix save you a bit of cash compared to the store-bought brands, it also allows you to create a 100% organic mix. It is not only lightweight, but full of the slow-release nutrients seedlings need. But by mixing together 4 simple, all-natural ingredients in equal amounts, you can easily make your own right at home.īy adding together 4 all-natural ingredients together in equal portions, you can create a powerful homemade seed starting mix. How To Make Amazing Homemade Seed Starting SoilĪlthough there are a few good seed starting soil mixes available commercially, they can be quite pricey. By adding just a few additional ingredients to ordinary potting soil, you can easily turn it into an incredible homemade seed starting soil. Because of this, they and not always easily absorbed by tender, young seedlings.īut here’s the good news. In addition, the fertilizers they often contain are usually meant to power more mature plants. Potting soil still tends to be heavier than what seedlings need to both sprout and develop strong root growth. Potting soil, with its lighter structure and density is certainly a good starting point to create an excellent seed starting soil. And, depending on the brand and type you choose, it can even contain a bit of fertilizer too. After all, potting soil is definitely lighter that regular garden dirt and topsoil. At this point, you might be wondering if potting soil might be the answer.
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