Allotments 4 All
Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: newspud9 on July 15, 2019, 13:48:53
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For those of us that still struggle on getting compost right, there was a good answer on GQT this week. First of all, they said sowing compost should be low in fertility (too much sucks the nutrition out of the seed). Essentially, sowing compost can be “sand with something to hold the moisture – e.g leaf mould”. I had to listen to that twice to make sure I heard it right. Potting compost is where the seedling needs nutrition and the recommendation was one big bucket of compost mixed with no more than a teacup of fish bone meal and some wood ash. My mistake has been in thinking that seed compost was the most nutritious – to get seeds off to a good start – and to use this for potting on. Always learning…but I’m starting from a very low base. Good to hear any useful tips on seed/potting compost from growers especially the ratios of the components. Thanks for all the comments.
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Look at part "What is a seed?" in particular
http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/P/Prop23-Seeds/Propagate%20Seeds.htm
Seed Compost; This is my preferred method;
http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/P/Prop25-%20Seed%20Compost/Seed%20Compost.htm
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TeeGee - can you help please? The seed compost recipe gives components by ratio but the superphosphate is by weight. Roughly what volume of compost are we talking about. Also - can the superphosphate be substituted by say FBB?
Thanks very much
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I have just noticed that to me the clock on A4A is one hour behind my laptop time. Is it me or A4A?
Thanks.
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I have just noticed that to me the clock on A4A is one hour behind my laptop time. Is it me or A4A?
Thanks.
Tad off topic but if you go onto your Forum Profile then Look and Layout. Sometimes when the clocks move about the settings go awry even if they were correct before the time changed.
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Still off topic!!: Forum time is GMT, so I have set mine to +1, now looks fine to me.
Many thanks.
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Hi Ya, Interesting subject and has given some room for thought. I have had success with potting compost and thought seed compost was just a gimmick to get us to spend more. But what you say makes me think why my seed sowing can be hit and miss. I have had some failures by sowing several seeds and only 1 or 2 showing. I will get some of my soil to mi =x in off the lottie as the weeds seem to have no problem propagating there :happy7:
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Hi infradig
Sorry for not getting back sooner but I have not had an internet link for the last two days.
The article I sent you was a bit historical and dates back to when you could buy individual chemicals,but since new packaging rules were instituted a little over thirty years ago it is difficult to get them now.
However john Ines,Vitax,Chempak sell base mixtures which have all the ingredients you need to make most types of compost without the need for measuring/ weighing etc. Plus the method of mixing can be found on the packaging
The following link my clarify this better;
http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/C/Compost/Compost.htm (http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Content/C/Compost/Compost.htm)
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Thank you very much. A very comprehensive reply! That's my reading for a few days!!