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Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: supersprout on August 14, 2006, 20:06:47

Title: DIY seed compost?
Post by: supersprout on August 14, 2006, 20:06:47
Whiled away a long train journey today reading Joy Larkcomb's veggie book, among whose leaves was this simple recipe for home made seed compo.

Layers of fresh comfrey and aged leafmould;
stack lasagne-like in a bag in early autumn;
poke holes in bag;
ready in spring.


Has anyone tried this? I'm very tempted to give it a go, as modules have been a great success and I'm loath to buy it seed/potting compost. Or do you have a simple recipe of your own to share? :P
Title: Re: DIY seed compost?
Post by: calendula on August 14, 2006, 22:32:44
comfrey rots down really quickly - I put most of mine on the spuds or make a liquid feed with it but leaf mould takes time (no wonder she says 'aged') but perhaps the two together is great - always worth a try but a lot of compost materials could be ready from 'earlyautumn/spring'
Title: Re: DIY seed compost?
Post by: Curryandchips on August 15, 2006, 09:59:03
Presumably, you could collect aged leaf mould from a local park (allowing for the 'extra' ingredients it may have ...).
Title: Re: DIY seed compost?
Post by: redimp on August 15, 2006, 23:41:23
How about just waiting till your leaf mould is two years old instead of one ::) That's when it can be used for seed compost.  I little nutrition can be mixed in in the form of home compost or allowing your one year old leafmould another year with comfrey.
Title: Re: DIY seed compost?
Post by: sweet-pea on August 17, 2006, 14:21:15
I remember hearing somewhere that it's good to mix grass clippings with leaf mould to speed up the decomposition process and produce a nutrient rich compost.  I'm guessing that it's the same principle with the cofrey, it probably acts like an activator speeding up the breakdown of the leaf mould.
Title: Re: DIY seed compost?
Post by: supersprout on August 17, 2006, 16:01:28
Thank you all for comments, I'll cook up some of this in the autumn then - just happen to have some two year old leafmould ready and waiting :D