Seed raising mix

[Susie Baxter]

In my quest to do everything as cheaply as possible I want to avoid buying seed raising mix, but am finding ordinary soil is not getting things off to a good start. What are the magic ingredients of a good home-made seed raising mix?

 

[Romain and Lucy]

I read somewhere that using a third a third a third - dried horse manure, sand and earth was good. All crumbled up together. Have yet to try it though...

[Richard Watson]

I use a 50/50, compost /soil mix,this kind of mix will tend to strike lot of weeds so i make a pile of it months before its needed,over that time i keep turning it over so the the weeds germinate before its used.

[David Earle]

3mm agricultural pumice is good to add - but you do have to buy it.
You can steam sterilise your seed raising soil with an old double boiler on the stove or top of the woodburner.

[heather murphy]

50% compost and 50% pumice makes a good medium. Or 60% Vermicast (worm poo from a worm farm) mixed with sand/pumice, ground glass or ground mussel shells also makes a good medium. Dust compost over the top and away you go!

[Susie Baxter]

Oh yay, thanks! Worm poo is something I have plenty of! I have just planted seeds in a mix of compost and soil so will see how that turns out, but will try to find some pumice for the next lot.

[Ketana Saxon]

Agree with the above suggestions ( not too sure about putting horse poo into the mix though) Have used a mix of compost (seived to make it fine enough for small seeds like tomatoes), pumice and peat. Sand is also good if you dont have pumice.
If you can afford it though Dalton's organic seed raising mix is fool proof. I have resorted to this lately ( mix up my own potting mix for the next stage) as raising healthy seedlings is an invesetment to the rest of the growing process. If you use compost it really does need to be seived to get big lumps out or the small seeds just cant push through. Even the Dalton's org mix needs a seived layer after the seeds are spread on the tray to lightly cover.
Hope this helps