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Best compost/conditions to grow seeds
Hi,
I am relatively new to gardening so I was wondering if you could help.
I want to grow some flowers such as cosmos, marigolds, etc in some planters that I have.
I have bought the seeds but I was just wondering what compost and conditions is the best to grow the seeds. I have Miracle-Gro All Purpose Enriched Compost 50L but I am not sure if this is what I should use.
Cheers,
Gavin
I am relatively new to gardening so I was wondering if you could help.
I want to grow some flowers such as cosmos, marigolds, etc in some planters that I have.
I have bought the seeds but I was just wondering what compost and conditions is the best to grow the seeds. I have Miracle-Gro All Purpose Enriched Compost 50L but I am not sure if this is what I should use.
Cheers,
Gavin
0
Comments
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If you've got it already then I don't think you can go wrong with that - https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/miracle-gro-all-purpose-compost-50l/p/0279575
Why am I in this handcart and where are we going ?0 -
Great - thanks for that. Do you have any advice on how to actually grow the seeds so that they germinate, etc?0
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Great - thanks for that. Do you have any advice on how to actually grow the seeds so that they germinate, etc?
It depends where you are really and what the last frost date is. I'm still sowing and leaving in the greenhouse for a week or so (last frost here should be end of April). Whenever you're ready, just pop them in following the instructions on the packet and don't forget to water them in. If you sow too few, just add a few more once the first have germinated, if you sow too many, pull a few out
Why am I in this handcart and where are we going ?0 -
I use the bulk bags of B&Q stuff. 70L+ ?
Did a test one year, sowed peas into the B&Q stuff Some expensive stuff and some cheap ASDA compost.
The ASDA one was awful to use, rather stringy and lots of fibres. But it worked fairly well. Excellent germination rates. Only bettered by the B&Q stuff.
Worst one was the expensive seed compost, barely any germinated and they didnt survive more than a few days.
Several varieties of peas in each compost and all trays side by side so equal conditions. Surprised by the ASDA one though. It looked terrible but it did the job.Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...0 -
You dont really need enriched compost for seeds only for when they need transplanting. I use B&Q own verve or Erin's multi purpose. I sieve my compost as they lots of bits plus you dont want lumps on top of seeds. I scatter fine layer of vermiculite on top and allow the pots to soak water or use a fine rose to water in. Once seeds get established I transplant to old containers that use to have beding plants in0
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It is better for the environment to use peat free composts. Peat bogs capture more CO2 than rainforests so it is really important that we stop destroying them for our leisure activities. The destruction of them so that we can garden easily is irresponsible. No one needs to use peat based compost anymore bar a few specialists. New Horizon peat free compost seems very good this year and if you can get hold of Sylvagrow* I have never had issues with anything germinating and growing on with this.
We all need to be more careful about how w garden, plastics, peat based compost, chemicals. Gardening is surprisingly unsustainable but if we all took personal responsibility for how we garden then we could make a difference.
*I have also heard good things about some of the wool based composts but I have never tried them and they are quite expensive.0 -
It is better for the environment to use peat free composts. Peat bogs capture more CO2 than rainforests so it is really important that we stop destroying them for our leisure activities. The destruction of them so that we can garden easily is irresponsible.
Peat free here all the way too
I use a mix of peat free - New Horizons - and organic farmyard manure, and have never had any problems.
I gave a right old lecture to someone in the garden centre who suggested I use a peat inclusive compost.0 -
I assume you know that farmyard manure also contributes to greenhouse gases, that's why they want us to stop eating meat. Too many of the hypocrites that tell us to stop burning carbon are themselves burning vast amounts, far more than some gardeners like me, that rarely drive, dont eat meat (my choice) and never flown. But hey I dont preach to all unsundry how to conduct our lives that's a personnel choice, but it just annoys my the like of Monty Don who fly all over world and lecture us to be more green do the oppositedancing_star wrote: »Peat free here all the way too
I use a mix of peat free - New Horizons - and organic farmyard manure, and have never had any problems.
I gave a right old lecture to someone in the garden centre who suggested I use a peat inclusive compost.0 -
And on the greener side of the fence....
The peat process creates CO2. The plants that live alongside captures CO2.
So me buying a bag of compost with 20% peat and growing my own food moves the CO2 capture from one position to another does it not?
So my small garden has enough plants to suck in far more CO2 than the neighbours slabbed gardens.
Is growing your own food a leisure activity?
Sometimes you need to step back and see the bigger picture.Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...0 -
forgotmyname wrote: »
The peat process creates CO2. The plants that live alongside captures CO2.
So me buying a bag of compost with 20% peat and growing my own food moves the CO2 capture from one position to another does it not?
Is growing your own food a leisure activity?
Have you any idea how long it takes for peat to accumulate? Approx 1mm per year, and even that's optimistic in a lot of peatlands.
It's not a 'one bag of peat out equals CO2 from six tomato plants' scenario.
Also the environmental impacts of its harvesting are way more than merely the CO2 - erosion, nutrient leaching in to watercourses, alteration of hydrology.
Vegetable growing as a leisure activity, largely for most of us it is. And I rather think the bigger picture is protecting the environment and one of the most fragile carbon sinks rather than an undefined difference I might get on my roses/beans or whatever.0
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