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Help for a Beginner - Reusing Compost
caitycrucio
Posts: 1
Hello all, I am a complete beginner gardener as this is the first year of my adult life that I’ve had a garden of my own.
I planted a variety of seeds on Easter weekend, so 3 weeks ago. These included ‘hardy annuals’, lupins, California poppies and a generic ‘wildflower mix’. I used seed trays rather than sowing then straight in the ground, as our soil isn’t great (new build house). All the seeds said they were suitable for sowing outdoors in April. 3 weeks later, out of around 40 that I sowed, only 5 germinated within the first week or so. 2 have since died off, but 3 don’t look bad. I’ve given up hope with the rest, and that leaves me with approx 37 seeds worth of empty compost.
I’d like to give them another go - I’m worried it may have been the hot weather and not enough water that has caused them to fail. I’ve watered them every day but they have been very dry in the sun.
My question is should I wait a while to give them more time? Also, is it alright to reuse the compost to try again - it seems like such a waste of not. I used Wilko sowing and cutting compost (all I could get my hands on at the time)
Any help much appreciated. Thanks you!
Any help much appreciated. Thanks you!
0
Posts
Sorry to hear you have not had a lot of success. Though seedlings need a lot of light, few like a lot of heat. They start with a barely a wisp of a root, so it is best to keep them damp. Not soggy though, else we get the opposite where they 'damp off' because soil born fungus and fungus like things can thrive.
Usually we use seed trays indoors, sunny windowsill, greenhouse, propagator, or under protection such as a cold frame.
It's not really the same to put seeds in trays outdoors, as it is to seed direct into outside soil for many reasons. Not least the shallow soil in trays will quickly dry out completely in the sun killing seedlings.