I agree @Loxley. A bit of soil dug up from a border, with a bit of Perlite or grit for drainage, would be more hospitable They just look like fertiliser to me. Very common in commercial compost, especially a lot of the peat free ones which are often full of rubbish and have little nutritional content. Seeds don't need much nutrition to germinate, but it's when you're growing them on that the problems often arise.
That's really good advice. Thanks! For my next batch I'll try mixing soil with grit for a change. My last year's sowing using normal compost was quite successful but this year most things haven't germinated yet!
I agree with @BlueBirder, it looks like either an algae or fungus. The spheres are irregular size and shape, and they are clustered together in areas. Probably won’t harm your seedlings directly, but indicates a less-than-best growing conditions. Either too much watering or a poor quality growing medium.
Could be water retention gel. They add that to some cheaper composts to make up for the lack of peat. Does it advertise anything on the bag that suggests extra water retention properties?
If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
Update: The yellow things have got bigger (and more disgusting looking). Now I'm tempted to chuck the whole thing out and start again. But wonder where can I chuck them? Compost bin? I don't want to contaminate my other stuff... Thanks!
They're just the fruiting bodies of the fungi that are breaking down the organic elements in the compost into a form that can be accessed by the roots of your plants. An essential part of the life-cycle of healthy soil and absolutely nothing to worry about.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Yes - easier to see now, and not the slow release food, but unlikely to be a problem.
It's a very inhospitable looking compost though. I wouldn't want to try sowing seed in that without adding grit and some other organic material to lighten it up
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I agree, that compost looks awful irrespective of what the blobs are. If it was mine, i'd use the compost as a mulch around a few plants and go buy some other brand for seeds/plants.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Yes - easier to see now, and not the slow release food, but unlikely to be a problem.
It's a very inhospitable looking compost though. I wouldn't want to try sowing seed in that without adding grit and some other organic material to lighten it up
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An essential part of the life-cycle of healthy soil and absolutely nothing to worry about.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
It's a very inhospitable looking compost though. I wouldn't want to try sowing seed in that without adding grit and some other organic material to lighten it up
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
If it was mine, i'd use the compost as a mulch around a few plants and go buy some other brand for seeds/plants.
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...