This year I'm being bold and using a mix of Jack's Magic (it's really fine) and some loamy compost/leaf mould mixed together with some vermiculite. This is on the basis that the leaf mould won't have lots of nutrients in it and it seems to be nicely crumbly and fine enough for seeds to break through.
I've just sown my first few seeds on the back of other comments on the forum about there being no point starting early when you live in the north (Aberdeenshire here) and they are in an unheated propagator on the windowsill. I have my fingers crossed, but am thinking I might just sieve the next lot to be really on the safe side
Patience is a virtue, apparently
No longer newish but can't think of a new name so will remain forever newish.
Stephanie, Jacks Magic is a Westland product and contains Peat, wood fibre and sometimes sea weed, wood fibre I would not use, sea weed if you wash all the salt out also loses what little nutrient it holds, salt was used as a weed killer when I was a lad. Do not mention the peat to any greens around you will find you become a Whicker Woman. Leaf mould is perfect for potting on more mature plants, Vermiculite is the choice of many gardeners although after using it for several years then discarding the potting soil I discovered some of the beds I mulched were white with the stuff which is why I use grit, "oh" and your pots do not blow over in a wind.
You did the right thing sowing later, here in NE England we are starting to sow now, you are East Coast North Sea as we are and the climate about the same, I knew the area well travelling that way a lot and often finding it warmer than at home. You will probably find your seeds take grow and mature into fine plants, we sowed nearly all our seed in ordinary well riddled Garden Loam when I was younger, though it did get an extra treatment. When I lit the Pig Food Boiler I would stand the sieved Loam in a bucket with a lid on on top as the potato's cooked, the heat killed off any bad lads in there and was perfect sowing medium. We also prepared seed beds and sowed seed, all the old ways worked then we found Peat which we used for years, the big plant growers still do use it.
Use the Compost you like best, sieve out any of the extraneous bits you find in it. plastic, bits of branch, dead mice and mix it with washed sand and grit, use the leaf mould later as seeds do not need the extra food at that point. Even at my good age I experiment all gardeners do, we find what works for us and that does not mean it will suit everyone. Good luck.
BLT I spent my life telling my Daughters to read the instructions, do the listen??? well they are my Daughters. All on the way back from a Spa weekend, the place is probably wrecked and the Staff in trauma. Instructions I do read although using them as a guide, they are general and have to be modified for where ever you live.
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Well done Frank and theysay 'Real men don't read 'Instructions'... I find the info on packets too small to read so I google. Works for me..
Last edited: 01 April 2017 21:19:25
This year I'm being bold and using a mix of Jack's Magic (it's really fine) and some loamy compost/leaf mould mixed together with some vermiculite. This is on the basis that the leaf mould won't have lots of nutrients in it and it seems to be nicely crumbly and fine enough for seeds to break through.
I've just sown my first few seeds on the back of other comments on the forum about there being no point starting early when you live in the north (Aberdeenshire here) and they are in an unheated propagator on the windowsill. I have my fingers crossed, but am thinking I might just sieve the next lot to be really on the safe side
Patience is a virtue, apparently
Stephanie, Jacks Magic is a Westland product and contains Peat, wood fibre and sometimes sea weed, wood fibre I would not use, sea weed if you wash all the salt out also loses what little nutrient it holds, salt was used as a weed killer when I was a lad. Do not mention the peat to any greens around you will find you become a Whicker Woman. Leaf mould is perfect for potting on more mature plants, Vermiculite is the choice of many gardeners although after using it for several years then discarding the potting soil I discovered some of the beds I mulched were white with the stuff which is why I use grit, "oh" and your pots do not blow over in a wind.
You did the right thing sowing later, here in NE England we are starting to sow now, you are East Coast North Sea as we are and the climate about the same, I knew the area well travelling that way a lot and often finding it warmer than at home. You will probably find your seeds take grow and mature into fine plants, we sowed nearly all our seed in ordinary well riddled Garden Loam when I was younger, though it did get an extra treatment. When I lit the Pig Food Boiler I would stand the sieved Loam in a bucket with a lid on on top as the potato's cooked, the heat killed off any bad lads in there and was perfect sowing medium. We also prepared seed beds and sowed seed, all the old ways worked then we found Peat which we used for years, the big plant growers still do use it.
Use the Compost you like best, sieve out any of the extraneous bits you find in it. plastic, bits of branch, dead mice and mix it with washed sand and grit, use the leaf mould later as seeds do not need the extra food at that point. Even at my good age I experiment all gardeners do, we find what works for us and that does not mean it will suit everyone. Good luck.
BLT I spent my life telling my Daughters to read the instructions, do the listen??? well they are my Daughters. All on the way back from a Spa weekend, the place is probably wrecked and the Staff in trauma. Instructions I do read although using them as a guide, they are general and have to be modified for where ever you live.
Frank.