14 March 2025
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Bob explains how to get the best out of your all-important growing medium in 2024
It ’s a second affirmative to be inseminate much yet . We still have such short days with the sun low and dim . Without extra rise visible light , warmness or cover most of our crops and bedding would struggle set out this early . Sure , the semen may come up but they can become more easily etiolate ; going slight , pale and lank .
Although the earliest sowings might crop the soonest , almost always later sowings catch up and out do them anyway . Indeed there ’s no great urging to sow in much indoors for almost another month so do what feels right for you and your horticulture space .
Now is a good metre however to get your sowing and pot compost quick for action . The clue is in the names . There are many more steel and varieties of pot and multi - purpose compost available to buy , but far fewer for sowing , yet this is the arguably the most important mix . You see when you pot up seedlings and plant they ’re already grow off with constitute root systems so they can cope with different growing medium mixes clean well . Yet seeded player call for more strict conditions for germination and to grow into healthy seedling . You require near lineament compost with excellenttexture and wet holding abilities to help your plants go forth successfully .
Low fertility levels are also fundamental in your getting - started - compost , as seeds want moisture not feed . In fact , added fertiliser and too - rich compost will often kill them . If you really can not find a proper sowing compost then a back - up option is to soak honest potting compost with plenteous urine and drainpipe , and repeat , and then part dry out the leached out compost before using so seed does not moulder . This will have reduced the prolificacy of the loam sufficiently for seed sowing .
I suggest trying different brands to see which you prefer to work with . You could do a trial by sowing a can or cellular phone of each in the warm with some of your most of import harvest or flowers . When the seedlings do , ‘ or do n’t ’ appear apparently get more of whichever compost do the unspoiled . Remember though , this is your sowing compost , that ’s what it ’s for , and as soon as the seedling are up they need transfer to a rich , more fertile mix . I likewise paint a picture you compare several brands , some are sadly not as practiced as others and the only mode to know is to try . Yes , I recognize you might terminate up with too many dish but the one that do n’t perform so well are still ready to hand as mulch .
disregardless of the compost eccentric , do n’t leave bags out in the cold and wet , bring them inside under covering . Then take the time to sieve and generate the content to their bags . I know this seems a sight of effort but it ’s really worthwhile as it re - aerates the compost which is inescapably constrict when bought . seed and antecedent need to suspire , they want aerophilic , moist compost not anaerobic . If roots become waterlogged plants can drown . So sieving is to mix atmosphere back in , and reelect compost to a uniform texture . Use a track screen ( not a fine one ) so as not to remove too many ‘ bits ’ .
you’re able to find out more about Bob via his websitewww.bobflowerdew.comand what ’s befall in his garden via Twitter ( now X ) @FlowerdewBob
