I found that roots cling to sand and seem to be much easier to transplant when I put some sand at the bottom of my seed starter set ups.! I even enclose my boxes inside a white plastic garbage bag! I put a few holes in the bottom of the bags to drain! It seems to hold the moisture better than the wood or Styrofoam containers I use!
Sand is cheap and seems to work with all my mixes! Any suggestions! What do you think of 1/2 sand and 1/2 strained garden soil for a mix! I also like dry leaves at the bottom of my containers about a 1 inches since I am adding a few worms to all my boxes this year! I do like to mix a cup of cow manure compose or mushroom compost that I get in 40 pound bags from Agway! Its really nice stuff!
My containers are usually about 4 inches deep and 15 by 20 foam or wood with a plastic bag bottom with some small drain holes. I started using the white small garbage bags a few years ago and like them. The sides of the boxes are bright white with the plastic and reflect some light back on the plants . The plastic also stops the soil from drying out to fast! I leave some of my plants in the boxes after I thin them to other single containers like flats! the flats I put a sprinkle of sand on the bottom when I transplant from the boxes!
I use at least 1/2 to a 1/3 garden soil mixed with sand and cow manure compost or mushroom compost. I have been getting away from the already mixes since there is too much junk in the mixes and peat moss seems to dry out to fast for me! I don't like perlite or vermiculite. I grow lots of flowers also beside tomatoes and peppers! Now the mushroom compost does have some peat or spagum mixed in it but it is very fine! I pay about $3.50 for a 40 pound bag of Cow manure compose or Mushroom compost at Agway and I think its a good buy!
I wish I could get more of the grape Styrofoam boxes but they quit using then 3 years ago. I have about 30 of them that I used the last 3 years and now that I enclose them in a plastic bag they stay nice and clean!
I use at least 1/2 to a 1/3 garden soil mixed with sand and cow manure compost or mushroom compost. I have been getting away from the already mixes since there is too much junk in the mixes and peat moss seems to dry out to fast for me! I don't like perlite or vermiculite. I grow lots of flowers also beside tomatoes and peppers! Now the mushroom compost does have some peat or spagum mixed in it but it is very fine! I pay about $3.50 for a 40 pound bag of Cow manure compose or Mushroom compost at Agway and I think its a good buy!
I wish I could get more of the grape Styrofoam boxes but they quit using then 3 years ago. I have about 30 of them that I used the last 3 years and now that I enclose them in a plastic bag they stay nice and clean!
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Meatburner
- Senior Member
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 2:00 pm
- Location: SW MO zone 6b
One of the reasons for transplanting is to disturb the new roots. If you take too easy on them it actually sets the plant back and will take longer to get to the best size. Rip those plants out! By tearing the root ends what you do is encourage the entire plant to put effort into growing new and stronger root systems.
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valley
- Greener Thumb
- Posts: 1335
- Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2012 1:25 am
- Location: ranches in sierra nevada mountains California & Navada high desert
No mater how careful we are, we will surely follow the doctrine of: "Rip and tear" to some extent. Some however have had success and pleasure with and attempt at less brutality. Forgive our, well, more gentle treatment or our plants and animals. Please go on as you have and show us how well you've done. Have a great growing season when it arrives in your local.
Ach gut gada gut gacum da baile olar! =We'll see when they come to the shallows.
Ach gut gada gut gacum da baile olar! =We'll see when they come to the shallows.
++++Bobberman wrote:I found that roots cling to sand and seem to be much easier to transplant when I put some sand at the bottom of my seed starter set ups.! I even enclose my boxes inside a white plastic garbage bag! I put a few holes in the bottom of the bags to drain! It seems to hold the moisture better than the wood or Styrofoam containers I use!
Sand is cheap and seems to work with all my mixes! Any suggestions! What do you think of 1/2 sand and 1/2 strained garden soil for a mix! I also like dry leaves at the bottom of my containers about a 1 inches since I am adding a few worms to all my boxes this year! I do like to mix a cup of cow manure compose or mushroom compost that I get in 40 pound bags from Agway! Its really nice stuff!
I am also trying another layer below the sand of strained garden soil. I will have a inch or two of garden soil then on top a inch of sand . The top 2 inches will be a seed starting mix. I figure the roots will go into the sand and be easy to pull out with little hurt to the roots. The bottom layer of garden soil will put all types of worms or things that are live in the soil that seem to help things grow. I leave some plants in the boxes to grow to over 6 inches so this may help. Its fun to try different things especially when they seem like they will work! !