Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>]

For a gallon about 3-4/5 coir mix, a handful each of garden soil, alfalfa 
meal, manure, and pinches of bone meal and greensand, all well mixed. Ideally 
it should be watered and sit for a few weeks then but I don't usually manage 
that long. Or multiples of that in the wheelbarrow or tub. Same mix for 4" 
pots where they germinate. Too much soil and it'll pull away from the 
container sides and crust, and water runs down the sides instead of soaking 
in to the roots. Even watering helps. I transplant gallons by making holes 
just the right size with a post hole digger. Also saves some of the bending. 
Enough bending and kneeling anyway without any that can be avoided ;-)

paul tradingpost@lobo.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 1/30/2010 at 11:12 AM Andeanfx wrote:

>Paul, approximately what proportion do you use?
>
>
>Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken. - Oscar Wilde
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>
>To: <livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org>
>Sent: Friday, January 29, 2010 6:01 PM
>Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] seed starting medium?
>
>
>>
>> Interesting. Speaking only for myself, I see no point in sterile potting
>> mixes. I've never seen any evidence it avoids disease or other problems.
>> And I don't spend money on heating pads and lights. I tell myself KISS -
>> keep it simple stupid ...
>>
>> I just use some commercial coir-based mix, with small amounts of the
>> things that go in the beds, soil, alfalfa meal, screened manure,
>bonemeal,
>> greensand, maybe some vermicompost. Hardly sterile! And I germinate in
>4"
>> pots in flats indoors, then move to get some light soon as stuff
>sprouts.
>> Never had a problem with disease or damping off.
>>
>> I can relate to the vehicle thing ........
>>
>> paul tradingpost@lobo.net
>>
>>
>> *********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********
>>
>> On 1/29/2010 at 9:34 AM Debbie Mcdonald wrote:
>>
>>>I've always directly sowed my seeds and have not alot of experience with
>>>vegetable gardening. In starting our own seeds, must we use potting soil
>>>and if the world gets uglier;), then what would we do, sterilize the dirt
>>>somehow?? Nature does not do these things:). Do all of you have rooms
>with
>>>lights and heat pads and all that. I'm going to make next week time to
>>>start looking for abandoned greenhouses too:) Well, I have to get a new
>>>used vehicle first, don't want to put new tires on this one.
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>Livingontheland mailing list
>>>Livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
>>>http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/livingontheland
>>
>>
>>
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