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Homemade Seed Starter Mix
Homemade Seed Starter Mix. Growing plants from seeds is challenging but is the most economical means of starting plants. Seed-starter mixes do not contain soil and are designed to help seeds and seedlings stay healthy by moisture content control while remaining light and aerated. The mixes' components vary among peat, coir, vermiculite, perlite,...
Growing plants from seeds is challenging but is the most economical means of starting plants. Seed-starter mixes do not contain soil and are designed to help seeds and seedlings stay healthy by moisture content control while remaining light and aerated. The mixes' components vary among peat, coir, vermiculite, perlite, compost and sometimes worm castings. Keep your homemade seed-starter mix simple by combining peat, vermiculite and finely sifted compost in equal proportions. Ensure that no fungi or bacteria will harm your seeds and seedlings by dampening your seed-starter mix then sterilizing it in an oven at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes before using the mix. Wait for the mix to cool before using it.
Recipe Variations
An option is to add up to 2 cups of worm castings with 5 gallons of seed-starter mix to provide nutrients for new plants and to improve the mix's texture. If you need to increase the mixture's water retention or pH level, then replace peat with the same amount of coir. Vermiculite and perlite, or even sand, also can be interchanged without affecting the recipe's other components. Some gardeners don't use any compost and simply use 1 part peat and 1 part perlite as the only components in their seed-starter mixes.
