Following my general disgust with the state of peat-free compost available from garden centres, Jon and I have determined to make our own seedling compost this year.
The key to seedling compost is a fine texture that allows seedlings to push down their roots, good water holding capacity so they don't dry out, and a good amount of potassium (i.e. potash - i.e. ash) to give the roots the oomph they need to get going. Seedlings really don't need much else.
So we are attempting something new: combining coir, worm compost, ash and molehills.
Molehills? I hear you say.
Well yes. A friend recommended this to me as molehills are composed of lovingly excavated soil from a depth at which the soil is pretty clean - i.e. free of weed seeds. The result is crumbly soil containing lots of lovely bacteria and nutrients which will bulk out your seedling mix.
The worm compost was from the first batch of 'black gold' from the bottom level of our wormery. Man those little guys have been hard at work. It's beautiful stuff.
The coir we get from Oxfam - it comes in a solid package about the size of a standard brick, costing £2.50. You soak it in water and the result is a builder's bucket of lovely coir compost whose transport has required a whole lot less fossil fuels than a hydrated sack from the garden centre. I imagine this would be a brilliant job for kids to do - it's like those expanding travel flannels on a massive scale.
As for the ash? Well, that comes from me burning our old bank statements, car insurance documents etc. Waste not, want not.
So far, no unexpected fungi. DO try this at home!
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