In spring, the Network were all sent 10 litres each of potting compost. Rather than supply everyone with seedling trays, the more experienced gardeners in the group encouraged the others to raid their recycling bins for the necessary supplies.
Monday 26/04/2021
26/04/2021, 18:08
...talk about how to use household packaging material to germinate seeds and house little seedlings
26/04/2021, 18:08
So if anyone was wondering why they haven't been sent any pots...that's why
26/04/2021, 18:09
This was also a special request from one of our environmentally minded growers 👋🏼
26/04/2021, 18:11
I'd actually been saving our packaging recycling, and discovered over the weekend that my husband had accidentally put them out for collection! 🤦♀️ Going to see what else we have around the house & looking forward to some inspiration here!
26/04/2021, 18:25
Yes yogurt pots are ideal
26/04/2021, 18:25
I’ve been raiding mine
26/04/2021, 18:26
This is the Japanese herb Perilla growing in plastic tub
26/04/2021, 18:27
Omg I’ve been wanting to grow Perilla. Are they hard to grow? 🤔
26/04/2021, 18:27
So exciting!
26/04/2021, 18:27
I've never even heard of Perilla!
26/04/2021, 18:27
No, super easy, just like basil. But they need to be kept very moist at early germination.
26/04/2021, 18:28
I’ve been planting seeds indoors and have used biodegradable cups and egg boxes which I have then planted outside right into the soil
26/04/2021, 18:28
Ha I've just realised we're all going to get a real insight into what the others have been eating
26/04/2021, 18:29
Finally an excuse to buy chocolate eclairs!
26/04/2021, 18:32
The point of a propagator lid is that many seeds stop germination and go into what’s called secondary dormancy if they dry out in the first few hours after watering.
26/04/2021, 18:33
Wow! Never knew this!
26/04/2021, 18:34
The compost is alive and when you water it, all the microbes come to life and start breathing, which is why if you put a propagator lid on condensation collects. That’s the soil breathing out, but if there’s nothing to collect that moisture it will quickly dry out.
26/04/2021, 18:34
If that happens then the seed vaults germination.
26/04/2021, 18:34
Halts^ not vaults😭
26/04/2021, 18:35
Oh that’ll be why some of my seeds started then just stopped 🥴🤯
26/04/2021, 18:36
I think if germination like a series of key, you open one door so you can get to the next. The first thing a seed needs to get going is water. This softens the seed coat and allows the germ plasm inside to take in water.
26/04/2021, 18:36
This produces lots of gas and essentially the seed opens its seed coat by farting!
26/04/2021, 18:37
But if it doesn’t have enough moisture to swell and fart. It stops trying to have ago
26/04/2021, 18:37
💨
26/04/2021, 18:37
Love it 🤣🤣🤣
26/04/2021, 18:37
37 minutes and we're already talking about farting
26/04/2021, 18:38
😁
26/04/2021, 18:38
So in terms of germination, is it better to do that with all seeds? Sorry to sound dumb 🤦🏽♀️
26/04/2021, 18:39
So if you use something clear and plastic your seeds can fart. it has to be clear because nearly all small seeds also need light to germinate. Big seed like beans and peas don’t need light.
26/04/2021, 18:39
I use a propagator lid on any seed that is small.
26/04/2021, 18:40
Ah okay👍🏼 got it. Thank you for clarifying that for me 🙂
26/04/2021, 18:40
Big seed that is easy to handle like beans, peas, sweet peas, that sort of thing, needs the dark to germinate and they can be buried deeper in the compost and thus won’t dry out. Does that make sense?
26/04/2021, 18:40
Yep
26/04/2021, 18:40
Yes good sense
26/04/2021, 18:41
Now, the pot you germinate the seed in must have drainage holes.
26/04/2021, 18:41
👍🏼
26/04/2021, 18:41
This is because seed also need oxygen to germinate and if you wet the soil and it can’t drain it will become saturated.
26/04/2021, 18:43
I punched the holes in it with a knife....
26/04/2021, 18:44
You can easily melt very good drainage holes into any plastic with a hot pointy thing
26/04/2021, 18:45
Cooooolllll
26/04/2021, 18:45
Very tidy.
26/04/2021, 18:46
Also...fire 🔥 👏🏽
26/04/2021, 18:48
You can punch some holes in the bottom with a sharp knife. They are particularly good because they are the width of a window ledge.
26/04/2021, 18:48
You can also make pots by folding paper origami style
26/04/2021, 18:49
Some good ideas to make plant pots thanks
26/04/2021, 18:51
If you grow seedlings on a windowsill then they will naturally bend to the sun, which means you get weak, leggy growth. But the inside of orange juice/fruit juice/oat milk cartons is reflective and you can see what a difference it makes!
26/04/2021, 18:51
That was just one day with a reflector and the seedlings are now standing up straight.
26/04/2021, 18:51
Oh yes thats brilliant
26/04/2021, 18:51
Amazing 💪🏾
26/04/2021, 18:58
To clarify, all pots need holes in them (including transparent and non transparent containers)?
26/04/2021, 18:59
Yes the pot that has the soil in it must have holes, but the one you place over the top and the one that the soil-container is draining into, they don't need 🕳️