Trying to find ways to keep costs down in the garden this spring? Gillian Swinton, author of The Good Life: A self-sufficient living and modern homesteading guide has some ideas. How about making your own seed-raising mix?
Gillian says every year she thinks the price of these bags of black gold is going up and up. Then one summer she put her foot down and went back to her horticulture course notes to see if there was a way she could make her own.
She says she was a bit hesitant, as we put so much faith in the seed-raising mix we buy from the garden centre to provide the nutrients the seeds need to germinate, grow and thrive.
But, it turns out, it’s not that hard to make. We can save some money in the long term, and increase food security on the homestead. Her method is pretty fast and loose, so play around with it as you’ll eventually work out what’s right for you by the texture. Record your quantities so you’ll know what to do for the next batch.
INGREDIENTS
Equal quantities of:
coconut coir
sand from the local river bed (you can use propagating pumice in bulk from your garden centre if you don’t live near a river)
compost (homemade or shop bought)
METHOD
1. Rehydrate the coconut coir in a bucket and drain.
2. Using your wheelbarrow as a mixer, add in equal parts compost, sand and coconut coir.
3. Gently add water and mix until the ingredients are nicely combined.
This seed-raising mix is a fairly forgiving recipe, so you could add in some vermicompost too. Seed-raising mix (whether homemade or shop-bought) is best freshly made when you need it. If you are buying it from the garden centre, check that the date is at least from the current year.
Remember to wear gloves when making seed-raising mix, and to prepare it in a well-ventilated area. It’s cool to be safe, kids.
