Making Soil-less Starter Mixtures?

[bluelacedredhead]

Reading up on making Seed Starter Mixes and I came across a blog that suggested using Tissue Paper as a Soil-less alternative to Coir or Peat/Vermiculite.

But it did not explain how to go about using the tissue paper, unless I missed something as I was scanning the article? Shredded? in Layers? Crumpled in balls and put in pots?

geekgardener.in/tag/potting-mix/

And does anyone here have a Recipe to make a Soil-less mixture that would be good for Peppers.

[Alan]

I have no idea how you could use toilet paper to start seeds. Toilet paper rools do make good pots though, maybe that's what they were getting at?

Anyhow, I just put a post up on the blog about our soil blocking mixture for this season, it's near the bottom of the new post about harvesting worm castings. I warn you it is unconventional but it does work and is how it was done hear locally for a couple hundred years (from info gathered at spring mill and becks mill) and also apparently similar to the way it was doen in what is now Mexico City when it belonged to the natives.

[bluelacedredhead]

Looks good Alan, but it would be at least 2011 before I were able to use your recipe, not having worm composting here.
I've been thinking about starting one though. This could be the incentive I needed.

[Alan]

I should have added you can use plain compost too as long as it isn't too high in nitrogen and it is well sifted. Glad you enjoyed!


Definitely get set up for worm composting though! You won't regret it!

[PatrickW]

That's a great post Alan. There's always lots of talk about the various ways of making starting mix out of sustainable materials, but yours is the first actual working recipe I've seen.

On the subject of toilet rolls, I hear a lot of people have damping off problems with them. Something about the paper they are made from seems to promote mold growth.

[bluelacedredhead]

Jan 16, 2010 8:02:20 GMT -5 PatrickW said:

On the subject of toilet rolls, I hear a lot of people have damping off problems with them. Something about the paper they are made from seems to promote mold growth.

I've used newspaper pots in the past. Newsprint is fine if the pots have space between them for ventilation. And use them as a final transplant size before moving the plants to the garden. Newspaper does disintegrate after a time, and yes, wet newspaper does promote damping off.

Other types of paper do not work well either

[Alan]

Thanks Patrick and Blue.

I will be expanding and expounding upon my mix on the blog here shortly. I should point out that the mix will vary for anyone who tries it depending upond the type of base garden loam they are using and those gardening on sand would just have to use a different type of compost or good top soil bought from a nursery of some type. I'm lucky to have a bit of a clay soil so it tends to "stick" together, though some of the soils I have used actually have a worm castings to soil ration of 3:1

[bunkie]

i also enjoyed reading your blog post alan.

i have done and do tp rolls also and have had problems with the mold and mildew. what i do is dip them in a light bleach solution and then dry them before planting in them. no problems now.

[bluelacedredhead]

Like Clorox bleach, Bunkie or Peroxide?

[plantsnobin]

It doesn't take much time at all to get worm castings. You would not have to wait for a year. Start a bin now and you could easily have vermicompost in time for spring needs.

[bluelacedredhead]

I better read up on this and see if I have a place that I can put a bin? Then where to buy supplies?