The Easiest DIY Seedling Mix (I swear by it) #garden #gardening

🌱 It’s seed sowing time! At least for leafy greens, broad beans, and seedlings that I plan on growing under grow lights in the house. To get most of my seeds started I use a simple homemade seedling potting mix that I make using just two ingredients—multipurpose potting mix (compost in the UK) and vermiculite. Vermiculite is a type of puffed up mineral that adds a finer structure to growing mediums. It can absorb water without waterlogging, kind of like a sponge does. It creates tiny reservoirs of water for seedlings to draw upon while also creating air pockets and improved drainage. I swear by it when it comes to seed starting. Vermiculite in your mix helps seeds to sprout easily and for roots to spread and grow! For seed mixes, I use the more expensive fine vermiculite sold in garden centers. What I do is mix 1 part vermiculite + 3 parts multipurpose potting mix and that’s a fantastic mix for seeds to germinate in and spend the first month of their life. If the seedlings need to stay in pots for longer than that, I’ll either make a new mix and pot them up or use fertilizer in some way. A liquid feed, a granular feed mixed into the potting mix (FBB is good) or sprinkling real compost as a mini mulch over the pots. Let me know if you have any questions ✌️💚 ~ Tanya PS - For filling larger beds, like the raised beds in the Polycrub, you can buy huge bags of vermiculite at chimney or plumping supply shops. It’s a fraction of the price there but the pieces are much larger. #gardening #growyourownfood #organicgardening