raising seedlings equipment questions

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Bugs

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 10744

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 05 1:24 pm Post subject: Re: raising seedlings equipment questions

sandra17 wrote:

coir bricks - how do they work?

I've just come across these on the Organic Gardening Catalogue site when I was looking for peat free compost.

They sell an 8 litre brick which is enough for two seed trays (not much

- I've got two seed trays and 16 pots on the go already and I haven't even *started* yet!); you can buy larger quantities too.

As far as I can see you wet it or soak it and it expands to produce a light medium rather like peat/compost. I don't think it would be any good for growing on though?

And it was about ï¿½2.50 for the two-seed trays worth.

judyofthewoods

Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 804
Location: Pembrokeshire

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 05 1:31 pm Post subject:

As you will have to pot up at some time, and use a lot more compost, in the long run it is probably still cheaper to get a big (or couple of) bag, even if you pay delivery. The price difference between a small one and a large one is not that great. If you keep buying lots of small ones, it'll end up more than the extra for delivery. If you use coire, you will have to mix it with compost, or treat it as you would hydroponics, i.e. feed it constantly, as it has next to nothing in it.

Tristan

Joined: 29 Dec 2004
Posts: 392
Location: North Gloucestershire

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 05 4:18 pm Post subject:
It must be my day for being awkward! Perlite and vermiculite are produced by heating minerals extracted from the earth's surface to temperatures in excess of 1000 deg C. They are produced mainly in China, South Africa and Brazil. Useful, yes, environmentally friendly, hardly.

sandra17

Joined: 05 Mar 2005
Posts: 17
Location: Gants Hill, Essex

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 05 5:08 pm Post subject:

Thank for all your replies.
I'll have a look for delivery prices.
I've bought seeds to have a go at quite a few things, probably too ambitious but it will be fun I hope and I'm looking forward to my 2 year old son watching peas grow and picking them as well.
I've already planted garlic and shallots. I've got some onion sets to plant. Also some parsely, mint, thyme (though I cheated on thyme and Rosmary and bought plants yesterday). I've got some lovage seeds which are supposed to be a good substitute for celery - it is so annoying to have to buy a bunch of celery when I only ever use 1-2 sticks of it. Peas, pumpkin and a salad greens mix also.
I bought some nasturtium and poppies as well. Also planted some daffodils and their are daffs already there as well. It's the first time I've had a garden in nine years and so I'm pretty excited. Lots to learn as I was gardening in my native New Zealand last time round.
Sandra

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45698
Location: Essex

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 05 6:01 pm Post subject:

sandra17 wrote:

Lots to learn as I was gardening in my native New Zealand last time round.
Sandra

Here's me thinking we've got another Essex lass on board

Whereabouts in NZ? Bet you're glad you came to Gants Hill eh?

sandra17

Joined: 05 Mar 2005
Posts: 17
Location: Gants Hill, Essex

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 05 6:10 pm Post subject:

Grew up in Nelson, where my Dad taught me to garden from quite a young age and I helped my Grandma in her garden as well. Also lived in Christchurch, Dunedin and Auckland.

We were in Barking in a tiny flat for nearly 4 years before coming to Gants Hill - GH is heaven by comparison! We will be heading back to NZ by the end of next year though.
Sandra

ps I can say 'innit' so I'm getting pretty Essex-ified!

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45698
Location: Essex

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 05 6:13 pm Post subject:

sandra17 wrote:

GH is heaven by comparison!

Oi! don't say that my missus is from Barking, as well as Rugby World Cup Winner 2003 Jason Leonard and Mr Billy Bragg.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45698
Location: Essex

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 05 6:14 pm Post subject:

sandra17 wrote:

Grew up in Nelson, lived in Christchurch, Dunedin and Auckland.

Been around a bit eh?

judyofthewoods

Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 804
Location: Pembrokeshire

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 05 6:21 pm Post subject:

Tristan wrote:

It must be my day for being awkward!

Perlite and vermiculite are produced by heating minerals extracted from the earth's surface to temperatures in excess of 1000 deg C.
They are produced mainly in China, South Africa and Brazil.

Useful, yes, environmentally friendly, hardly.

Fair point to raise it. Like most things used in moderaton the overall impact is comparatively low, when you put food miles into the equation. Perlite used in the way I discribed uses very little and can also be recycled for several seasons by putting it in a pressure cooker. If it aids success in growing food at home it cuts down on food miles, and the amount of energy that goes into a small bag of perlite is probably no more than the energy used to grow and transport commercial crops, if not less.

sandra17

Joined: 05 Mar 2005
Posts: 17
Location: Gants Hill, Essex

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 05 6:28 pm Post subject:
Wasn't Barking itself that was so awful (though I didn't really fall in love with the place, much as I tried), but that we had no outside space of our own and in the tiny window space we had, even the cacti failed to flourish.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45698
Location: Essex

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 05 6:29 pm Post subject:
I'll let you off then

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sat Mar 12, 05 2:39 pm Post subject: Re: raising seedlings equipment questions

Bugs wrote:

They sell an 8 litre brick which is enough for two seed trays (not much

- I've got two seed trays and 16 pots on the go already and I haven't even *started* yet!); you can buy larger quantities too.

i read this too, and I'm not sure about it - I had a, er, brick sized coir brick (don't know the literage, as I fed the packet to the worms!) and it half filled a big stack and store box, and weas plenty for the worms to be going on with. I reckon you go half and half with compost to improve the texutre and the the nutrient quality. I reckon it would do 4 or 5 at least.

What about jiffy sevens - look like little compost coins, and when you put them in water they make little pots and compost - you just plant them all out. They'd be lightweight to carry and you woudn't need pots, except for bigger seedlings like courgettes and beans. Coir sevens are peat free, although I've never found them anywhere.

Pilsbury

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex

Posted: Sun Mar 13, 05 3:05 pm Post subject:
Let me know if you want to try any plants in perticular and if I have the seeds i can pass them on. P.s. I'm in Barking as well and its not that bad really, Honest, I dont think, anyone know a good estate agent

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun Mar 13, 05 3:14 pm Post subject:

Pilsbury wrote:

anyone know a good estate agent

Contradiction in terms, mate! I think posh people call it an oxymoron - but I'm saving the anything with 'moron' in it for the aforesaid agents!

Pilsbury

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex

Posted: Sun Mar 13, 05 3:16 pm Post subject:
To true

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