Our Favorite Seed Starting “Recipes”
An environmentally-conscious and affordable way to grow healthier seedlings
In an effort to avoid peat, save money, and grow healthier seedlings, we create our own seed starting blend at the beginning of each season. It’s a lot easier than you might think, as it involves just a few ingredients, and a couple minutes to mix together. Most of the ingredients mentioned below can be found at larger garden centers, while others can be readily purchased online. And thankfully, seedlings tend to be pretty forgiving creatures, so it’s not necessary to worry about exact measurements.
When you’re ready to make your mix, use a clean bucket or tub, and mix the ingredients thoroughly using your hands or a trowel. Unused mix can be stored for at least a few months.
Simplest and Cheapest Seed Starting Mix:
2 parts coconut coir
1 part perlite
1 part vermiculite
My Favorite Seed Starting Mix:
2 parts compost (sifted, to get any of the “big bits” out)
2 parts coconut coir
1 part perlite
1 part vermiculite
1 part worm castings
0.5 parts greensand
A couple pinches of cinnamon (to control algae growth)
If you’re planning to start most of your seed babies from soil blocks (more on that in a future post), it’s important to use a recipe that is formulated especially for this purpose. The below mix is a tried-and-tested favorite - we used it last year and it held up well in soil blocks for a couple months in the greenhouse before we transferred the seedlings out to the field. It’s a variation on Blossom and Branch’s original peat-free soil blocking recipe; we use slightly tweaked proportions, omit the mycorrhizae powder, and add in worm castings.
Soil Blocking Seed Starting Mix:
4 parts Coco Loco potting mix from Fox Farm
1 part coconut coir
0.5 parts greensand
0.5 parts worm castings
A couple pinches of cinnamon (to control algae growth)
