2022 - What I sowed today

I sow in coir, either individual pellets or blocks rehydrated in a bucket, with good results. It's the only thing I can find here that is peat free.

Same with me Sariss. I blame the peat free for my failures,
I would normally expect to have loads of 9cm pots full of seedlings to be pricked out at this time of year. But not much at all, so starting again.
But as my other half says “A bad workman ......”

Which brand of peat free is it? I understand that green waste compost can be very high in nutrients which can inhibit seed germination. New Horizon is one brand which definitely doesn't contain green waste, in fact I don't think any of Westland's brands contain green waste.

I've never used peat to start seeds in, most things get sown in a mixture of home compost, worm castings and last year's pepper/tomato/potato/courgette potting mix. This year I did use peat free compost to start tomatoes in (mixed with worm castings) because I had tomato seeds coming up from the home made compost and I didn't want any confusion, germination was very good. Depending on what's in the peat free, it can have different watering requirements than peat based. Coir for instance can look dry on the surface but will still be holding a lot of water further down, whereas composted bark dries out quite quickly.

It was the cheapest I could find (Verve from B & Q). Should’ve read the reviews first and not been such a cheapskate.
After all the seeds are expensive enough, so they deserve a decent start.

Yesterday - Bijou mangetout
Today - Abundance CFB (Real Seeds);
9x B&B CFB (HSL seeds from 2014). Almost hoping they don't grow as then I won't feel obliged to save seeds Wonder who named a CFB, "B&B" and why???

HSL say.........
Donated by Martin Diment who acquired this white-seeded, white-flowered bean from a friend in Sweden, though it is originally from the USA. A little later than other varieties, Martin says, “Produces a large crop of meaty, yellow pencil pods over 20cm long, ten beans per pod. Excellent flavour as green beans, either hot or for bean salad. One of the best beans of the many I have tried.”

Carrots today in covered ground (ish) nantes 5, Amsterdam forcing, solar yellow, dragon, purple sun and tendersweet. Potted on yet more toms. Resowed San Marzano

Supagrow Organic compost is what I bought from Homebase first, lots of it.
https://www.homebase.co.uk/supagrow-peat...1643496809

It's dark and has a funny smell. When so many seeds failed to germinate, I looked closer, and it goes rock hard when the top layer dries, and nothing is thriving in it. I'm going to write to Homebase about it, because it's not great. To be fair, it doesn't say it is for seedlings, but you would've thought that if it's only good for mulch, they'd sell it as mulch?

Anyone else tried this brand?

I wouldn't normally buy peat compost, but it was such a bargain I couldn't NOT buy it. I need lots this year to put stuff into pots that I will be able to plant in the ground next year once we have the summer house in place.

Supagrow Organic compost is what I bought from Homebase first, lots of it.
https://www.homebase.co.uk/supagrow-peat...1643496809

It's dark and has a funny smell. When so many seeds failed to germinate, I looked closer, and it goes rock hard when the top layer dries, and nothing is thriving in it. I'm going to write to Homebase about it, because it's not great. To be fair, it doesn't say it is for seedlings, but you would've thought that if it's only good for mulch, they'd sell it as mulch?

Anyone else tried this brand?

I wouldn't normally buy peat compost, but it was such a bargain I couldn't NOT buy it. I need lots this year to put stuff into pots that I will be able to plant in the ground next year once we have the summer house in place.

If it's that cheap it's almost certainly green waste compost. There's a composting facility near me which used to sell it direct to landscapers for £10 per ton. If it's the same as this stuff on the Supagrow website - https://www.supagrow.co.uk/products/tops...l-improver - they say it's not suitable for seed sowing, probably due to the nutrient levels being too high. It should be OK for potting on when mixed with something to open it up a bit and improve its moisture holding capacity. Potatoes, courgettes and other things which don't seem to care about what they grow in should be fine with it straight. My peppers are loving the peat free stuff from Aldi, which I was a bit unsure about as it obviously contains green waste compost, but I did mix it 50/50 with homemade compost and a bit of perlite.

I will definitely do a different brand next year, or when this lot runs out - I do have a bit of a stock now, that will last a while... And just in case it hasn't been clear, I don't buy peat. This is a one off and it won't happen again. There are many brands of compost that are peat free that have worked really well for me over the years

Today I sowed more tomatoes (pretty late I know).
Golden Grapes, Matts Hornet, Cherokee Purple, Malachite Box, Sweet Casaday.
Just a couple of each, and all from the seed circle.
Thanks everyone!

Sown a couple of flower seeds. Some of them are a second attempt.
Rudbeckia goldsturm
Alstroemeria
Echinacea
Aquilegia blue colibine
Aquilegia flame
Aquilegia clementine red
Chrysanthemum crazy daisy
Gaillardia
Passion flower
Catananche amor blue
Spilanthes oleracea (toothache plant)
Looks like rudbeckia? 3ft tall large leaf
Salvia summer jewel pink
Salvia Salvatore
Libertia grandiflora
Wild bergamot
Red tussock grass
Pendulous sedge
Daucus black knight
Greater mullein
Evening primrose
Giant hibiscus
Orange hawkbit
Chamomile
Antirrhinum
Black pansy
Sweet William
Thunbergia alata white black eyed Susan
Moss rose purslane
Foxglove purple & yellow
Quaking grass
Mixed unknown (probably wild flowers) from a Christmas card.

Blimey SC!! That's a LOT!