This is a delayed post which I should have ideally done at least 2 weeks ago, but better late than never. People have been asking what is soil mix you use to start seeds. Any seed starter should ideally have a lot more peat moss or cocopeat. I have found that most commercial potting soil found in the markets are ideal as they have a lot of peat moss or sphagnum moss in them. So you can use that directly. Alternatively use equal quantities of peat moss/coco peat and vermicompost/home compost and plant your seeds in the mix. If I am growing root vegetables from seed, I will plant them directly into the place I want them to grow e.g radishes, carrots, and potatoes. In that case, I will use my regular soil recipe of a mix of potting soil, vermicompost, cow manure, and sweet sand in the ratio of 3:1:1:1. If adding home compost add an equal quantity as the vermicompost. Remember to prepare beds and water the soil after adding this on alternative days for two weeks every alternative day so that the cow manure cools down and does no damage to the new plants before you plant the seeds.
Soil Recipe:
Potting soil 3 parts
Vermicompost 1 part
Cow manure 1 part
Sweet sand 1 part
Home compost 1 part
Once the saplings of the other vegetables or flowers (which we have planted in seed starter trays) show their true leaves we can plant them in the beds. Remember to water gently so that the roots do not rot.
Below is the pictures of the trays I use, which are easily available and can be reused for a few years if washed and stored properly. These are aluminium foil trays available in most supermarkets or in stores that sell disposables. They need to be deep enough so that the saplings can grow to about six to eight inches before they need to be transplanted. I did try the seed starter trays with cells but that did not work for me as the seedlings needed transplanting far earlier and therefore had a lower chance of survival.
Please also find a video link to planting seeds.
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