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Olympia, Wa

I had a seed that didnt sprout for me. I think I made the soil too wet....I pulled the seed out tonite and it was starting to mold and had a brown color to it.
my question is....should I re-use the soil now that it has dried out some?...or throw it out and start over?
I am using plastic coffee can, and have no drainage in them.
I had one seed germinate.... just not sprout... yet.

4/13/2005 12:30:42 AM

Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

I would add a question.

Is it OK to reuse potting soil that has only been used for testing? Once I've done my testing, and yanked out the seedlings, can I reuse the stuff to plant the seeds that I'll actually be growing?

4/13/2005 1:05:35 AM

Ohio

tgf,
take and cut a slit from the top to the bottom tape the slit back up with duct tape ,this will make it easier when you transplant it outside,just take the duct tape off and pull it apart where the slit is and it should fall right into your new planting site with out disturbing the roots. get the lid to that can and put it back on the top and put holes init for drainage(you need drainage!), then turn it over and cut the bottom out of it to plant your seedling.
Im not sure about if you can reuse the soil or not though, I my self wouldnt grow one of my good seeds init because ,,,,,,, well just because,LOL

Brooks

4/13/2005 2:00:00 AM

Oz

Another way is to use coffee filters in the pot.

toss the soil into your compost. the dead seed could have
fungus,,etc...

4/13/2005 8:17:14 AM

Montoursville, PA

If coffee filter liners improved or helped in any way they would be placed, on the inside, of the pot, by the manufacturer, of the peat pots. Paper, of this nature decomposes very slowly. Paper, of this nature, is very tough. Roots would have, to fight their way through. That would be a growth prohibiter....another form, of stress.

4/13/2005 11:15:05 AM

C N Y

don't use the "soil" over again. whatever caused the seed to not sprout in the first place might strike again, whether damping-off disease or otherwise....
if you are using POTTING soil to sprout your seeds in,
i feel you need a lighter mix that is MADE for seed starting. the brand i use is called "Scott's Potting Soil
for SEED STARTING" it is about ten dry quarts and has a little bit of phosphorous in it for faster root growth;
you could use a similar brand, of course, mixed with one gallon of WARM water. STERILE seed-starting mix such as this will keep for weeks in a 5 gallon bucket if it is covered, in my case with a bathroom rug and a brick on top of it...no fungus, no smell, no....i was impressed!
see the pumpkinpal2 '04 diary for a picture and description.
your SOIL temperature needs to up there as well, around
85 degrees minimum and 90 maximum, or you are asking for the seeds to fail, for lack of a nicer term.

i have referenced "cake" as having a good consistency for seed-starting mix...not too moist, not too dry.
if your soil is too wet, and you are confining it also, well, you need to get the seed-starting mix and some
4-inch peat pots, with a bunch of large holes punched in them for root protrusion....not plastic, unless you use drier seed-starting media (mix)>>>>>>>>>>>>good luck-----eric

4/13/2005 12:55:07 PM

Oz

the filter is just to pull them from their pots.it comes off the root ball easy

4/13/2005 3:50:02 PM

Thornhill, Ontario, Canada

Hey, here's a thought. What about making pot liners from rice paper?

They would be pretty thin, wouldn't they? And, I imagine that a plant roots wouldn't have any trouble breaking through when the paper is moist. They probably break down completely too. You would just need them to hold together long enough to transplant.

Anybody ever try this?

4/13/2005 5:14:57 PM

C N Y

okay, i think the ultimate PAPER product to sprout seeds in and expect it to break down once in the soil would be TOILET
paper. hmmmmmm...Scott's Seed Starting Mix surrounded by Scottissue. 1000 sheets per roll. hmmmm....paper in general is surprisingly "tough" when you consider that a plant's fragile roots are what we are trying to put through it. sorry, i do not think rice paper
will ring the "bell" but i have none to experiment with, so what the heck do i know? i know i never claim to be an expert, lol, so i have dramatic license and make it up as i go. ummm, here's something i have tried>>>i got the seed to sprout in a four-inch peat pot, and once the seed-starting mix became a little less moist as time went on, i removed the peat pot entirely. yep, the SS mix stood alone.
eventually the roots started coming out of the SS mix, wherever they felt like it. COOL!!! problem was, once they came out of the SS mix they kinda dried up because they
had nothing to grow into or up against. HINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
word of caution>>>>>what eventually did my experiment in was the actual watering of the SS mix-ball. i just did it too quickly and it sort of had a landslide. later that night. delayed reaction------bummer!
the plant itself was fine, but the mess it made prompted
some cleanup when i got home that night. something to try!!!

4/13/2005 6:25:39 PM