Making Your Own Seed Raising Mix
Seed raising mix is something we go through a lot of every year when starting our vegetable seedlings. While you can purchase commercial seed raising mixes, we prefer to make our own custom blend. By making our own seed raising mix we know exactly what’s in it and is also cheaper.
Here is what you will need to make 120 litres of seed raising mix
2 x 25 litre bags of compost or potting mix
90 litre brick of coco coir
25 litre bag of perlite
25 litre bag of vermiculite
The coconut coir provide excellent moisture retention, the perlite aerated the soil and promote drainage and the compost/potting mix give the mix some nutrient to feed the seedlings. We use the vermiculite as mulch, as vermiculite absorb water like a sponge keeping the soil damp.
When to Make Your Seed Raising Mix
We like to make up a large batch of seed raising mix and store it in plastic bins. It stores really well, but don’t forget to include drainage holes in your bin.
Making the Seed Raising Mix
Making the seed raising mix is like baking a cake in the kitchen, it requires a recipe and to mix it all together.
The recipe is:
2 parts of coconut coir
2 parts of sifted compost or potting mix
1 part perlite
Method
We start off by putting our dry brick of coconut coir in water so it can expand and absorb water.
While this is happening, we start sifting our compost or potting. The mixture needs to be a fine mixture.
We then add into a tub or bucket and mix it all together and then it good to use.
Problems With Homemade Seed Raising Mixes
While making your own seed starting mix is straightforward, there are a few potential pitfalls to avoid:
Poor Drainage
If your mix seems overly dense and water just sits on top, add some extra perlite for better drainage and aeration.
Too Dense for Seeds
On the flip side, if the mix seems very loose and airy, it can allow tiny seeds to sink down too deep. Lightly compact the mix before sowing or add a bit more coconut coir to firm it up slightly.
The Overall Cost for Making Your Own Seed Raising Mix
Making your own seed raising mix is a great way to save a few dollars. Here is what it cost us
90 litre of coconut coir $26.00
2 bags x 25 litre bags of Potting Mix $8.00
1 x 25 litre bag of Perlite $29.00
1 x 25 litre bag of Vermiculite $29.00
The total cost of the mix was $94 dollars and make just over 120 litres. After checking the price of other seed raising mixes I have used before they retail at the price of between 16-20 per 15 litre bags. So to purchase 120 litres of seed raising mix at the cheapest cost is $128.
So that is a saving of 34 dollars per 120 litre and we would go through 2 to 3 batches of this year, so our savings by making our own seed raising mix is between 68 -102 dollars a year.
Making your own nutrient-rich blend for seed starting really is simple. Give it a try this season for healthy, vigorous seedlings. Let us know if you have any other seed raising mix tips.