Soil type advice please

[_Chris_]

I've just returned from the garden shop with my first set of seeds

I'll be growing in containers, but I have no idea which soil to buy, I assumed it would be quite straight forward (doh!) but the choice was scary.

The seeds are:
Spinach - Medania
Onion - Red Baron
Carrot - Early Nantes 2
and a FREE pack of Golden Bell F1 hybrid pepper seeds

They'll all be grown in individual containers, so I'll be able to use different soil types if required without issues.

Also, on a side note, I had no idea how many seeds you got in a pack! I have 3,000 carrot seeds! I could feed an army with that The package doesn't mention how long anything takes to mature though, so I'll be checking daily.

Thanks

[zazen999]

For containers, go for a multi purpose compost.

[Eyren]

Yeah, multi-purpose is fine for pretty much all veg - our local garden centre has special vegetable compost (probably with a slightly different balance of fertilizer than the multi-purpose), but it's not essential. You could mix a bit of sharp sand in with the compost for growing carrots, but really, veggies are not as fussy as some flowering plants - none of them like acidic soil, for example (as far as I can remember).

Some packets do have loads of seed in, but remember you can keep sowing them for a steady crop throughout the year. In fact "Early Nantes" is ideal for that, because it's a quick-growing variety as carrots go - I would sow a small container now and another in a month or two's time, to spread them out. I grow Early Nantes in my raised beds, in a mixture of compost and garden soil, and harvest them at about finger size for delicious baby carrots at a fraction of the price you pay in the shops

Keep the seed packet in a cool dark place (preferably with one of those little sachets of silica gel that come with leather goods and the like) and they should see you through into next year!

[lynda66]

ps don't hold your breath while you're checking daily lol .... they may take a ermm week or 2 *giggles*

[veggielover]

re:- too many seeds, my plan was to sow now then again in a month and so on, but my ever helpful children decided that that mum hadn't put enough down ( as packet still 3 quarters full ) and deciced to tip rest of pack onto the site!!!! bless i know they were only trying to help, but instead i'll now be spending hours thinning them out.....and they are no longer in a row!!!!

back for more seeds soon i think!!

[_Chris_]

Thanks for the helpful replies, got myself a couple of bags of nice 'peat free multi-purpose compost', and some pots/troughs. Noticed that B&Q sell their general purpose 'orange bucket' for 99p, a few drainage holes in the bottom and it's a nice cheap container!

Of course, taking my girlfriend to any shop is never the best idea... we now have some 'grow your own kits' too, 3 different types of pepper, cucumber, lettuce and tomato With plans to plant some pumpkins next month for Halloween fun and food, can't wait!