Which compost for which seeds?

[Sam2702]

Hi everyone, please can someone let me know whether I should used seed compost to start off spring onions, chillis etc in pots or should I use multi purpose? Thank you.


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[darcyvuqua]

Hi everyone, please can someone let me know whether I should used seed compost to start off spring onions, chillis etc in pots or should I use multi purpose? Thank you.


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I just use normal compost to be honest used seed compost before but didn't really notice anything that different apart from price


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[Sam2702]

Thank you, I have both but maybe I won't buy any again. Off to do some planting!


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[Bren In Pots]

Like DC I also use multi compost sometimes I sieve it if the seeds are tiny but mostly I don't bother.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Like the rest its MPC for everything.

Potty

[catgirl]

I used to use multi-purpose compost, then switched to seed compost this year but I'm really not that impressed with it! Perhaps it's the type/brand of seed compost I used but I found it dries out very easily and compresses down into one big lump. I've had to mix vermiculite in with it to make it usable. Next year I'll try to find a good multi-purpose compost instead!

[darcyvuqua]

I used to use multi-purpose compost, then switched to seed compost this year but I'm really not that impressed with it! Perhaps it's the type/brand of seed compost I used but I found it dries out very easily and compresses down into one big lump. I've had to mix vermiculite in with it to make it usable. Next year I'll try to find a good multi-purpose compost instead!

I really like Wilkos compost for starting seeds off then I use a decent comost with added john inns


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[Penellype]

Until last year I used to use Levington seed compost, which always performed well. Last year they changed something and it was dreadful - full of lumps and unidentifyable stuff, and I had several sowings fail completely. The man in the garden centre recommended Westland multipurpose and I've used that ever since, mostly successfully (little gem lettuce and some of the peas being the exceptions).

[Two_Sheds]

I tried seed compost once, didn't like. Went back to MPC (mixed with homemade leafmould)

[Kristen]

I use a high quality John Innes seed compost (thus soil-based). Its very sandy and breaks up easily, no lumps / twigs / anything of that nature. I find it makes pricking out very easy - the plants separate easily and less chance of root damage. When I used to use MPC I found that sometimes two seedlings would grow roots into a shared lump (even a small lump) such that there was damage when separating them. I find it easier to get the moisture level right, before before germination and after as because it is very free draining I find there is much less chance of over watering seedlings (i.e. such that they take several days to "drink" that much, and there is chance of rot in the meantime).

For large seeds like Beans I don't bother (chit them on damp kitchen paper, and the ones that sprout go straight into a pot of MPC), and easy to grow vegetables which give close to 100% germination will grow in anything, but I grow a large number of more difficult plants, and I find using a John Innes seed compost makes it easier to raise them - so then I use JI even for the easy things too.

It is expensive, but I reuse it year after year. The seeds don't need any nutrients from the soil, and I provide a very dilute feed soon after germination until pricking out, so unless I get a batch that has mould or disease (in which case I chuck away the compost, and container) I put the used seed compost into an inside-out bag, to indicate that the contents have been used, and then microwave it and reuse for the next batch / next year.

[Shroomy]

I use verve(B&Q) MPC it does everything i want
Mix in perlite and vermicultie for my chilli at a ratio of 10:1:1
the large 125 litre bags work out best value

[Kristen]

For growing on I mix in Perlite too. I have found, over the years (perhaps as Peat is reduced) that MPC compacts down and root formation is not as good as it used to be (or so it seems to me )

I mix in 10% by volume Perlite which I find keeps the compost more open (can hamper potting on as rootball can fall to bits rather than being able to just knock the plant out and then pot it into larger pot). Almost no failures after pricking out nowadays, whereas I was getting a few before - due to over watering (too much water retention) I think.

(Needs relatively fine Perlite, rather than the coarse stuff sold for Hydroponics which I find doesn't do as good a job when mixed in)

[darcyvuqua]

I too add perlite


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[Shroomy]

or use cat litter which you can grind down a bit in a pesteland motar

[Urban]

I've done some seeds in both this year, plants seem to be ok in both, but I have noticed the mpc ones under lights the compost is a bit mouldy
But under the same conditions the seed compost there is no mould


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