themagnoliatreeblog

As an advocate for recycling, I have been saving up five litre water bottles to use for sowing seeds. I tried cold sowing with water bottles and milk bottles last year, with varying degrees of success. I used coco coir as a medium for the seeds although there are not enough valuable nutrients in it for long-term planting, seeds don’t care. Some will germinate in damp kitchen roll but once they show their little green leaves, they start to get hungry and coir just isn’t sufficient for their needs. I also understand that although coir is good to use for germination, it may cause problems if whatever other nutrients or fertilisers you use are not coco coir safe. I would like to experiment a little bit more since I think the qualities it does have would protect the little seeds. According to Advanced Nutrients, the ancient name for the coconut tree is ‘The Tree of Life’.

This is from an article on their website:– “Coco coir is naturally anti-fungal, anti-microbial and anti-bacterial (though oddly it creates a wonderful and friendly environment for “good” bacteria). It can help protect your plants against pathogens like Pithium and… at the same time, it will allow beneficial bacteria to thrive. It’s almost eerie how true to its name, “The Tree of Life”, it really is”.

This year I am trying a different approach but sowing even less seeds but sowing some in little plastic drinking cups. I don’t need many plants so four seeds per cup and three cups per water bottle will deal with the quantity. I cut the bottles almost right through, about two thirds of the way up and leave just enough as a hinge, then put drainage holes in the base. I am using an all-purpose compost this year instead of the coir and in addition to the compost in the cups, I have added a couple of inches to the bottom of the bottle as ballast. It will also provide a little extra if roots find their way through the drainage holes in cups.

The other thing I am thinking of trying is using compost topped with a layer of coco coir so that it will give the little seeds and seedlings a friendly and safe environment and when they are ready to leave their nursery lair, they can send their little roots down to the compost for more nutrients. So far the seeds I sowed last year were suitable for an earlier start but I will try with some later spring sowing seeds

Sweet Red Peppers in a 1pt bottle

Sweet Peas in a two-litre bottle

Once everything is in place I seal the bottle round the cut edge with tape, label it and leave only the cap off for water and air and it can all be forgotten about until time to plant them out when they should be easier to split.

There is no excuse for not sowing seeds, you can use many things as a makeshift greenhouse. Bottles are only one suggestion, plastic containers with lids should work just as well with air holes drilled in the base. A flower pot with a plastic bag, ready meal containers with lids. No lids? Use cling film. I’ve germinated seeds in a freezer bag with a little vermiculite mixed with water and liquid hydrogen peroxide. There are plenty of ideas on the internet if inspiration is still on vacation.

Nasturtiums in polybags

Why not visit my other blog Grannysattic