Starting seeds in HM

jbest123 · November 7th, 2009, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blanesgarden

So what about starting seedlings in your compost, like youve mentioned in the past, with pics...If I remember right.

You aint gona start seeds in straight horse manure are ya John?

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Blanesgarden you got me thinking about starting seeds in HM. I will be starting replants of lettuce, endive and spinach in a couple of weeks and thought I would do some checking. PH strips indicate a PH close to six so I will not be adding any lime.

I suspect the nutrients are low enough not cause any problems. Last year I started to use soil blocks to start my seeds and wanted to see how they would hold up using HM. I think they will do fine. John

silverseeds · November 7th, 2009, 08:34 AM

I have used 08 or 90 percent cow manure, and some local soil, the manure is aged well.... but I never had any issues, that can think of.......

Blanesgarden · November 7th, 2009, 07:47 PM

Hey man....
I wasnt worried about the PH levels, as much...
More concerned about the N content.
Doesnt this raise some eyebrows?
Wouldnt some seedlings burn up....at an early stage?

jbest123 · November 8th, 2009, 06:57 AM

This pile was pretty old I think most of the nitrogen would be used up from the composting. Plus it was not covered so a lot of the nutrients are probably leached out. Its not humus yet but its close to it. John

blueribbontomatoes · November 8th, 2009, 07:56 AM

I started all my tomato seeds in HM one year and had very good results. It was well aged and originally came with a whole lot of sawdust, which was used as bedding. I would love to get another truck load of that!

older than dirt · November 8th, 2009, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jbest123

This pile was pretty old I think most of the nitrogen would be used up from the composting. Plus it was not covered so a lot of the nutrients are probably leached out. Its not humus yet but its close to it. John

The nitrogen content would not be to high even in fairly fresh HM . Only problem I could see would be high salt content on fresh ( un rained on HM ) .
If the HM has been out side & rained on to leach the salt out for a while it should be great as a starting medum.

November 7th, 2009, 08:34 AM	#2
silverseeds Grow your own! Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: High desert New Mexico USDA Zone: No zone info Posts: 6,933	Re: Starting seeds in HM I have used 08 or 90 percent cow manure, and some local soil, the manure is aged well.... but I never had any issues, that can think of....... __________________ Plant breeding, and learning to account for variables in a given location, offer us our best hope at feeding ourselves in truly sustainable ways. We have the knowledge, and tools. What if the ways we farmed built soil, and water tables instead of draining them? Leaving an oasis in our wake rather then deserts.

November 7th, 2009, 07:47 PM	#3
Blanesgarden Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Jackson, MS zone 8 Posts: 7,476	Re: Starting seeds in HM Hey man.... I wasnt worried about the PH levels, as much... More concerned about the N content. Doesnt this raise some eyebrows? Wouldnt some seedlings burn up....at an early stage? __________________ do what you love, and youll never work a day in your life.

November 8th, 2009, 06:57 AM	#4
jbest123 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 USDA Zone: 5b Posts: 1,171	Re: Starting seeds in HM This pile was pretty old I think most of the nitrogen would be used up from the composting. Plus it was not covered so a lot of the nutrients are probably leached out. Its not humus yet but its close to it. John __________________ “It's the good girls who keep diaries; the bad girls never have the time.”----Tallulah Bankhead Checkout the Idigerlocation map. If you are not on it, why? John’s Journal http://www.jbest123.com/

November 8th, 2009, 07:56 AM	#5
blueribbontomatoes Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Sonora, Ky USDA Zone: 6b Posts: 834	Re: Starting seeds in HM I started all my tomato seeds in HM one year and had very good results. It was well aged and originally came with a whole lot of sawdust, which was used as bedding. I would love to get another truck load of that!