Blazing Light, Love's Song

So far … a follow-up on Back to the Roots, No Peat/Peat Free, Potting Soil.

• • seems to provide balanced nutrition. That is observed by the variety of seeds started and that they all appear healthy.
  • seems to be non-compacting and breathe well. This is evidenced by plants that quickly put down vigorous root systems able to do so; to the point where they are already coming out the bottom of a couple of seed snails.

One advisory note: This potting soil absorbs water slowly; i.e. water runs out the bottom and pools. That is likely due to the variety of plant biomass used instead of peat, which is sponge-like. The key is to give the water time to be absorbed, which can take over an hour. However, it seems that, with patience while also not leaving the plant drowning for a day, this potting soil absorbs well and plants are satisfied. Slow absorption might also indicate that the soil medium dries out less quickly than peat; but, my plants are not big enough yet to make that assessment.

Addendum: The two freshly potted geraniums are very happy. For them, too, water has to pool in their dishes in order to be properly absorbed.

Happy growing!

Want to give a quick report on how the No-Peat Potting Soil from Home Depot is working as well as report on seed snails at this stage. Big thumbs up, thus far!

Yes, Back to the Roots (peat-free) Potting Mix from Home Depot

• The importance of finding an alternative to peat-based bagged potting, starter mix, or bagged raised bed mix was made plain in Garden fun 1. Peat bogs (aka mires, moors, moorlands) are extremely fragile and endangered ecosystems; as in almost 90% destroyed in Europe alone. The flora and fauna in a moor is specific, having evolved over the centuries and millennia that a peatland takes to form.
• At this point, I have started 10 seed snails with Back to the Roots Organic Potting Soil (peat-free). Why a potting mix rather than seed starter mix? a) on the recommendation of the master gardeners on YouTube who have experimented with seed snails. b) starter mix has very little nutrition, whereas a potting mix is made from a variety of organic plant matters so as to breakdown and feed the potted plant as it grows. Thus, a potting mix is more nutritious than a starter mix. A starter mix is simply more fluffy, providing ease for seeds to sprout (break soil). But, to a certain extent, that’s a modern human consideration of ease. Plants are extremely strong. A potting mix is fine.
• As witnessed by master gardeners, I sprinkled something lighter on top of the seeds, rather than potting mix. I used home-made compost; just a sprinkle to cover the seeds, unless the seed requires light to germinate.
• Bear witness to the lettuce that began sprouting on the 3rd day from seeding!
• Cabbage, chard, parsley, cilantro, a pot of bush snap peas (for a pot experiment) are all coming up. More to come!
• Also, the consistency of this peat-free potting mix was easy to moisten in a plant tray, as seen in the videos on Garden fun 2026, 1. I did add a small amount of perlite/vermiculite to the mix because I had it. Did so to support aeration.
• This peat-free option from Home Depot can only be online ordered. It is not sold in the stores. Single bags can be ordered.

Seed Snails thus far, Yes!

• The amount of potting mix used per snail is less than pots. Except for the first two snails, which were 6 in. tall (too big for what’s in them), all the rest have been 4″ W X 18″ L, thus when standing up, the seed snail is 4″ tall. It required equivalent of 1 + 1/2 of moistened potting mix for a common 4″ pot. Yet, the seed snail has far more seeds set in it! Most of my snails have between 20-25 seeds, whereas one 4″ pot would have two or three max. Huge saving on soil!
• Space for one seed snail is the same as one 4″ pot. Same space taken in a tray, but 20 plant babies rather than 2 or 3.
• Because the potting soil is pre-moistened (by oneself) and the rolled design, the snail seems to retain moisture longer. I have not needed to water them yet, other than a sprinkle on the top. Another day, and I’ll bottom water the oldest snails, which are a good 10 days old.
• No doubt, as the plants grow and set roots, watering will happen more frequently.
• I think watering will be the real learning curve, in that the top will naturally dry out sooner than the middle or bottom, but more dramatically than in a starter or 4″ pot due to the construction and design of the snail.

One more note about the no-peat potting soil: I repotted  two geraniums. They immediately liked the potting mix, as can be seen by their vibrant green color. The thyme next them is this weekend for its annual splitting off.

And …. bush snap peas, lettuce, hon tsai tai, and yukima are popping up in the cold frames. Yay!