Diatomaceous Earth as a seed starting medium

[svalli]

I have now filled all my bottom watering seed starting trays with the moler type DE (sold here for cat litter). Marigolds on right side of the photo started to germinate just in one day. I have flowering tobacco in the middle covered with vermiculite and behind it under the lid are petunia and fuchsia cuttings rooting. Tomatoes on the left side are soon ready for transplanting, but then they take more space under the lights, so I may let them grow one more week in DE.
I started some pepper seeds in normal potting soil before buying the bag of cat litter and fungus gnat larva ate the roots of many of them and they did not come up. I had to sow new Beaver Dam seeds in DE and no gnat problem with them. I just love how easy the DE is for germinating.


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