Diatomaceous Earth as a seed starting medium

[RayR]

Some other sources have been mentioned already, if you have an O'Reilly Auto Parts nearby they carry UltraSorb, ObtiSorb and SelectSorb.
Grainger also carries UltraSorb, ObtiSorb and SelectSorb.
Another source in the Eastern U.S. that you might check out if you have a store location in your area is BJ's Wholesale Club. Even though it doesn't show up on their web site, I did buy some 33lb bags of UltraSorb indirectly though a local independent overstock outlet that gets stuff from BJ's. Whether this a a regularly stocked item at all locations, that I don't know.
Also some folks have found Moltan Blue Ribbon Kitty Litter at some dollar stores, it is the same product as OptiSorb.

[BigVanVader]

Thanks for the links, I can order it through Grainger here at work and get a discount. 33 lbs should last awhile.

[Labradors2]

I spotted some Ultra Sorb for sale and bought a bag. Although most of my seedlings are planted, I still have a few more to test it out.

So far, I love the fact that it damps down instantly and the granule size makes it much easier to plant my sprouted seeds toots down!

However, I am thinking of moving from home-made paper pots to store-bought plastic ones for next year, and I wonder how easy it would be to get the plant out to pot it up. Does it hang together like soil-less mix after it's been sitting around for a while?

Linda

[b54red]

Originally Posted by Labradors2

I spotted some Ultra Sorb for sale and bought a bag. Although most of my seedlings are planted, I still have a few more to test it out.

So far, I love the fact that it damps down instantly and the granule size makes it much easier to plant my sprouted seeds toots down!

However, I am thinking of moving from home-made paper pots to store-bought plastic ones for next year, and I wonder how easy it would be to get the plant out to pot it up. Does it hang together like soil-less mix after it's been sitting around for a while?

Linda

Linda if the DE is starting to dry out it will just fall off most of the roots but if it is wet it can be scooped up and will hold together fairly good. I like using egg cartons and a small spoon for scooping the seedlings out to pot up into larger containers. If you get a darkening or a layer of green algae on the surface of the DE don't trust your eyes to tell if it is moist. It is best to touch it and see if it is still moist or if it has become dry.

Bill

[Labradors2]

Thanks Bill, I'll have to remember to dampen them down before transplanting.

I may try your egg box method with Ultra Sorb for my winter tomato seedlings this year. More of them will fit under the grow lights and I won't have to deal with fungus gnats - win/win!!!!

Linda

Originally Posted by b54red

Linda if the DE is starting to dry out it will just fall off most of the roots but if it is wet it can be scooped up and will hold together fairly good. I like using egg cartons and a small spoon for scooping the seedlings out to pot up into larger containers. If you get a darkening or a layer of green algae on the surface of the DE don't trust your eyes to tell if it is moist. It is best to touch it and see if it is still moist or if it has become dry.

Bill

[RayR]

Originally Posted by Labradors2

I spotted some Ultra Sorb for sale and bought a bag. Although most of my seedlings are planted, I still have a few more to test it out.

So far, I love the fact that it damps down instantly and the granule size makes it much easier to plant my sprouted seeds toots down!

However, I am thinking of moving from home-made paper pots to store-bought plastic ones for next year, and I wonder how easy it would be to get the plant out to pot it up. Does it hang together like soil-less mix after it's been sitting around for a while?

Linda

I kind of like it that the DE separates from the roots so easily. I'm a root disturber who never has any problem with transplant shock.
I've been pre-spouting seeds like you Linda, sometimes I plant more than one sprout in each cell. The DE makes it easier to separate the roots with little to no damage when potting up. Bill's right about the moisture level effecting how much DE sticks. Also the granule size has a lot to do with it

I guess it doesn't matter much what technique you like as long as it works for you.

[Labradors2]

That's another great idea Ray! I can grow two plants in one cell and have little trouble in separating them when the time comes!

I could go back to the used paper coffee cup idea, although they don't work well with bottom watering.

Linda

Originally Posted by RayR

I kind of like it that the DE separates from the roots so easily. I'm a root disturber who never has any problem with transplant shock.
I've been pre-spouting seeds like you Linda, sometimes I plant more than one sprout in each cell. The DE makes it easier to separate the roots with little to no damage when potting up. Bill's right about the moisture level effecting how much DE sticks. Also the granule size has a lot to do with it

I guess it doesn't matter much what technique you like as long as it works for you.

[RootLoops]

i'm officially on the bandwagon for this one, i got a bag of ultrasorb last week or so. i love how fast it wets from bottom watering. i like that i can put a seed on top and pour some water in the flat and in minutes every cell is wet but not soggy and the surface dries fast to discourage problems that that can cause

[BigVanVader]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

Thanks for the links, I can order it through Grainger here at work and get a discount. 33 lbs should last awhile.

I got some DE, I'm gonna go ahead and start some Nasturtium in it just to test the dense planting method with DE. I went with the medium grit hoping it would make it easier to divide the plants later. If this works well I'm going to try it for all my seed starts next year, although I had great success with Metro-Mix 360 this season.

I feel the ability to reuse DE and the low cost is just to good not to try, especially since I plan on growing plants to sell and every penny saved is one more earned. I love the egg carton idea as well, I actually started some seeds that way but I planted the seeds IN the shell of the egg and it worked well! I would post pics but cant seem to figure it out

Anyway, awesome thread, awesome forum, awesome folks!

Oh and Levent, your plant pics are amazing, never seen healthier looking plants.

[Jaysan]

I picked some up today planning to try cuke and squash seeds in it for second plantings.
Anyone tried other vegetable seeds in it yet?

Also I wondering if it could be a replacement for perlite in 321 mix in SWC containers. It sure is more cost effective but I don't know if it would break down or keep enough open space in the mix.

I have read that it is something you don't want to breathe. Due to what it can do to the lings it is classified as a carcinogen. I had no idea. But then you don't want to breath perlite dust either.

After just reading through 26 pages many of my questions were answered.

Great topic!

[b54red]

Originally Posted by Jaysan

I picked some up today planning to try cuke and squash seeds in it for second plantings.
Anyone tried other vegetable seeds in it yet?

Also I wondering if it could be a replacement for perlite in 321 mix in SWC containers. It sure is more cost effective but I don't know if it would break down or keep enough open space in the mix.

I have read that it is something you don't want to breathe. Due to what it can do to the lings it is classified as a carcinogen. I had no idea. But then you don't want to breath perlite dust either.

After just reading through 26 pages many of my questions were answered.

Great topic!

I have used in on both. I prefer using it with cucumbers and potting them up when they get true leaves into larger containers with potting soil. For squash they are one of the few seeds that I sow directly into larger cups with potting soil. The reason is when they pop up they are already fairly large and the few roots on them don't work as well in DE to me and they are more difficult to pot up because of their size. Since I use egg cartons to start almost all my seed I just find it easier to go with potting soil for squash.

The only seed other than squash that I start in a larger container is onions but I use DE for them. I use a 9 inch clay pot that is at least 6 inches deep and fill it with UltraSorb making sure to use something to stop it from leaking out the large hole in the bottom. I thoroughly wet the DE and sow the onion seed and cover them lightly with DE. The only problem with using such a large container is that it doesn't bottom water nearly as well. The big advantage comes when the onion seedlings are large enough to plant out into the garden. I clip the tops and let the DE dry out and the onions separate easily with most of the roots intact and WOW! what roots. Using DE for onions has made growing them from seed so much easier and my germination rate is much better than with potting soil.

Bill

[Randall]

I decided to give DE a try with some tomato seedlings. UltraSorb. I'll definitely be using it again. I had 98% germination within 4 days. Most are starting their first set of true leaves today at 6 days in:

[Jaysan]

I have sown some lettuce in the NAPA DE. Yes it was true DE. Seems kind of course though. I am wondering if that will have a less than optimum effect on how they do.

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by Jaysan

I have sown some lettuce in the NAPA DE. Yes it was true DE. Seems kind of course though. I am wondering if that will have a less than optimum effect on how they do.

I was actually successful in getting a great lettuce crop for the first time last year by starting the seedlings in DE. I was able to plant out seedlings with a large and well developed root system, and so far results have been just as good this year.

The same goes for spinach, which I have always had difficulty with--little to no germination, and any that I managed to plant out quickly died. This year I primed the seeds by soaking and cooling, then used DE to start them, and had about 75% germination. They were healthy with a big root system compared to prior attempts. They have been out in the garden for almost a week and are doing great.

Follow the advice here regarding fertilizing once they sprout, and hopefully you're results will be as good!

[b54red]

Ray I bet when you started this thread you had no idea how it would take off did you?

For me it has been the most helpful thing I have learned on this forum and I have learned a lot of very useful things from the many helpful members of Tomatoville. I now plant seed with little doubt that I will get great germination and will have little or no problem with damping off anymore. After two years and thousands of seed started in UltraSorb I no longer even worry when I start seed about whether I will have enough. Now I always have too many seedlings of everything I start in DE.

Thanks again for posting this great idea.

Bill