Diatomaceous Earth as a seed starting medium

[RayR]

Originally Posted by DK2021

Working my way through this very long thread and decided to jump to the end to ask if anyone has used this specific product: EP Minerals "Floor Dry"


https://www.grainger.com/product/EP-...sorbent-191W88


The tech sheet (link on above page) states that the pH is 6.5. I had seen a few earlier posts mentioning pH being too high but this is slightly acidic so I think (?) it could work for seed starting.


Any advise would be welcome. I usually just use commercial germinating medium for starting seed. Would love to try a DE medium if it reduces damping off/fungus but I also don't want to waste precious seed.



BTW Grainger lists 3 DE-based sorbents (not counting one that is "scented"):
https://www.grainger.com/category/sa...&filters=attrs

Haven't been here in a while.


As far as PH, it's going to vary, you could get some that is 6.5 or up in the 7's. The DE I have tested here anyway seem to be in the 7's. It never presented a problem for the germination stage anyway, which is my main use, Actually growing seedlings in pure DE can be a problem with some plant types if the PH is in the high 7's. I create mixes with DE,Coco or peat,and compost or worm castings that I've grown seedlings out to the potting up stage. I like to mess around like that to see what works and doesn't, but I've got a good PH meter so I can fine tune the PH of the final mix.

[RayR]

Originally Posted by DK2021

Working my way through this very long thread and decided to jump to the end to ask if anyone has used this specific product: EP Minerals "Floor Dry"


https://www.grainger.com/product/EP-...sorbent-191W88


The tech sheet (link on above page) states that the pH is 6.5. I had seen a few earlier posts mentioning pH being too high but this is slightly acidic so I think (?) it could work for seed starting.


Any advise would be welcome. I usually just use commercial germinating medium for starting seed. Would love to try a DE medium if it reduces damping off/fungus but I also don't want to waste precious seed.



BTW Grainger lists 3 DE-based sorbents (not counting one that is "scented"):
https://www.grainger.com/category/sa...&filters=attrs

As long as the EP Minerals Floor Dry is pure granular Diatomaceous Earth, that'll be the one to get for seed starting or a soil amendment. I see Granger has Floor-Dry which is Medium-Coarse Granules, Optisorb (Large Coarse Granules) and Solid-A-Sorb (Fine Coarse Granules) See the PDF Sell Sheets for details on each product at Granger.



You may also some at Autozone also as well as other Autoparts stores.

I see Autozone has 2 EP Minerals DE products, one called Oil Absorbent DE 25lb and the other is EP Minerals Floor-Dry 15lb. I don't know what the size of the granules are if one is coarse and the other is finer
I still have a stash here that I bought years ago, so I haven't bought any recently.

[kurt]

https://www.google.com/search?q=bene...obile&ie=UTF-8

[DK2021]

Thanks for the input. I think I will pick up a bag of Floor-Dry at the closest Napa Auto Parts shop. Might experiment with mixtures.

[Father'sDaughter]

I've been using the EP Minerals Floor Dry from Autozone these last few years. It seems identical to what they used to sell as Ultra-Sorb.

[kycountryboy]

I just started reading this thread. I have a 50 lb bag of DE, it is ground very fine, like flour. I have been using pro mix with
Fungazide. I still have more vegetables to plant. I'm thinking about mixing, it with pro mix.
Has anyone done this or have any ideas for very fine DE.
Thanks

[paradajky]

Kycountryboy: powdered DE best for pool filters, but if you wish to use in the garden, then use it against insects, either spread dry or mixed with water and sprayed. I think some people use it for soil amendment, you'll have to research that. The powdered form will cake up and not be good for seedlings.

[RayR]

There are 2 different kinds of powdered DE

The DE produced for pool filters is DE calcined at high heat with transforms it into crystalline Silicon Dioxide, basically finely powdered sand. It is not safe to ingest or breathe in the dust. Breathing it in can cause the lung disease Silicosis.

Powdered DE used for insect control is Food Grade DE, it is natural amorphous silicon dioxide (Diatomite) , which has a very low content of any crystaline SiO2. It is safe to use around the garden (you still want to avoid breathing in the fine dust though or getting it into your eyes) It will also slowly break down in the soil and provide plant-available Silicon. For applying to plant surfaces for insect control it is best to mix it with water and spray it on.

[MrsJustice]

Thank you for all the information with pictures.

I am learning from you all.
This is what I am learning by getting the Definition, uses, and Natural Uses for any plant.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diatomaceous_earth

[kycountryboy]

I found what I needed at AutoZone yesterday, I will get busy planting today!

[MrsJustice]

I am surprised that DE is used in many everyday products. I am learning the farming terminology to Apply for a Farming Loan, as I have collected all of the Food History of the Contraband Slaves.

[paradajky]

Long story short, how to I safely transplant root-sensitive seedlings like squash and cucumbers out of a small, 72-cell starter with Autozone's FloorDry? I did not start in egg-cartons. Not worried about the tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers, those will be easy.

[KarenO]

Can we look at all the professional growers and horticulture experts plants that use something designed to soak up spilled oil in your garage to start plants in?
It Might be pretty hard to find Some I think. But since it’s so great, all the professionals should be using it I guess?
No? Hmmmm
What are those experts using?

Seedling mix.
Me too.

KarenO

[RayR]

Originally Posted by paradajky

Long story short, how to I safely transplant root-sensitive seedlings like squash and cucumbers out of a small, 72-cell starter with Autozone's FloorDry? I did not start in egg-cartons. Not worried about the tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers, those will be easy.

Why would you want to transplant squash and cucumber seedlings into DE?

I only use DE for seed starting and more than half of everything I grow seedlings in these days that is not root sensitive is my own mixture of DE, Coco Coir and compost.
You can grow them in straight DE but I prefer my mix where I have good control over the PH of the mix and I grow organically, so the organic components of the mix are a plus.
For potting up stage for the final weeks before transplant in the garden, they go in a good soil mix like Pro-Mix or such.

Squash and cucumbers I grow directly from pre-sprouted seed in 3" or 4" pots in soil mix. No potting up before transplant in the garden. For pre-sproutiing, i usually place the seeds on a moist bed of DE in a closed container. It works just like the paper towel method for pre-sprouting seeds.

Onions and Leeks I grow directly from seed in my DE/Coir/Compost mix and there they grow until separating the seedlings and transplanting in the garden. Since my mix is 50% DE, it is very loose and seedlings, even densely planted seedlings are very easy to separate without tearing up the roots to bad.
I've grown them is straight DE in the past, but again I prefer my mix of the inorganic DE with the organic coco coir and compost.

[paradajky]

My apologies for asking the question. Thanks for the response.