This year's experiments

Last year I did a couple of 'experiments', testing out differences between different sorts of compost. Useful but rather frustrating as the peat-free compost I use, which is reckoned to be the best, still didn't perform as well as the old peat-based compost found down the allotments. Having said that, in the long run it didn't seem to make that much difference as all the plants were then potted on or planted out into peat-free or soil and did OK.

So I'm doing some more 'experiments' this year, with similar themes.

Experiment 1: Arthur C. Bowers New Horizon VS innominate peat-based.
From left: Pak Choi, Lettuce May Queen, Lettuce Lobjoits Green Cos, Lettuce Little Gem, all in peat-based.
From right: ditto, all in New Horizon.
Both with inclusion of Vermiculite.


4 April 2010.

17 April 2010.

25 April 2010.

1 May 2010.

Speed of germination, success of germination, size of seedlings: all seem much better on the left, i.e., peat-based. I did turn them round, but maybe the peat-based have been favoured by being on the sunny side of the mini-greenhouse.

Experiment 2: Depth of sowing.
In my teaching posts, I'm always stressing sowing seeds at the right depth. but how much does it really matter?
I sowed 7 seeds per pot of Lettuce May Queen at depths of 0.5cm (the recommended depth), 1.5cm and 2.5cm. I also sowed some at 0.5cm with a covering of vermiculite rather than compost.

4 April 2010.

25 April 2010.

1 May 2010.
It's not got enough samples to be scientifically valid, but i think it shows that seed depth doesn't necessarily have as big a role to play with this seed. Obviously still best to follow the seed packet or the rule of thumb: sow at twice the depth that the seed is wide.
Again, maybe I didn't turn often enough for all the pots to get the same distribution of sun.

Experiment 3: Coir Compost vs. New Horizon.
From left: Broccoli 'Raab'; Rocket; Spicy Greens; Pak Choi, all in coir compost.
From right: ditto, in New Horizon (no vermiculite).
The coir compost was one of those bricks from Oxfam.

1 May 2010.
Initial results looking more favourable for the coir compost. This was what Monty Don used to recommend, but I've never found it very easy to source, and some I used last year was hopeless. Mind you, it was from a pound shop.