A nutritious recipe to accelerate the growth of seedlings
To strengthen the seedlings, you do not need to utilize chemicals or other unnatural ingredients. Just utilize a combination of seaweed, apple cider vinegar and other non-toxic ingredients to create the perfect mixture. Each recipe can be modified to complement the soil and climate for the best yields.
Below is an excerpt Intensive cultivation of vegetables without plowing By Bryan O’Hara. It has been adapted for utilize on the Internet.
(Photos courtesy of Byran O’Hara unless otherwise noted.)
How to escalate the growth of seedlings
We have developed our own recipes for side fertilization and foliar application. These are provided as examples that provide insight into how materials can be combined and in what relative volumes. These recipes were developed with the specific soils and environmental conditions of Tobacco Road Farm in mind: high organic matter content, high cation exchange capacity, clay valley soils under the influence of intense pollution, and an overall degraded regional ecosystem subject to climate modification.
Due to our growing situation, our recipes are relatively convoluted and we often change ingredients based on an assessment of specific crop needs, field conditions or availability of materials. Simpler versions may work equally well in other situations.
For all liquid mixes below, we combine the ingredients in 100 gallons (380 L) of water in the fertilizer tank. The flow from the fertilizer tank is adjusted to further mix it with the irrigation water at a ratio of approximately 1:20. This makes this mixture quite dilute.
Liquid mixture formulas
We often utilize a liquid mixture formula when watering newly planted beds. We chose to utilize a relatively frail liquid seaweed product in this blend; if we utilize a concentrated form, we limit the amount added. We include fermented plant extracts when available; Carrot and beetroot extracts are our favorite seed dressings.
To collect the vermicompost extract, water the vermicompost containers about an hour in advance, collect the running water and utilize it immediately. Liquefied compost extract is a good and straightforward to prepare substitute. We pour about 1 gallon of compost into a 5-gallon (20 L) bucket and fill it with water, then mix vigorously, strain and utilize immediately.
- 20 fluid ounces (600 ml) liquid seaweed
- 20 fluid ounces (600 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 10 fluid ounces (300 ml) fermented plant juices (FJP)
- 20 fluid ounces (600 ml) carrot/beet plant extract (FJP type)
- 20 fluid ounces (600 ml) Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate)
- 5 gallons (20 L) of seawater (or 40 fluid ounces of agricultural sea salt)
- 5 gallons (20 L) of liquid vermicompost extract
- Miniature amounts of other trace elements such as molybdenum, boron and sulfur (if deemed necessary)
The amounts listed here will cover approximately 5,000 square feet (465 m2). We apply manually using high-performance hoses with attached flat fan nozzles, covering the entire surface of newly planted beds, at a dose appropriate to the condition of the soil, in order to encourage the seeds to emerge.