The 5 Garden Materials I Use
I rate the best potting mix for vegetable gardens
I am very fond of the War On Waste philosophy of using what you already have in most cases. However, when it comes to starting a garden, even I have a few must-buy suggestions to make getting started successful.
The 5 materials that I recommend purchasing are:
Potting Mix: The best potting mix for a vegetable garden, in my opinion, is Searles Organic 25L, but any type will do. You can buy potting mix from nurseries, hardware stores, Bunnings and online.
Seeds: Obviously! Salisbury Grange is my own brand and I am fastidious about seeds: mine are heirloom variety, organically grown and hand-collected. They have grown and thrive in an Australian environment. Other seed companies I support include: Eden Seeds, Seed Freaks, Lambley Nursery, Jardin De Fleur and The Diggers Club in Australia. And Floret in the US ships internationally.
Seed Tray: I have an opinion on the best potting mix for a vegetable garden and I also have an opinion on the best seed tray to start the seeds in. I love the REKO 10-space seed tray because I find these big and sturdy enough to let seeds grow in them happily for a month. If you are starting a small garden, 1-2 seed trays is plenty.
Watering Can: My biggest tip to remind people to water is to fill up a watering can and put it right next to your seed tray. I use a 5L plastic watering can, but there are many options from all the usual places. I prefer a larger watering can rather than those tiny ones.
Tape + Sharpie: Labelling is one element of growing seeds that I didn’t bother with for years and that was a huge mistake. I ALWAYS forget what I’ve planted a few days later. I use coloured tape and a sharpie to label everything I plant.
OPTIONAL
Organic Sugar Cane Mulch: Soil doesn’t like to be naked! And what I mean by that is, I make sure I protect the soil/potting mix by placing a light layer of mulch over the top. You can also use grass clippings from the mowing.
Small Black Pots: If you don’t have a garden bed or you’re testing out gardening for the first time. It could also be useful to stock up on a few inexpensive pots that you will move your seedlings into when they are big enough. I buy a 20cm version from Bunnings.