Active Compost in Your Starting Mix, Joe Explains
Joe Schmitt of Fair Field Flowers during a break at the Specialty Cut Flower Grower’s School
Debra and I each spent one day at the Specialty Cut Flower Growers School up in Mt. Vernon, WA this past week, dividing our efforts in order to be able to cover the lectures and events of both days. We have lots to share and promise there will be plenty to read and see over the next few weeks as we find time to edit, refine and pull some of the most fascinating stories together. First, however we both must get through this next week and our presentations at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show.
In the meantime, as a good-faith down payment, I’ve posted up what I consider a real informational gem for gardeners and growers everywhere. Joe Schmitt of Fair Field Flowers in Madison, Wisconsin is something of a guru in the world of cut flowers, a wise and experienced teacher, and third generation flower farmer. Consider this but a first taste, gleaned from the veritable feast of information that was being offered up to attendees at the growers’ school on Friday and Saturday.
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We talk about this problem all the time. Clean equipment, sterile soiless mixes and talking sweet to the emerging plants always helps!
Strangly enough, Jim, I got the impression that this time tested farmer’s experience pointed in the opposite direction. No need for all that sterility and soillessness if you are using living compost in your seed starting mix. And no damping off issues.