Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, writeone. This user is located in Orlando, FL; Zone 9B. This was originally posted on November 28, 2012.
That is one way to do it, but seedlings seem to do well even without leaving the roll so high that it serves as a barrier. One local master gardener says the rolls helps keep the potting mix compacted enough around the seed sprouts. When in a larger container, the potting mix has more movement. Even with the consistant moisture in the EB, you can see signs of expansion and settling.
More detailed instructions as to what I did:
Cut TP card board roll in half leaving the ends open.
Insert one end of the roll into the potting mix where you desire the plant to grow.
Use a twisting back and forth motion to get it to cut into the PM & fill the roll.
Leaving a little lip above the PM for shallow sown seeds so as to keep them from floating away when watered in.
Add more PM if needed to keep the PM inside the roll level with PM outside the roll.
Maintain EB as usual. At that stage, a Florida EB usually needs watering about 2 - 3 weeks. I do it weekly just to be sure.
Our local wild squirrels like to dig in the PM, so I also place a cage I made of chicken wire and PVC pipes to keep them away till the PM has settled in and the the plants are large enough to fill the plant hole. But leaving the rolls high would likely do the trick too. I'll try it that way next sowing. That way I could leave the mulch cover cut as slits in an X formation and the roll would protect the seedling from the flaps.
Thanks for helping me brainstorm / fine tune this process.
Note: I don't use the rolls with tomato seeds. I do the deep direct sow suggested elsewhere on the forum. If memory serves me, John from EB recommended it.
Note: Due to the need to earn money to pay for my earth boxes+, I'm not on the forum so much anymore. So, if I post a tip, I may not see questions requesting clarification. However, the EB personal messages come to my email. You can cue me to check a question on the post that way. Just put the link in the personal message, so I can quickly access it from my email. I'm working long hours now, so won't likely be on the forum except to give a quick tip or trouble shoot a problem in my garden.
I miss the intellectual stimulation and gardener camaraderie of the forum, but now I'm out there telling the world about EBs. As a wellness consultant and massage therapist, I do community outreach events to educate the public about simple life style changes that improve health. The last one I did was Holiday Stress Busters. I included EB as a way of busting stress through personal grounding in nature
