For New Gardeners Only!: What is Perlite, Vermiculite, Peat Moss and Seed Starting Mix

For New Gardeners Only!:  What is Perlite, Vermiculite, Peat Moss and Seed Starting Mix 
I have a YouTube Channel that is geared towards new gardeners. It is called My First Vegetable Garden! The videos are a bit longer and have a more detailed explanation of the topics than my videos on my original YouTube Channel: The Rusted Garden.

Bagged Seed Starting Mix - The Rusted Garden 2014

Seed starting mixes should be sterile. You don't want to bring in diseases. Don't use garden soil, top soil or even potting mixes unless the potting mix is sold primarily as a seed starting mix. You have a greater chance of fungi and diseases with those products.
Perlite and Vermiculate are natural products treated with high heat. They are used to make starting mixes and are added, in varying amounts, to (typically) Peat Moss. They help with aeration and drainage. All three products are sterile because of a heat process.

Peat Moss is dried and is really really... really absorbent. It holds moisture which is a must for germinating seeds and growing indoor transplants. You can make your own starting mix as these products are sold individually or you can buy a pre-made seed starting mix. 
Either way... seed starting mixes, again, are typically just peat moss with the addition of perlite and/or vermiculite. Sometimes a starting mix like Jiffy brand is mostly vermiculite. 

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My 2014 Tomato Seed Order and Tomato Planting Strategy: Woo-Hoo!

My 2014 Tomato Seed Order & 

Tomato Planting Strategy: Woo-Hoo! 

I just order about $100 worth of tomatoes seeds. I think it is 27 varieties in all. That does not include the 15 or so varieties I have that I saved seeds from 2013 for 2014. 

Now there is a method to my tomato madness (I think). I selected and bunch of early varieties and no varieties that take over 75 days to mature first fruit. My late July and August temperatures get to high for many tomatoes. That being said I bough a few heat tolerant varieties to test out.

Cherry and Small Tomatoes - The Rusted Garden 2014

I also bought about 10 different types of cherry and currant tomatoes. I will do a complete small fruited tomato garden that will be highlighted in a YouTube series. Along with a series on heat tolerant tomatoes.

I also have a planting strategy to plant the early tomatoes, 60 days or so, two times in 2014. Once in April and again in July. I want to get two plantings. I will see how that goes. I will be using containers, a green house and some tricks for cold weather protection.

606 MATINA 1 $2.95
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6002 FIREWORKS 1 $2.95
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2522 NEW BIG DWARF 1 $3.15
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3776 HEINZ 1439 VFA 1 $2.95
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3566 ARKANSAS TRAVELER 1 $2.95
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5827 ZAPOTEC PINK RIBBED 1 $2.95
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4484 NEVES AZOREAN RED 1 $3.10
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3037 TODD COUNTY AMISH 1 $3.15
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2752 BRANDYSWEET PLUM 1 $2.95
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5546 COYOTE 1 $3.00
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5038 MINT JULEP -- AWAITING 2014 CROP 1 $3.25
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6166 YELLOW CURRANT 1 $2.95
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5806 PURPLE BUMBLE BEE 1 $3.25
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6761 RIESENTRAUBE 1 $2.95
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5362 SWEET PEA CURRANT 1 $2.95
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5320 RED PEAR 1 $2.95
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3641 BLUSH 1 $3.00
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4675 COPIA 1 $3.25
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5319 INDIGO APPLE 1 $3.55
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5368 INDIGO BLUE BERRIES 1 $3.55
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3176 KIMBERLY 1 $2.95
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5860 ISIS CANDY 1 $2.95
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5009 JAPANESE TRIFELE BLACK 1 $2.95
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5082 FLAMME 1 $2.95
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4701 ORANGE BANANA 1 $2.9
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6721 GRAPE TOMATO 1 $3.25
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4242 SIOUX 1 $0.00
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Join My New YouTube Channel Just for NEW Gardeners: My First Vegetable Garden

Join My Google+ Community Our Tomato and Vegetable Gardens (2500+ Members!)
250 HD Short and to Point Garden Videos: My YouTube Video Gardening Channel
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The Rusted Garden YouTube Channel Introduction. About My Channel - The Rusted Garden 2013

The Rusted Garden YouTube Channel Introduction:  About My Channel - The Rusted Garden 2013
Well I am getting ready for the 2014 gardening season. I'll be ordering my seed catalogs soon. I just finished the promotional video that will run on my  main YouTube Channel: The Rusted Garden. If you are already are subscribed to my channel it won't run when you visit it. So here it is...

One of my goals for 2014 is to be on camera more but still keep the videos focused on useful gardening information that is quick and to point. If you have friends that may be interested in gardening, I could use the help sharing this video. Thanks and good luck in 2014! I already have some new tomato varieties picked out... no hybrids!
And yes it is hard getting a THUMBNAIL image that isn't a picture of you with your eyes shut and mouth open. LOL!
Join My New YouTube Channel Just for NEW Gardeners: My First Vegetable Garden

Join My Google+ Community Our Tomato and Vegetable Gardens (2500+ Members!)
250 HD Short and to Point Garden Videos: My YouTube Video Gardening Channel
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Five Videos on a Fall Greenhouse for Cool Weather Vegetables in Maryland Zone 7 - The Rusted Garden 2013

Five Videos on a Fall Greenhouse for  Cool Weather Vegetables in Maryland Zone 7 

Greens from the Fall Greenhouse - The Rusted Garden 2013

I completed a 5 part video series on a fall greenhouse in Maryland Zone 7. It covers the periods of mid September through late November. They should give you some good ideas to use in your greenhouse. This first video will show you some tips and tricks to secure your greenhouse plastic and frame. It will also show you two ways to create radiating heat sources for additional warmth at night. Each new video will cover topics like disease and pest management, planting cool weather crops, heating elements and more. 

 

This is the 2nd of a 5 part video series on managing a vegetable garden greenhouse in the fall. This video is about the organic management of diseases and insects. I show you how to use Bt, iron phosphate, baking soda and soapy water to manage problems in the greenhouse.

This is 3 of 5 videos on a fall/winter greenhouse in Maryland Zone 7. The 5 videos will generally cover all aspects of growing cool weather crops in the green house. This is one planting strategy for a fall greenhouse that does not have a heat source.

 

This in video 4 of 5 on fall greenhouses in Maryland Zone 7. Leafy greens are mostly water and leaf. You want to use a water soluble organic fertilizer that primarily adds nitrogen. I am feeding my greens every 2 week with an 8-0-0 organic nitrogen fertilizer made from fermented beet molasses. The video highlights the fertilizer mix I use, a method for watering and the greenhouse failure to stop frost at 30 degrees.

This is the last of a 5 video series on a fall/winter greenhouse in Maryland Zone 7. It has been just about 9 weeks since the greenhouse went up and I am getting my first production to plate today. This video shows you some planting methods for cool weather crops, the overall production into late November (Zone 7) and my first harvest. I highly recommend a greenhouse. I will be do a conclusion and review video on the whole experience in a couple of months.

Join My New YouTube Channel Just for NEW Gardeners: My First Vegetable Garden

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Solar Soda/Beer Can Heater - Temperature Output Tests: 145 Degrees

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Solar Soda/Beer Can Heater  Temperature Output Tests: 145 Degrees!

This was the first test. I did a second follow-up test to support the numbers. It was about 35 degrees out with 20 mile an hour winds. The solar soda/beer can heater generated heat with an output temperature of 145+ degrees. I used a digital meat thermometer in the test.  I am very happy with the output of this small scale design. 

I present both the test videos and the basic video for constructing a solar soda/beer can heater for your greenhouse. Success!

Join My New YouTube Channel Just for NEW Gardeners: My First Vegetable Garden

Join My Google+ Community Our Tomato and Vegetable Gardens (2500+ Members!)
250 HD Short and to Point Garden Videos: My YouTube Video Gardening Channel
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