On today’s 2 minute garden tip, I show you how to instantly hydrate stubborn potting soil. Dry potting soil without a wetting agent, like organic potting soil and homemade potting mixes, are often hydrophobic and fail to absorb water. This easy “garden hack” makes hydrophobic potting soils absorb water immediately without the use of wetting agents.
• How To Make Potting Soil In Bulk: https://youtu.be/t3kx5PhCJU8?si=jrU_6RHo_xcBj0zU
• How To Make Seed Starting Mix: https://youtu.be/jbsIHN3Zb0w?si=VRL6QflB5Y-kIe00
• How To Start Seeds, Complete Guide: https://youtu.be/PCGZ5wp8_kY?si=XteFQNYMb2AHuGUm
• I used the following products* starting seeds and vegetable gardening:
MiracleGro Seed Starting Potting Mix: https://amzlink.to/az0FPbyjEblPm
Jiffy Organic Seed Starting Mix: https://amzlink.to/az0EKqmaTXRe4
Indoor Watering Can (1L): https://amzlink.to/az0DLHxdf26bx
Coco Coir Large Brick, 10LB: https://amzlink.to/az003UTtU8eIw
Coco Coir Small Bricks : https://amzlink.to/az05v1LAS0uVD
Soil Sifter (High Quality): https://amzlink.to/az0x2xCzz4bmp
4FT LED Grow Light (60W): https://amzn.to/46C71j4
Seedling Heat Mat: https://amzlink.to/az071jOYOileE
Seedling Heat Mat & Thermostat Kit: https://amzlink.to/az0w0n9cO7SRH
Pruning Snips: https://amzlink.to/az0S6BULZGPmi
EZGRO Indoor Plant Food [15-30-15]: https://amzlink.to/az0NY44MUZlGS
Alaska Fish Fertilizer [5-1-1] (Gallon): https://amzlink.to/az0Jhw8liNoe3
True Organic All Purpose Fertilizer [5-4-5] (4lb): https://amzlink.to/az0hjJZgpjzCe
Espoma Bone Meal (10lb): https://amzlink.to/az0KAuCOZcPgQ
Espoma PlantTone Fertilizer [5-3-3] (36lb): https://amzlink.to/az0CuSbY8T6g2
Espoma PlantTone Fertilizer [5-3-3] (50lb): https://amzlink.to/az0dh0dYaye1l
True Organic Blood Meal (3lbs): https://amzlink.to/az0jNeCruTl6a
Azomite Trace Minerals (44lb): https://amzlink.to/az0qPn4i34Eol
Jack’s All Purpose [20-20-20] (1.5lb): https://amzlink.to/az0JG0Dv6Da0h
Jack’s All Purpose [20-20-20] (25lb): https://amzlink.to/az0F6FgxdhKjO
•• Full Amazon Store: https://amzlink.to/az0yli4Cz0iXX
If you have any questions about how to start seeds, how to use potting soil and container gardening, how to grow fruit trees or the things I grow in my raised bed vegetable garden and edible landscaping food forest, please ask in the Comments below!
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ABOUT MY GARDEN
Location: Southeastern NC, Brunswick County (Wilmington area)
34.1°N Latitude
Zone 8B
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©2 Minute Garden Tips
#gardening #garden #gardeningtips #vegetablegardening #vegetablegarden
37 Comments
Jiffy is my go to for seed starting and for potting mix because it doesn't contain ingredients I don't want in my soil and I've seen a huge improvement in how my plants and seeds are responding. But the absorption issue aggravated me so I started pouring out the amount of soil I thought I might need into a large bowl and then filled the bowl up with warm water. Let it sit for an hour then using an old mesh strainer, I would squeeze out all the excess water. I then pack whatever I'm using to start seeds or plants with the moist soil. If I'm planting seeds, I usually don't water them in since the soil is already wet. I wait until the next morning then mist the top of the soil. If I'm transplanting or repotting, I use the leftover water to soak the soil after I've put the plant in. So far so good and I haven't had enough problems to worry about it. However, after watching this, I think I'm going to run the water hotter and see if it speeds up the process a little ❤
Don't put steaming hot water in your soil guys. This is a good way to kill all the microbial life, which can open yoir plants to pests and diseases with no beneficial microbes to defend it.
The best way is to spray lightly with room temp water while mixing the soil, then fill your trays, pots, etc. after it sits and absotbs for a few minutes.
Pre-wetting in a bowl gives you perfectly hydrated mix. Is easier to fill cells as well.
Misting is a great way to re-hydrate after planting.
Good stuff — I like the demo! Hope you fared well with the storm……these cold temps….brrr!
Do we know what the wetting agent is? Or what we can use in homemade seed starting mix? I intend using vermiculite, perlite, cc,and peat
Thanks for the tip. I always use the jiffy seed starter, and have always had to soak the mix for an hour due to the slow absorption.
Or, you can add a drop or two of safe Castile soap and mix in with the water, it will break the surface tension
The video l needed to see! Thank you 🙏
I kind of feel like an idiot. I have never liked coconut coir for the very reason that it doesn't absorb water. I had no idea until this minute that hot water would do the trick. Honestly, thank you for choosing this topic for today's video.
I prep my own mix with coco coir worm castings & vermiculite. When I hydrate the coco coir I use boiling hot water and after it cools I add the other components and hydrate again. It isn't as hydrophobic as peat moss based mixes. The boiling water helps to sterilize it and the worm castings helps with nutrients if I don't up pot as fast as the seedling needs for nutrients.
I wish I got this a few weeks ago 😂 very good info and helpful-thank you.
I've been using the hot water trick on dry seed starting mixes for several years. I heat the water in a four cup Pyrex glass measuring cup in the microwave. 😊
Thanks! I didn't realize the hot water was the key for this. Very helpful.
I just use hot water
This is so timely as I was just complaining about how quickly seed starting soil dries out.
Will you be planting grass on that large area of brown soil in spring?
Hot water will also kill fungus nat eggs
You can slowly add water to the non-wetting agent soil and just keep mixing it and keep doing that until it’s the way you want it. (In a bucket or something similar) Or you can fill the trays with it and spray the top many many times with a spray bottle and let that slowly absorb in, once that happens now you can water it with a water bottle. Spraying it with a spray bottle on the top layer first and slowly letting that absorb will allow the water from a watering can or water bottle to be able to soak in it much better. That might not fully absorb the soil below the surface but eventually, it will slowly absorb. The spray bottle trick. It’s just a way for it to get into the soil quicker. But putting it all in a bucket or something like that and slowly adding water and stirring it or mixing it or folding it in is the best way. Moisten the soil before you add it to the trays. There’s no need to heat your water will go through all the steps. You’re just making more work for yourself and potentially risking burning yourself or melting the trays, or some thing else that could be harmful. Just mix the soil up real well with a little bit of water before you add it to the trays. KISS, keep it simple stupid.
Unless it's parsley. I might try that with parsley.
I put on my electric kettle and re hydrate the compressed “Back to Roots” coco coir seed starting mix and add the expanded mix to a bag of, “ Back to Roots 3 in 1“ seed starting mix whilst it’s still steaming hot. I mix then into a 5 gallon tote and put on the lid. I let it sit for an or so hour so that the steam helps to combine the two mixes together with the perfect level of moisture to start my seedlings.
It’s more cost effective and sterilizes the seedling mix as it hydrates with just 3 kettles worth of boiling water and a steam session.
I started seeds for my whole summer garden with under $10 worth of seed starting mix.
I use a small bucket, fill it the night before with Mix and add water,it soaks in over night
Nooice! 😎 STOC
never occured to me to try hot or even warm water! I just fill cell packs with Jiffy and water from below , filling tray with an inch of water and leave it, coming back when it has been absorbed.
Time to start my onions. Thank you for the tip I’ll definitely try it!
I also like using boiling water to wet my starter mix to not only get it damp but to kill mold gnats and their eggs and other insects hiding in the mix.
Nice tip! I usually just spray the filled trays just enough to wet them a bit then wait 10 minutes and repeat about 6 times. There's not enough water to pool up and make that air bubble… takes a bit of time but it works well. I'll definitely try the hot water
If you found this video helpful, please LIKE it and share it with family and friends! Thanks for watching 🙂
How does Chef Anthony like the electric burners for cooking?
I wonder if commercial potting Mixes contain non-toxix detergents i.e. polysorbates Like Tween_20.
Maybe adding an organic Emulgator Like Soja-Lecithin would also Work and beeing metabolized by soil microbes later in?
Hat and gloves…like me in Canada with snow on the ground…eff it im gardening
That’s an excellent tip, and free!
Stay warm! 😊
Miracle-gro is crap
I wonder just what the “ wetting agent “ is ?
Potting soil can become hydrophobic even with a plant in it. At that point boiling water is out of the question.
Just add a wetting agent to your water. I use Earth Juice Assist. A yucca product.
I wonder if this would also kill fungus gnat eggs?