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How do I mix the Pre-Plant formula?

Measuring Fertilizer

Pre-Plant Fertilizer is of supreme importance to healthy plants. It helps seeds to germinate and gives seedlings a healthy start.

Tips

Be accurate in measuring and applying fertilizers to the soil. Overfed plants can produce poor yields just as underfed plants can.

To make Pre-Plant Fertilizer, mix together the following:

  • 5 pounds of lime or gypsum
  • 1 ounce boron
  • 4 ounces magnesium sulfate

It is easier to mix these ingredients evenly in these smaller amounts. (Doubling this mixture will sufficiently prepare five 30-foot grow-boxes.)

Tips

To help with your measuring, remember that 6 level teaspoons equal one ounce and "a pint is a pound the world around."

Should I use lime or gypsum?

Lime supplies calcium to crops. Use different types of lime depending on whether you have acid or alkaline soils.

  • In areas where the annual rainfall is more than 20 inches, use agricultural or dolomite lime.
  • In areas where the annual rainfall is 18 inches or less, use gypsum (calcium sulfate)

Where do I get these ingredients?

Learn More

  • Garden shops (nurseries), farm supply stores, and chemical shops usually carry packaged fertilizers, including gypsum and/or agricultural lime.
  • Boron and magnesium sulfate are frequently sold in supermarkets under the following names: Twenty Mule Team Borax (a detergent) and Epsom Salt—magnesium sulfate (a laxative).

Garden Genius

Based on how much Pre-Plant Fertilizer you will need for your garden, calculate how much of each ingredient you will need.

  • lime or gypsum
  • boron (Borax)
  • magnesium sulfate (Epsom Salt)

Fill in this information on the Tools and Materials List in the Garden Genius. Make sure to print out your list before exiting this site.

If you would like all of the calculations done for you, get The Garden Wizard.

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Tip of the Day

It's Spring Planting Time! For those of you in the Northern hemisphere who have winters, March and early April are the time you need to be preparing your soil and planting the hardy vegetable crops such as radishes, peas, cabbage and broccoli.

The freeze/thaw cycles of winter have broken up and loosened most soils, so as soon as it's not muddy, go in and give everything a good weeding with the 2-way hoe (see Tools). Weeding thoroughly this early gives you the upper hand, and is very important.

If you grew a Mittleider garden last year, your beds will be easy to re-make. Just apply Pre-Plant and Weekly Feed to the bed area, then till them in, place strings on your stakes, and re-make the beds.

Be sure to re-check the level of each bed accurately, since they may have changed a little. Do not be satisfied with anything more than 1" fall in a 30'-long soil-bed. Good Gardening!

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