Square Foot Gardening In Singapore

Hi all,
   Have anyone tried Welgro Substrates before?

Hi Yslow!  Welcome from Atlanta, GA (SE USA).  Glad you're here!

Can't give you any advice as I have not used them.  You might want to do a search of the archives.  Just put Welgro in the search box in the upper left corner, make sure Inside is clicked, and then hit Go.

If no one has used them, I'm sure we'd like to hear more about them....  I've found most of us on here are avid learners!

yslow wrote:Welgro superior substrates potting mix is the preferred choice of professional growers.

Benefits includes:

• Lightweight substrate mix which has been scientifically blended to provide optimum plant growth conditions.

• Excellent water permeability and high porosity, thus making it the preferred planting media for high-rainfall locations.

• Highly sustainable quality (non hardening).

• Optimal balance between EC, ph-KCI, CaCO3, PH<6.

• Pre-mixed application makes it easy for repotting. You will see the difference as it rejuvenates potted plants in a short while.

• Mix with existing garden soil to improve aeration and provide additional nutrients, which will result in better-quality plant growth.

Ready to use!

The ideal planting for:
• Outdoor and indoor plants
• Pots, troughs, boxes and planters
• Landscaping & garden use

I'm looking to use the above as a substitute for Vermiculite as it is not found in Singapore.

Yslow, Welcome to the Forum from California, USA! Do you know what the ingredients are? I looked up the product and found what you posted, but it doesn't list the ingredients. If you can't find vermiculite or peat moss, just do the best you can. The compost is the most important part of a mix as this is what feeds that does state that it is good for high-rain areas. Are you trying All New Square Foot Gardening in raised beds or containers? We are here to help you.

Welcome, yslow! That would be a challenge for sure. Found a blog that tried the Welgrow substrate, almost looks like a perlite mix?

http://clothedinpetals.blogspot.com/2014/06/product-review-welgrow-superior.html

Indeed there is no information on the Substrate mixed what material it is using. Anyway will mixed with organic compost and peat moss to try to do some planting. Have finally constructed my 2 X 2 ft square box to test out the soil mixed. 

Does anyone have any idea how much organic compost + Peat moss and Substrate to put into the 2 X 2 ft square box? 30 liters Compost + 30 liters Substrate + 5kg peat moss?

sanderson wrote:Yslow,  Welcome to the Forum from California, USA!    Do you know what the ingredients are?  I looked up the product and found what you posted, but it doesn't list the ingredients.  If you can't find vermiculite or peat moss, just do the best you can.  The compost is the most important part of a mix as this is what feeds that does state that it is good for high-rain areas.  Are you trying All New Square Foot Gardening in raised beds or containers?  We are here to help you.

Yes, doing a 2 X 2ft Raised Bed made using Pallet wood.

5+ cm each of pure compost, perlite/vermiclite, and peat moss/coco coir, if available, in each square.

sanderson wrote:5+ cm each of pure compost, perlite/vermiclite, and peat moss/coco coir, if available, in each square.

Thank for the advice.

Yes, Mel calls for equal parts of each. Compost, inert fluffy thing (vermiculite/perlite/substrate) and peat/coir.

On your pallets - how are they treated?  Heat, chemical?

I know there are codes stamped on them.  But I can't remember what means which.  Can anyone help us out here?

AtlantaMarie wrote:On your pallets - how are they treated?  Heat, chemical?

I know there are codes stamped on them.  But I can't remember what means which.  Can anyone help us out here?

No idea. No markings whatsoever. I just collected them as they are being thrown in the dump. But they look like untreated wood. Probably i take a photo and post.

Follow this link where we were discussing pallets.  Hope this helps.  But I am sure that the rules are different in other countries.

Re: Do pallets contain pressure treated wood?
  yolos on 3/29/2012, 9:55 am



I work for a pallet manufacturing company on the Southside of Atlanta, Ga. Very rarely we have a customer who may want a pallet made from pressure treated wood (but not very often and we do not stock pressure treated wood because it is used so seldom). The majority of our pallets are made from oak. Kiln dried pine is also used.

The one problem with pallets would be if they were treated with a chemical (Methal Bromide) to kill any insects which may be inside the wood. If the pallets are being sent out of (or into) the USA, they have to be treated for wood boring insects. Most pallet companies that I am familiar with heat treat the pallets to kill the insects rather than using a chemical. If the pallets are heat treated, they are stamped with a symbol and the initials HT. If the pallets are treated with Methal Bromide they are stamped with a symbol and the initials MB.

Another possible problem with pallets are chemicals used by the pallet companies to retard mold. We occasionally have a customer who will ask to have the pallets treated for mold because they will be shipping the pallets overseas in containers (or for other reasons) and they may want them treated for mold. We use freshly cut lumber so there is a great deal of moisture still in the wood which will lead to mold in humid conditions. There are no stamps or other indications on the pallets showing they have been treated for mold. We use a brand name chemical called X-mold. I do not know what chemicals other companies use. If the pallet is made from pine, they will not be treated with this chemical because the pine is all kiln dried.

yolos wrote:Follow this link where we were discussing pallets.  Hope this helps.  But I am sure that the rules are different in other countries.

Re: Do pallets contain pressure treated wood?
  yolos on 3/29/2012, 9:55 am



I work for a pallet manufacturing company on the Southside of Atlanta, Ga. Very rarely we have a customer who may want a pallet made from pressure treated wood (but not very often and we do not stock pressure treated wood because it is used so seldom). The majority of our pallets are made from oak. Kiln dried pine is also used.

The one problem with pallets would be if they were treated with a chemical (Methal Bromide) to kill any insects which may be inside the wood. If the pallets are being sent out of (or into) the USA, they have to be treated for wood boring insects. Most pallet companies that I am familiar with heat treat the pallets to kill the insects rather than using a chemical. If the pallets are heat treated, they are stamped with a symbol and the initials HT. If the pallets are treated with Methal Bromide they are stamped with a symbol and the initials MB.

Another possible problem with pallets are chemicals used by the pallet companies to retard mold. We occasionally have a customer who will ask to have the pallets treated for mold because they will be shipping the pallets overseas in containers (or for other reasons) and they may want them treated for mold. We use freshly cut lumber so there is a great deal of moisture still in the wood which will lead to mold in humid conditions. There are no stamps or other indications on the pallets showing they have been treated for mold. We use a brand name chemical called X-mold. I do not know what chemicals other companies use. If the pallet is made from pine, they will not be treated with this chemical because the pine is all kiln dried.

Just confirm my pallets are all HT as i've just examine the pallet stamp. Is it safe to use for SFG? My SFG box is ready although i've yet to pour in the soil mix.

Glad to hear that they have the HT stamp.  There is really no way to know what else they have been treated with that doesn't have to be stamped on the pallets.  Also, you have to worry about any product that was transported on them that might have leaked.  I use them for building compost bins.  Based on my experiences with the pallet industry in the US, I would use them.

yolos wrote:Glad to hear that they have the HT stamp.  There is really no way to know what else they have been treated with that doesn't have to be stamped on the pallets.  Also, you have to worry about any product that was transported on them that might have leaked.  I use them for building compost bins.  Based on my experiences with the pallet industry in the US, I would use them.

Possible home furniture or tiles as i've pick them up at housing estates dumping area.

yslow wrote:

yolos wrote:Glad to hear that they have the HT stamp.  There is really no way to know what else they have been treated with that doesn't have to be stamped on the pallets.  Also, you have to worry about any product that was transported on them that might have leaked.  I use them for building compost bins.  Based on my experiences with the pallet industry in the US, I would use them.

Possible home furniture or tiles as i've pick them up at housing estates dumping area.

The size of Pallet is quite small though. Rough estimated 1 metre in length and 50 ~ 60 com in breadth.

This is just my thought, not a fact. I don't think they have been secondarily treated since it would cost extra $$ labor/ time, product and/or equipment. If they looked clean and didn't smell, they are probably okay to use for your garden. Just my thought.

My First attempt at SFG

https://i.servimg.com/u/f21/19/34/28/78/sfg1bo12.jpg

Nice. I'll be interested to see what you do with that frame.

And so it begins... Lol! Yay!

A question which i have in mind. What do you do after harvesting the first round? Do you still keep the plants or rotate into another crop?

In my case, when a plant has reached the end of it's career, I will plant another.
Weather of course in my climate being a factor.
For example, tomato's are done, pull them out...add compost....plant items that do well in cool / cold weather.
snow peas / chard / spinach / broccoli / lettuce / etc.   Some of these plants needed to have been started previously in small containers.