Jeff Layman writes

I find this most intriguing.

I've often wondered if many of these suggestions are old wives tales (or
should I say "chestnuts" as this is a gardening group!).

Farmers spread raw muck over fields, and plants seem to grow happily.
Perhaps some get burnt - I don't know, but they wouldn't risk losing a crop.
But is it due to too much nitrogen as is usually stated, or that it is much
too acid (or alkaline. I've never measured the pH)?

With regard to seed compost use, why should any plant prefer a "poor" start
in life to a "rich" start?

Probably not the richness that affects the seedlings, more the balance
of ingredients affecting drainage/water retention.

On a commercial scale you would not want to pay extra for added
fertiliser in your seed composts when the seedlings don't need it. But
on a domestic scale, it may be cheaper to just use your general compost
instead of buying a mini-bag of seed compost. And if all you actually
want is two or three plants, it doesn't really matter whether you get
100% success from your sowing.

On that basis, should we feed a baby on watered
milk for the first few months of its life, as it will no doubt develop a
more efficient digestive system?

You shouldn't pad out its milk by adding cereal ;-)
A lot of the advice to new mothers in recent years has been on the lines
of delaying weaning and not over-feeding in the early months.


--
Kay