Sometimes you need finer soil for starting seeds, growing carrots, or growing microgreens. Instead of going to the garden center and spending a bunch of cash on fancy soil mixes that are “perfect” for starting seeds, why not make your own with a soil screen?
All you need is:
– 2×4″ plywood
– 1/4″ chicken wire
– 3/4″ chicken wire staples
– 20D 4″ nails
– Tin snips
You can then easily screen poorly-finished compost, garden soil, cheap potting soil, etc. to be finer and create your own custom mixes.
Try something like this for seed starting:
– 1/3 peat moss
– 1/3 perlite
– 1/3 well-screened, blended compost
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Amazing thanks
Thanks. I was looking for something like this so I can sift pine litter.
Its 40 dollars now with these lumber prices lol
Any sign of the Swift Sifter, Kevin?
Could I use this to also sift compost? Thank you for the great video!
I'm finding that a 1/4" hole sifts my shredded paper through. I suppose that's ok as long as I'm not 'selling it, but I'd rather not have the shredded paper blowing around in my yard.. Suggestions?
I'm wanting one so I can reuse my soil
I need something like this to sift broken seashells. I'll ask my hardware store for some scrap chicken wire and get to it.
2×4 is not plywood, it is usually pine, but is solid wood, not plys of wood pressed together. Also, that wire may be used by some people for chicken wire, but it is actually wire hardware cloth. Want the cheapest wood? Use an old pallet, usually free!!
Well done, thank you.
Sounds like Ryan Reynolds
Very easy to understand, thank you
its really difficult to find 1/4" chicken wire, at least at our Home depot in Canada, or anywhere. But thanks for the video
Excellent video and tutorial – this helped me to build a sifter in under 30 min, though prices are a fair bit higher now in the United States.
Building one of these this weekend! Great simple video.
Hey Eric! I started sifting my seed starting mix after seeing one of your episodes with Nature's Always Right. Much better results with my germination. Added benefit: I used the larger materials that didn't make the grade as mulch once the seedlings are transplanted! Thanks for your content.
Apologies KEVIN! Finished a conversation with a family member ERIC before entering my comment.
probably cost more like 40 bucks but thanks for the tutorial.
Price of lumber now this is a $100 sifter RIP
Put 1 or 2 1/8” rods in the middle divide in section so the screen does not sag after long use.
I have one 1/4 inch and one 1/8 inch… I sieve through the 1/4 screen onto the 1/8 screen…. this helps me get a consistent 1/4 size for bonsai and succulent mixes, and a fine 1/8 size for anything I need finer soil for. a 1/4 screen is probably enough for most people, but for some applications you dont only want to sieve out the big particles, but also the small particles.
Have you seen the price of a 2×4. Lol. 20dollars for a single piece of 2×4 in Canda.
simple easy cheap. thank you
Nice video. FYI the "chicken wire" is called "hardware cloth" and I sifted rocks some dummy put in the garden. When the squares are 1" in size, it's called "cage wire". I used 1/2 X 3's to make it lighter and used 1/2" grid (1/4" is too small for my application). I used free wood from an old pallet and I put lawnmower wheels on one end and drawer handles on the other to move the rocks after the soil sifted through. I didn't put on the rails because I didn't need it, so mine is less than 1/2 the weight.
Looks great. Thank you for some good ideas and useful info!
Dude! I was a carpenter for 23 yrs and got a chuckle from the hammer you used. I'm OCD about tools and how they are used, but good job old bean.
The way I made mine for a box put down two legs each side so you can shake it back and forth get some exercise while doing it. You have a round container if you had a rectangle like a Rubbermaid tote you can have that screen with the legs going down sliding back and forth like you're panning gold LOL. Everything he said is exactly true save your money do a little work go old Style. Thank you for the video you're awesome