With the solo cups, I cut almost 1/4 of the bottom off then fill my pots..I'll then dig out about fist deep an area of soil in the middle then replace that with seedling mix..Once that is done, I'll take the cut solo and push it down into the seedling mix and the remaining space in the cup will be filled with seedling mix..This way, it gives the seedlings time to gently establish themselves in a healthy living seedling mix with a decent root system before hitting the nutrient rich composted soil below..By the time they do dig down into the soil below,say 15 days, they are ready for the buffet and all needs are met..Macros,micros,minerals are all there for the plant to take when it chooses.
The barley mulch is for moisture retention,to keep the microbes within the top layers of soil alive and actively thriving in a damp sponge like environment..I use it as a barrier to temperature,fans etc that would dry out the soil too quickly..It has the tendency to sprout as well so when it gets too tall, I chopped it,and tuck it underneath the mulch to be broken down and returned to the soil..Sometimes I let my top layers dry out a little more than I would like, but then I use a mild surfactant and teas to bring the life back up to speed as well as penetrating a hydrophobic condition via castile soap.
