I just found your channel and wanted you to know how much I enjoyed this video and hearing you talk. I love that there is no music too. You have a very easy going style that I can appreciate, I feel as though I'm with one of my sisters (6!) and we're just visiting in the greenhouse having some coffee.
Thank you. I know this video is from a while ago but I’m doing my education now and my farm will start spring 2022 in the Ozarks of Missouri. Much appreciated.
Thanks for the video. Using the two index fingers to expand the holes in the blocks althugh is very convenient, but long term will cause tiny bone spores in tip of the fingers and nail root causing pain, inflamation and in my case loss of nail and a few months for the next one to grow. It can happen to any finger when used in repeated tasks.
This is the best video I've seen on making soil blocks. I also found rinsing the blocker in a bucket of water to be a big help in preventing the blocks from sticking and breaking apart when being released. For those of you making a smaller batch, I've found that one part of warm water to three of blocking mix to be a good place to start from. Then add more water to bring the texture up to the consistency shown in this video. The only down side is that it's messy - but fun - and it takes a little practice to nail down the technique and moisture level. I spread out large plastic bags over the table to cut down on the clean up. The bucket of water also is good for dunking your hands and can be poured into the garden. The plastic bags can be inverted and used as trash can liners after your done. Excellent video!
I use a large mortar tub to mix in making sure that I water the soil well and then allow a day to become evenly saturated before making the soil blocks.
Excellent tutorial. I start a lot of seedlings for our plant exchanges and have been looking for ways to cut down the cost of having to buy small containers. These soil blocks will be perfect.
+My Old Kentucky Homestead Thanks! They are a great way to reduce those pesky plastic pots and give your plans a super jump start! Hope you get a chance to give them a try.
I love the way these work but I really just don't have the time to make them. I already have a huge investment in the plastic pots but I may revisit this process once those pots have completed their lifecycle! Thanks for posting. I subbed your channel and will follow it as I tend to my greenhouse channel, Chuck
+Fensterfarm Greenhouse Thanks Chuck! It does take a while to make the blocks, for sure. This year I'll be using them mainly for growing on crops that don't transplant as well out of pots. I'm experimenting with making them ahead of time, to streamline the transplanting process.
Thanks for the great video, we are looking at going to soil Blocks. We were thinking of using compost for our small operation instead of potting soil, will have to see how that goes.
Thanks for watching. It took us a few tries to figure out a mix that worked for us and it's different from what some of our other soil-block friends use. Good luck!
Can you make a video on your heating system in this room you're in? I have something very much like it that came with our farmhouse but it's not very effecient. I'd like to improve upon it.
I can get them to this stage...but i kill them in the hardening off stage...i xould be a great plug grower..i suck at the rest...and oddly enough...i enjoy that part of it...
How often do you water seedling in soil blocks? Do you water from below or above? Do you have to water them more often, to prevent the blocks from drying out and falling apart during transplant?
We prefer to water from beneath to minimize erosion of the block. Watering timing depends a lot on weather, but every 2-3 days we check and water the larger blocks. The small ones, we grow in trays that are set into solid bottom flats so they can be easily watered from below.
Great video! I was wondering why you didn't use the smallest soil blocker to start the seeds instead of the plastic tray that went under the lights? Wouldn't that have less transplant shock going into the blocks you were making? Is the smallest blocker too much trouble? I've never used one but it would seem difficult to get the right mix to work with them. Keeping the small soil blocks moist would also be difficult? Is the small blocker worth buying?
Thanks for checking it out, we do a variety of thing depending on the crop. If we are using a 128, it's usually because it's a slow germinating seed so it's easier to keep them evenly watered by bottom watering or it's going strait from plug to field. On the flip side we use the mini block for things that come up fast or have really small seeds, this allows us to bump them into bigger blocks. That way when you are out planting in the field every block has a plant in it. On the smaller blocker, we make a ton of them, we can get 300 per flat, which helps with our limited light starting space. You do want to make sure your mix is well sifted otherwise the little blocker can clog. They are more intensive on water management, we water them daily but it's worth the effort for the space savings
When you first make a block and put your seed in the hole, do you cover them up or leave them uncovered? I was wanting to buy a 2 inch soil blocker and I need to know all I can before I invest in the soil block maker. Thanks for any information.
6996katmom we cover after we plant, although we don't start very many things in the 2 in. Mostly sunflowers, which we do cover. Hope that helps! Enjoy your soil blocker 😁
If you get the right consistency they stay together, but it takes some practice. We find it best to water from beneath, especially for the smaller blocks.
For the larger blocks, we are generally transplanting into them and will use a very fine shower wand to water them. With the smaller blocks we set them in mesh 1020 flats that fit down into solid 1020 flats and we water them by flooding the solid flat. We are setting up a capillary mat system for the larger blocks, so check back for the video! Thabks for watching!
I saw another video where a gardener used a similar setup, and put his blocks on an old cloth diaper, with one corner dangling down into a bucket of water. The diaper wicked up the water and kept everything moist-a poor man's capillary mat! :-)
Thanks for the great video! What did you sprinkled on the transplanted tray after all the transplants were inserted into the soil blocks? How do you avoid Damping off?
There wasn't anything sprinkled on them, the different colored soil was the starting mix that was attached to the roots of the seedling. We have found that keeping the block wet, but not soggy and good air movement to best way to prevent damping off...thanks for watching!
i don't understand using the very small squares to start plants lf you have to transfer them to the soil block why not just start them in the then in the soil block and save the labor of transplanting them 2 times? am learning am no farmer but am trying.
For us it's a matter of space in the germination room. We can get about twice as many seedlings going under the lights when they're in the 128s. Also, we use a soil less medium for seed starting which doesn't block up well. This year we also experimented with the 20 blocker, which got us better space utilization (300 in the space of a 128), but only for some crops.
Rain Drop Farms thank you for the information ma'am am learning my garden looks pretty ruff this year but am learning. we just plant a garden to help others it is fun to see the stuff grow tho thanks again.
You can get them online eBay, amazon etc. They are called a "widger tool" .....and it will change you're search to widget tool, so make sure it's searching for the right tool. This is a brand a set number you can also search Bosmere P873...hope it helps and thanks for watching!
Where do you get your starter trays and what name & model number are they? I like the idea of starting within a starter tray and transplanting into blocks.
Use what they used before peat moss then, 1:garden soil 1:compost or leaf mould. Add in some sand (up to 1/3) or pearlite if you wish. Be sure to never overwater, until the plants are well established.
Excellent demonstration - thank you.
Thanks for checking it out!
I just found your channel and wanted you to know how much I enjoyed this video and hearing you talk. I love that there is no music too. You have a very easy going style that I can appreciate, I feel as though I'm with one of my sisters (6!) and we're just visiting in the greenhouse having some coffee.
Thank you so much, that is quite a compliment! 😁
The BEST video on use of soil block! Thank you!
Awesome, glad it was helpful.
Thank you. I know this video is from a while ago but I’m doing my education now and my farm will start spring 2022 in the Ozarks of Missouri. Much appreciated.
I got two sizes for Christmas. I’m so excited to start making soil blocks TODAY. 😁
Thanks for showing me how to use them. 👍🏻
Thanks for the video. Using the two index fingers to expand the holes in the blocks althugh is very convenient, but long term will cause tiny bone spores in tip of the fingers and nail root causing pain, inflamation and in my case loss of nail and a few months for the next one to grow. It can happen to any finger when used in repeated tasks.
This is the best video I've seen on making soil blocks. I also found rinsing the blocker in a bucket of water to be a big help in preventing the blocks from sticking and breaking apart when being released. For those of you making a smaller batch, I've found that one part of warm water to three of blocking mix to be a good place to start from. Then add more water to bring the texture up to the consistency shown in this video. The only down side is that it's messy - but fun - and it takes a little practice to nail down the technique and moisture level. I spread out large plastic bags over the table to cut down on the clean up. The bucket of water also is good for dunking your hands and can be poured into the garden. The plastic bags can be inverted and used as trash can liners after your done. Excellent video!
Thanks for checking it out and the informative comment!
I use a large mortar tub to mix in making sure that I water the soil well and then allow a day to become evenly saturated before making the soil blocks.
Excellent tutorial. I start a lot of seedlings for our plant exchanges and have been looking for ways to cut down the cost of having to buy small containers. These soil blocks will be perfect.
+netStocker Thank you! The soil blocker is amazing, highly recommend it!
netStocker how would you hand these out to people?
Very good video! Thank you for sharing!
That was a really nice and informative tutorial, I've been researching soil block making and this was a great video to watch, thank you!
+My Old Kentucky Homestead Thanks! They are a great way to reduce those pesky plastic pots and give your plans a super jump start! Hope you get a chance to give them a try.
I love the way these work but I really just don't have the time to make them. I already have a huge investment in the plastic pots but I may revisit this process once those pots have completed their lifecycle! Thanks for posting. I subbed your channel and will follow it as I tend to my greenhouse channel,
Chuck
+Fensterfarm Greenhouse Thanks Chuck! It does take a while to make the blocks, for sure. This year I'll be using them mainly for growing on crops that don't transplant as well out of pots. I'm experimenting with making them ahead of time, to streamline the transplanting process.
Awesome! So helpful! I just got one of these and am trying to figure out how to use it.
No problem, I'm glad the the information is helpful!
awesome !!!! cool !!!!! it's a good damn idea .... I'm thinking about buying someday .... it's not cheap
Thanks for the great video, we are looking at going to soil Blocks. We were thinking of using compost for our small operation instead of potting soil, will have to see how that goes.
Thanks for watching. It took us a few tries to figure out a mix that worked for us and it's different from what some of our other soil-block friends use. Good luck!
Awesome
This video was very helpful and very well presented. Thank you.
Thanks, and thanks for watching!
Great way to reduce the use of plastic. Are you aware of any peat free soil block recipes that work?
Thx for a great video. Hope you have got the insert cubes for the Mini 4 now. It makes it easier when transplanting from the micro 20 :-)
I haven't, but thanks for the tip!
Can you make a video on your heating system in this room you're in? I have something very much like it that came with our farmhouse but it's not very effecient. I'd like to improve upon it.
I can get them to this stage...but i kill them in the hardening off stage...i xould be a great plug grower..i suck at the rest...and oddly enough...i enjoy that part of it...
How often do you water seedling in soil blocks? Do you water from below or above? Do you have to water them more often, to prevent the blocks from drying out and falling apart during transplant?
It depends on what you are growing, but I find adding in coconut coir to your soil recipe really helps with water retention.
We prefer to water from beneath to minimize erosion of the block. Watering timing depends a lot on weather, but every 2-3 days we check and water the larger blocks. The small ones, we grow in trays that are set into solid bottom flats so they can be easily watered from below.
Thanks for sharing
Thanks for watching!
Great video! I was wondering why you didn't use the smallest soil blocker to start the seeds instead of the plastic tray that went under the lights? Wouldn't that have less transplant shock going into the blocks you were making? Is the smallest blocker too much trouble? I've never used one but it would seem difficult to get the right mix to work with them. Keeping the small soil blocks moist would also be difficult? Is the small blocker worth buying?
Thanks for checking it out, we do a variety of thing depending on the crop. If we are using a 128, it's usually because it's a slow germinating seed so it's easier to keep them evenly watered by bottom watering or it's going strait from plug to field. On the flip side we use the mini block for things that come up fast or have really small seeds, this allows us to bump them into bigger blocks. That way when you are out planting in the field every block has a plant in it. On the smaller blocker, we make a ton of them, we can get 300 per flat, which helps with our limited light starting space. You do want to make sure your mix is well sifted otherwise the little blocker can clog. They are more intensive on water management, we water them daily but it's worth the effort for the space savings
Thats a good tip about the germination speed. I didn't think of that. Thanks.
That intro though. Damn Daniel
When you first make a block and put your seed in the hole, do you cover them up or leave them uncovered? I was wanting to buy a 2 inch soil blocker and I need to know all I can before I invest in the soil block maker. Thanks for any information.
6996katmom we cover after we plant, although we don't start very many things in the 2 in. Mostly sunflowers, which we do cover. Hope that helps! Enjoy your soil blocker 😁
I want to invest in a soil blocker but I am still confused on how they stay together when you water them?
If you get the right consistency they stay together, but it takes some practice. We find it best to water from beneath, especially for the smaller blocks.
beautiful camera work/editing btw
Thanks for checking it out!
How do you water these starts? Do you put them on a tray with humidity dome and put water in the bottom or do you just keep misting the top?
For the larger blocks, we are generally transplanting into them and will use a very fine shower wand to water them. With the smaller blocks we set them in mesh 1020 flats that fit down into solid 1020 flats and we water them by flooding the solid flat. We are setting up a capillary mat system for the larger blocks, so check back for the video! Thabks for watching!
I saw another video where a gardener used a similar setup, and put his blocks on an old cloth diaper, with one corner dangling down into a bucket of water. The diaper wicked up the water and kept everything moist-a poor man's capillary mat! :-)
Thanks for the great video! What did you sprinkled on the transplanted tray after all the transplants were inserted into the soil blocks? How do you avoid Damping off?
There wasn't anything sprinkled on them, the different colored soil was the starting mix that was attached to the roots of the seedling. We have found that keeping the block wet, but not soggy and good air movement to best way to prevent damping off...thanks for watching!
Is watering any different for these? Concerned they’ll dissolve if I do my usual soak-in-the-tray.
Yes you bottom water.
Awesome video, thank you so much for making this is is helping a lot! :D
Thanks for checking it out!
Nice video. I have the 2 smaller block makers. Good stuff. Where do you order those large trays they sit in?
Thanks! I believe we got some of the trays from OBC northwest, but most of them you bought from a failed nursery
i don't understand using the very small squares to start plants lf you have to transfer them to the soil block why not just start them in the then in the soil block and save the labor of transplanting them 2 times? am learning am no farmer but am trying.
For us it's a matter of space in the germination room. We can get about twice as many seedlings going under the lights when they're in the 128s. Also, we use a soil less medium for seed starting which doesn't block up well. This year we also experimented with the 20 blocker, which got us better space utilization (300 in the space of a 128), but only for some crops.
Rain Drop Farms thank you for the information ma'am am learning my garden looks pretty ruff this year but am learning. we just plant a garden to help others it is fun to see the stuff grow tho thanks again.
Great video! Where can I get the transplant tool like you're using in this video? I've looked everywhere.
You can get them online eBay, amazon etc. They are called a "widger tool" .....and it will change you're search to widget tool, so make sure it's searching for the right tool. This is a brand a set number you can also search Bosmere P873...hope it helps and thanks for watching!
Perfect! I was using the wrong name. I found the widger on ebay and ordered today. Thanks for the info!
I've been considering trying again, my cubes always fell apart.
Getting your mix right and really compressing the mix into the blocker is the key
Gratitude Ranch like when we made sand molds at the beach! The sand needed to be just the right wetness and had to be packed firmly.
can you just skip the smaller block step and plant them in the bigger blocks?
Yes! We plant larger seeds directly into the large blocks. We use the smallest blocks for things that transplant quickly
I use these because of this video ;)
Home Sweet Abundance I love using soil blocks!
Why aren’t you starting your seeds i the soil blocks?
Do you add coconut coir too?
Bellissimo....lo voglio!!!!!
Where do you get your starter trays and what name & model number are they?
I like the idea of starting within a starter tray and transplanting into blocks.
I don't know what model they are but if you search for mesh bottom nursery trays plenty of options will pop up
Bagaimana caranya saya membawa tanpa plastik?
They don’t fall apart with extra watering??
We prefer to water from beneath, and are very careful to only watered when/as much as is needed to not have them compromised
Peat moss???
How you water them ???
The larger blocks we water with a gentle shower, for minis we use a solid 1020 under the tray and capillary mat to bottom water
Rain Drop Farms Thanx 😊😊😊
so samrt
Peat moss is very unsustainable.
Use what they used before peat moss then, 1:garden soil 1:compost or leaf mould. Add in some sand (up to 1/3) or pearlite if you wish.
Be sure to never overwater, until the plants are well established.
Sembrano dolcetti da mettere in forno😂😂😂😂