Just wanted to say that I was surprised to see you only have 164 subscribers. Not only did I found this video content very helpful, but your editing, background music, b-roll, etc. were all very well done and you personally are also very good, calm and well-spoken on camera. Keep up the good work and I'm sure that subscriber base will take off!
I thought the same thing with the sub count, 288 as of today!? I'm sub 289, ha! My seed trays are at the end of their life and was curious about soil blocking and came across this video. Informative, thoughtful and a natural host. This video gave me the confidence to go for it, thank you! I'm looking forward to more of your videos.
I taught a class on this back in the mid 90s at the nursery where I worked and we found that adding a pkt of knox gelatin helped hold the blocks together better and didnt harm the plants- good video- I highly recommend soil blocking to cut down on expenses!
I started soil blocking this year and love it. I got the 3/4inch and 2inch blocker. I follow a few ppl that swear by the 1 1/2 inch blocker, and I ended up buying that a few weeks ago. I now use it more than the 2inch. It's awesome. I actually love the 3/4 inch as it can block 20 seed starts at a time. I've 240 plants on 6 trays, and I've saved all kinds of plastic and foam trays from the grocery store that work great. I have over 1000 things going right now. It's crazy but I'm hooked.😂 I love not having all the plastic pots and trays taking up space. If you time things right, you won't even have to bump up you can just directly plant. I actually use Lisa Mason Zeigler recipe. Shes a famous flower farmer that swears by soil blocking. She uses peat, rock phosphate, compost, and green sand. Green sand is exstreamly hard to find and expensive, so I skip it.😂 It's basically a mineral that has lots of natural nutrients. I also use vermiculite and perlite in mine. It works out beautifully. Plus, it's way cheaper to make your own rather than buying bags. You can make a huge batch and keep it in a large storage bin so you have it all ready when you start blocking. Just get out what you need and, of course, add water. Water is definitely the key to soil blocking. Happy gardening.😊
I can sense that over the next year I'm going to end up with a soil blocker collection 😂 I'll check out Lisa Zeigler's recipe - quite a few of the flower varieties I chose for the garden this year are based on her advice. She rocks! Like you, I have an absurd amount of plants started...I was showing my husband yesterday and he looked kind of terrified, whispering "we're going to need acreage aren't we..." Ha! Thanks for all of the recommendations! Cheers : )
@@jasmineshomegrown I was going to leave a comment with a bunch of tips, but I see other comments with some of my thoughts already expressed, so I'll just have to pile my tips onto theirs. Good info, here! I can strongly recommend getting the 3/4" micro-20 blocker. What's even more fun is when you have the square dibbles for the mini-4 blocker. Then you can plant tiny seeds (like lettuce) in the tiny soil blocks and you only up-pot those that germinate... and the 3/4" blocks fit perfectly into the 3/4" holes created by those square dibbles in the 2" blocks. (Hmmm.... almost seems like they planned it that way.) I have fun using alternative humidome seed-starting containers... from Chinese restaurant delivery bags. Yeah, whenever I order delivery, I save the little black containers with the clear plastic domes, cuz (well, what do those remind you of?) those are basically mini-humidity-domes. And they''re perfect for the micro-20 soil blocks. I'm pretty sure that you can fit two stampings (40 blocks) into one container. And they stack. So, you stamp 40 blocks into a container... plant your lettuce seeds... cover and stack them on top of the fridge and watch over the next few days for sprouting (not long right?) and then you can up-block them into 2" blocks, so you aren't using greenhouse space until you actually have sprouts. For me the best thing about the micro-20 blockers is the one-seed-per-block germination. I plant one tomato seed per block and if it germinates it gets up-blocked and then it goes into the garden... if it doesn't germinate, it goes on the compost pile. NO seeds get wasted thru the thinning process. (CAVEAT: I tried this with lettuce seeds; It's impossible. You'll have to thin them.) Blocking-up means not having to worry too much about timing. If you plant a bunch of lettuce seeds in micro20 blocks and they sprout in the middle of a sudden freeze, you can up-block them into the mini-4 blocks and put them on another shelf to wait for the (actual) Spring thaw. One thing I saw in another video (don't remember where) was a germinating rack that was basically a baking rack. Blew my mind. You can block up a 1020 tray and place it on a sheet cake pan and slide that into a baking rack until they germinate. I think you can fit two trays per pan. (Again, I don't remember.) Someday I will try this.
Thanks for the response! I'm sold on the tiny soil blocker. I hate wasting seeds so love the idea of putting just one per block while not dedicating a bunch of space until things sprout. Definitely wishing I had access to a speed/baking rack - since they fit one full sized sheet pan or two full hotels per slot - it'd be so convenient for stacking things up and moving them around! I need to work on going vertical for sure. Funny how restaurant equipment may be the answer to many of my food production quandaries : )
I have a small nursery and have been using soil blocks for 2 years now, I use the 3/4" and 2" blockers. Originally switched to blocks to save space, on one 6" table with 3 grow lights I can fit about 2400 seedlings on it. You can also fit 50 of the 2" blocks in a 10x20 tray, they will seem snug but still air prune well. And if you are going big you can fit about 300 3/4" soil blocks in a 10x20 tray, insane space saving. Anyways thanks for sharing, your garden is looking great! Oh and the best soil blocker mix is super simple, 50% peat and 50% compost both screened with 1/4" screen. The blocks come out perfect with nice sharp edges and hold together really well. I am guessing coco coir would work in place a peatmoss too. Simple also equals lots of cost savings =)
Thanks for all the info! 2400 seedlings on one table is impressive -- I wish I had the land to plant out 2400 starts!! I think this year I'm at about 500 total with my first round, and just getting started on my second succession of greens. 300 per tray sounds like a dream - based on all the comments, it looks like I'll be getting a 3/4" blocker sooner rather than later : ) I think the mesh inserts are taking up more space than I anticipated. I bet if I block directly into the 10x20 solid tray I could get 50. I'm going to try that! Cheers!
I believe the mesh trays are designed to fit without sacrificing space, @@jasmineshomegrown. I, too, regularly fit 50 of the 'Mini-4' size blocks into a 1020 tray. Press the blocker up against the side for the first row, then press against the previous row for each consecutive stamping. I HAVE LEARNED that the secret to making perfect 3/4" cubes is to sift your compost with a standard kitchen sieve. I got a cheap one from the local 99-cent store (back when it was still 99-cents) and keep it with my soil blocking equipment.
I actually did some Maths on this one. I calculated that you can fit 338 Micro-20 blocks on a 1020 tray. The blocker is 4x5 cubes and four blocks takes up 3"... so you can fit 13 blocks across X 26 blocks down the length. Now that I think on it... maybe you could fit 27 down the length... so 351 blocks? Then again, since that's not convenient (at all!), you'd want to make 12 across and 25 down the length, (a total of 15 stampings) which cuts the total down to 300, which is actually a nice round number. Oh. Okay, now I'm just laughing.
@@OhPervyOne I use a sieve to for my 3/4" blocks too, makes for much nice blocks without all those little sticks and stuff to get in the way. I found my sieve at a yard sale.
In Feb I planted 600 seeds into plastic cell trays. Then, in March I switched to soil blocks because I was spending a lot of time picking out seedlings from the cell trays to repot into larger containers. I had to cut with scissors the plastic cells to get the seedlings out to prevent tearing roots. The seeds that I started in the mini soil block were easier to transplant into the 2-inch soil block or transplant directly to the ground. I found there was very little difference in time spent making the soil block versus loading the cell trays with soil. Finally, soil blocks take up less storage space. I can place soil blocks on flat trays which are very easy to store. The 1020 or 1010 trays take up more space. The only cell trays that would use, if wanted to spend more money, are the Windstrip or Epic 6 cell because they last and they don't damage the seedlings. Yet, these still require more storage space. Finally, soil blocks only require a potting soil mix, in comparison to cell trays which require a seed starting soil and later a potting soil. However, unlike cell trays, soil blocks on trays without capillary mats dry out overnight, so they require daily moisture replenishment. 🌷
Thanks for sharing your experience @milliepat! Great point about storage space - that's a challenge for me as well. I'm really looking forward to freeing up some more room in the garage once these cells trays have run their course. Cheers and happy growing!
@@jasmineshomegrown Soil block DIY mixes are confusing because it appears everyone has a special recipe. I purchased several soil block amendments for soil block recipes and when it runs out, I plan to use good quality commercial potting soil, worm castings, and vermiculite.🌷
@@MilliePat adding worm castings is a great idea! We're restarting most of our garden projects this year after a hiatus (life got in the way...ugh!) and a worm bin is most definitely on the list. I'm looking forward to playing around with my mix over the next few growing seasons : )
I appreciate the information from a first time soil blocker! I'm starting my first soil blocking this week and your video has been an encouragement to me. Gardener's Workshop has really good videos with great tips for soil blocking (she does flowers) including how to get the most out of your real estate. She also sells a small bags of green sand and rock phosphate if you want to try her simple recipe - 3 ingredients -using that.
Glad you found the video useful! I'm a big fan of soil blocking at this point and am already getting excited about starting all of my seeds next year : ) Thanks for the tips on Gardener's Workshop!
It’s been working out great! This fall will be my third or fourth round using soil blocks and I’m never going back 😆 I’ve switched to just using a mix from the local big box store (for the life of me I can’t find the name just now!) that is relatively fine and then I don’t have to bother with “recipes” and keeping a bunch of stuff on hand. How did your garden do this year?
In my experience with them, the roots don't jump into the soil blocks around them and the seedlings seem to do better once transplanted because no transplant shock.
Good video! In another video i've watched the maker removes the dimpler so the block has a flat top, she then creates the seed holes or pushes the seeds into the blocks so they could be spaced over the block.
Yes! I've also since seen people skip the dimpler, sprinkle seed, and then cover with vermiculite...so many different ways to approach soil blocking : ) Thanks so much!
@@jasmineshomegrown You're welcome! This is only my second year with the blockers, added the mini this year so i'm still fumbling along and learning as i go, overall pretty happy with the results but can see how other methods would be better for certain seeds. Enjoyed your video, thanks for sharing!
New to soil blocking this year, saw a video where the tool was all rusted, so I decided to rinse well after use and dry it thoroughly with a hair dryer set on low temperature without removing the plastic plugs. Works great !
I splurged and bought my blockers from Ladbrooke's in the UK. They have some on their website that are powder coated and nice colours too. I asked about the advantages and they said the blocks slide out easier. They arrived from the UK to BC Canada in just 10 days. I will be trying them for the first time in a month or two. (zone 4 here so I have to resist the urge to start everything too soon.
Just further to my and other people's comments about fitting fifty 2" blocks in a 1020 tray, i recently bought some Bootstrap Farmer's mesh botton trays which look to be what you are using. Went to use my first one this morning and with the tall sided ones, the base is smaller then every other brand i have which all measure at least 9.5" wide, same as the Bootstrap Farmer's low sided tray. Their tall tray measures 9 × 19" inside bottom, be pretty hard to squeeze 50 into one of those, your 36 would be very comfortably accomodated.
Yep you nailed it! They are Bootstrap mesh inserts - love how durable they are, but no matter how hard I try I cannot for the life of me fit more than 36 2" blocks without smooshing something!
@@jasmineshomegrown I know you want to phase out plastic but by chance you need more mesh trays the shallow Bootstrap Farmers are the top half of regular ones so you get the extra half inch in each dimension you need to fit fifty 2" blocks which at least for me measure 1 7/8" each. In The New Orgsnic Grower Eliot Coleman has instructions for making three sided wooden trays to handle his soil blocking needs, an non-plastic option...
@@davec1117 good to know! The mesh trays are just so convenient : ) I’ll definitely check out Eliot Coleman’s method - maybe there’s a happy medium between the two. Cheers!
I guess it also depends on the scale. I have a small garden so I don't really measure the time spent on sowing. I only look for efficiancy so that my workflow makes sense. I have a soilblocker (2x2 inches) and I want to try it for zuchini and squash. The rest I do in plastic containers but I invested in a good quality plastic so it should last me for years to come. And just to mention it - people can do plastic from hemp and other nature friendly sources.
Focusing on efficiency in workflow makes total sense! I used the 2x2 for two varieties of winter squash and they're really happy. They had enough space/nutrition to get their first set of true leaves and I potted them up yesterday into 5" pots. I was hoping to put them directly into the ground, but the weather just won't warm up! Cheers : )
I, too, have used the 2" blocker for squash and zukes. There was definitely a bit of cracking but after I watered them I was able to press them back into shape and they held together just fine after that. Definitely something to watch out for so you can fix it if/when it happens... but when it does, it's not a lost cause. I suspect this depends on what kind of seeds you're using. I had no problem with zucchini, summer squash and little-bitty sweet pie pumpkins. But my larger seeds (like the blue hubbard, pink banana squash, and C. Maxima halloween pumpkins) made big vine sprouts which did crack blocks. Knowing this is possible and something to watch for and correct means this can still be Worth Doing.
I'm looking at picking up a soil blocker, and I'm going to put together capillary matting trays to keep them watered, especially the minis. The matting will also work with my cell trays, if nothing else!
@@OhPervyOne Oh, the blocks will go in a mesh tray for sure, then I can shift them daily. If they are big enough to get grabby, they can be bumped up, planted out, or just taken off the mat until I'm ready to give them their next home 🙂
Hi, I am trying out three different mixes for my soil blocks - straight promix hp, 50% promix & 50% worm castings, and 100% worm castings. I can’t get things like greensand here in Nova Scotia easily and it is really expensive on Amazon! I’m going to use Miracle Grow to fertilize, I’m wondering what you are using for fertilizer. Fish emulsion is very expensive here, and I can’t find any scientific evidence that it is any better than miracle grow. Thanks!!
Hey there! For fertilizer I use our homemade compost and aged chicken manure, comfrey tea, or a quick fermented weed tea with kelp powder mixed in. I’ve never used fish emulsion - it’s expensive here too and just not in the budget… I also top dress the garden beds with about an inch of compost mixed with aged cow/horse manure between plantings. So far it’s been enough to keep everything going strong!
In order to reduce the amount of real estate taken up by your soil blocks, see Coleman's "New Organic Gardener". He has experience-based tables recommending the size of soil block for various seed types, the number of weeks each seed will stay in the block before transplanting to the garden, and those seeds that will need up potting to a 2-inch soil block. Most seeds are started in 1 3/8 inch soil blocks which yield 70-90 blocks per 10x20 tray. Three-quarter inch mini blocks are typically used for lettuce, but Coleman recommends up blocking them to 2 inch cubes. I have gotten away with direct planting the three quarter inch lettuce seedlings into the ground in a divot hole lined with the same soil block mix you use to make the mini blocks. The 20 cell mini three-quarter inch soil block maker lays down 120 blocks in 1/2 of a 10 x 20 tray. For coco coir, soil ph testing the mix is important. Coco coir is slightly alkaline and typically a small amount of soil acidifier amendment is needed to bring the mix into an optimal ph range. Soil blocks still suffer from the disadvantage of plastic cells: for plants with aggressive tap roots like peas, the taproot can blow out the bottom of the soil block and grow directly into the water tray. The advantage of the soil block over plastic cells is you can pick the soil block up in immediately see when the taproot has penetrated the bottom of the block. Then you can decide to up block or put the plant in the ground depending on local weather circumstances. No more seedlings wiith wrap around bound roots! Great video!
Just wanted to say that I was surprised to see you only have 164 subscribers. Not only did I found this video content very helpful, but your editing, background music, b-roll, etc. were all very well done and you personally are also very good, calm and well-spoken on camera. Keep up the good work and I'm sure that subscriber base will take off!
Hey thanks for the encouragement! Glad you found the info useful. Cheers!
I thought the same thing with the sub count, 288 as of today!? I'm sub 289, ha! My seed trays are at the end of their life and was curious about soil blocking and came across this video. Informative, thoughtful and a natural host. This video gave me the confidence to go for it, thank you! I'm looking forward to more of your videos.
I taught a class on this back in the mid 90s at the nursery where I worked and we found that adding a pkt of knox gelatin helped hold the blocks together better and didnt harm the plants- good video- I highly recommend soil blocking to cut down on expenses!
Hey thanks! I hear that the '90s are back in general -- might as well apply it to soil blocking : )
What is the ratio of gelatin to soil?
I started soil blocking this year and love it. I got the 3/4inch and 2inch blocker. I follow a few ppl that swear by the 1 1/2 inch blocker, and I ended up buying that a few weeks ago. I now use it more than the 2inch. It's awesome. I actually love the 3/4 inch as it can block 20 seed starts at a time. I've 240 plants on 6 trays, and I've saved all kinds of plastic and foam trays from the grocery store that work great. I have over 1000 things going right now. It's crazy but I'm hooked.😂 I love not having all the plastic pots and trays taking up space. If you time things right, you won't even have to bump up you can just directly plant. I actually use Lisa Mason Zeigler recipe. Shes a famous flower farmer that swears by soil blocking. She uses peat, rock phosphate, compost, and green sand. Green sand is exstreamly hard to find and expensive, so I skip it.😂 It's basically a mineral that has lots of natural nutrients. I also use vermiculite and perlite in mine. It works out beautifully. Plus, it's way cheaper to make your own rather than buying bags. You can make a huge batch and keep it in a large storage bin so you have it all ready when you start blocking. Just get out what you need and, of course, add water. Water is definitely the key to soil blocking. Happy gardening.😊
I can sense that over the next year I'm going to end up with a soil blocker collection 😂 I'll check out Lisa Zeigler's recipe - quite a few of the flower varieties I chose for the garden this year are based on her advice. She rocks! Like you, I have an absurd amount of plants started...I was showing my husband yesterday and he looked kind of terrified, whispering "we're going to need acreage aren't we..." Ha!
Thanks for all of the recommendations! Cheers : )
@@jasmineshomegrown I was going to leave a comment with a bunch of tips, but I see other comments with some of my thoughts already expressed, so I'll just have to pile my tips onto theirs. Good info, here!
I can strongly recommend getting the 3/4" micro-20 blocker. What's even more fun is when you have the square dibbles for the mini-4 blocker. Then you can plant tiny seeds (like lettuce) in the tiny soil blocks and you only up-pot those that germinate... and the 3/4" blocks fit perfectly into the 3/4" holes created by those square dibbles in the 2" blocks. (Hmmm.... almost seems like they planned it that way.)
I have fun using alternative humidome seed-starting containers... from Chinese restaurant delivery bags. Yeah, whenever I order delivery, I save the little black containers with the clear plastic domes, cuz (well, what do those remind you of?) those are basically mini-humidity-domes. And they''re perfect for the micro-20 soil blocks. I'm pretty sure that you can fit two stampings (40 blocks) into one container. And they stack.
So, you stamp 40 blocks into a container... plant your lettuce seeds... cover and stack them on top of the fridge and watch over the next few days for sprouting (not long right?) and then you can up-block them into 2" blocks, so you aren't using greenhouse space until you actually have sprouts.
For me the best thing about the micro-20 blockers is the one-seed-per-block germination. I plant one tomato seed per block and if it germinates it gets up-blocked and then it goes into the garden... if it doesn't germinate, it goes on the compost pile. NO seeds get wasted thru the thinning process.
(CAVEAT: I tried this with lettuce seeds; It's impossible. You'll have to thin them.)
Blocking-up means not having to worry too much about timing. If you plant a bunch of lettuce seeds in micro20 blocks and they sprout in the middle of a sudden freeze, you can up-block them into the mini-4 blocks and put them on another shelf to wait for the (actual) Spring thaw.
One thing I saw in another video (don't remember where) was a germinating rack that was basically a baking rack. Blew my mind. You can block up a 1020 tray and place it on a sheet cake pan and slide that into a baking rack until they germinate. I think you can fit two trays per pan. (Again, I don't remember.) Someday I will try this.
Thanks for the response! I'm sold on the tiny soil blocker. I hate wasting seeds so love the idea of putting just one per block while not dedicating a bunch of space until things sprout.
Definitely wishing I had access to a speed/baking rack - since they fit one full sized sheet pan or two full hotels per slot - it'd be so convenient for stacking things up and moving them around! I need to work on going vertical for sure. Funny how restaurant equipment may be the answer to many of my food production quandaries : )
I have a small nursery and have been using soil blocks for 2 years now, I use the 3/4" and 2" blockers. Originally switched to blocks to save space, on one 6" table with 3 grow lights I can fit about 2400 seedlings on it. You can also fit 50 of the 2" blocks in a 10x20 tray, they will seem snug but still air prune well. And if you are going big you can fit about 300 3/4" soil blocks in a 10x20 tray, insane space saving. Anyways thanks for sharing, your garden is looking great!
Oh and the best soil blocker mix is super simple, 50% peat and 50% compost both screened with 1/4" screen. The blocks come out perfect with nice sharp edges and hold together really well. I am guessing coco coir would work in place a peatmoss too. Simple also equals lots of cost savings =)
Thanks for all the info! 2400 seedlings on one table is impressive -- I wish I had the land to plant out 2400 starts!! I think this year I'm at about 500 total with my first round, and just getting started on my second succession of greens. 300 per tray sounds like a dream - based on all the comments, it looks like I'll be getting a 3/4" blocker sooner rather than later : )
I think the mesh inserts are taking up more space than I anticipated. I bet if I block directly into the 10x20 solid tray I could get 50. I'm going to try that! Cheers!
I squeeze 50 - 2" blocks into a 1020 tray as well.
I believe the mesh trays are designed to fit without sacrificing space, @@jasmineshomegrown.
I, too, regularly fit 50 of the 'Mini-4' size blocks into a 1020 tray. Press the blocker up against the side for the first row, then press against the previous row for each consecutive stamping.
I HAVE LEARNED that the secret to making perfect 3/4" cubes is to sift your compost with a standard kitchen sieve. I got a cheap one from the local 99-cent store (back when it was still 99-cents) and keep it with my soil blocking equipment.
I actually did some Maths on this one. I calculated that you can fit 338 Micro-20 blocks on a 1020 tray.
The blocker is 4x5 cubes and four blocks takes up 3"... so you can fit 13 blocks across X 26 blocks down the length. Now that I think on it... maybe you could fit 27 down the length... so 351 blocks?
Then again, since that's not convenient (at all!), you'd want to make 12 across and 25 down the length, (a total of 15 stampings) which cuts the total down to 300, which is actually a nice round number.
Oh.
Okay, now I'm just laughing.
@@OhPervyOne I use a sieve to for my 3/4" blocks too, makes for much nice blocks without all those little sticks and stuff to get in the way. I found my sieve at a yard sale.
Some great tips, I have just started soil blocking, kept the soil mix simple and it works great.
Thanks for sharing! Cheers : )
It is so nice to see your realistic and logical explanations. I could completely identify with every point you made which is not common on UA-cam.
Thanks for the information. If you want metal trays instead of plastic check out your local restaurant supply.
Yes that’s a great idea! I think hotel pans might be the perfect solution : ) Cheers!
@@jasmineshomegrown I think cookie trays and sheet-cake pans would be ideal.
very well presented i agree with you soil blocking is better enjoyed this good luck
Very helpful and well done. You have just got yourself a subscriber 😂🇮🇪
In Feb I planted 600 seeds into plastic cell trays. Then, in March I switched to soil blocks because I was spending a lot of time picking out seedlings from the cell trays to repot into larger containers. I had to cut with scissors the plastic cells to get the seedlings out to prevent tearing roots. The seeds that I started in the mini soil block were easier to transplant into the 2-inch soil block or transplant directly to the ground. I found there was very little difference in time spent making the soil block versus loading the cell trays with soil. Finally, soil blocks take up less storage space. I can place soil blocks on flat trays which are very easy to store. The 1020 or 1010 trays take up more space. The only cell trays that would use, if wanted to spend more money, are the Windstrip or Epic 6 cell because they last and they don't damage the seedlings. Yet, these still require more storage space. Finally, soil blocks only require a potting soil mix, in comparison to cell trays which require a seed starting soil and later a potting soil. However, unlike cell trays, soil blocks on trays without capillary mats dry out overnight, so they require daily moisture replenishment. 🌷
Thanks for sharing your experience @milliepat! Great point about storage space - that's a challenge for me as well. I'm really looking forward to freeing up some more room in the garage once these cells trays have run their course. Cheers and happy growing!
@@jasmineshomegrown Soil block DIY mixes are confusing because it appears everyone has a special recipe. I purchased several soil block amendments for soil block recipes and when it runs out, I plan to use good quality commercial potting soil, worm castings, and vermiculite.🌷
@@MilliePat adding worm castings is a great idea! We're restarting most of our garden projects this year after a hiatus (life got in the way...ugh!) and a worm bin is most definitely on the list. I'm looking forward to playing around with my mix over the next few growing seasons : )
Thanks - good video!
Thanks so much!
I appreciate the information from a first time soil blocker! I'm starting my first soil blocking this week and your video has been an encouragement to me. Gardener's Workshop has really good videos with great tips for soil blocking (she does flowers) including how to get the most out of your real estate. She also sells a small bags of green sand and rock phosphate if you want to try her simple recipe - 3 ingredients -using that.
Glad you found the video useful! I'm a big fan of soil blocking at this point and am already getting excited about starting all of my seeds next year : ) Thanks for the tips on Gardener's Workshop!
Would love to hear how it went!! I was nervous my blocks were too wet so seeing how you did it eased my anxiety. now to see how they do!
It’s been working out great! This fall will be my third or fourth round using soil blocks and I’m never going back 😆 I’ve switched to just using a mix from the local big box store (for the life of me I can’t find the name just now!) that is relatively fine and then I don’t have to bother with “recipes” and keeping a bunch of stuff on hand. How did your garden do this year?
In my experience with them, the roots don't jump into the soil blocks around them and the seedlings seem to do better once transplanted because no transplant shock.
Good video! In another video i've watched the maker removes the dimpler so the block has a flat top, she then creates the seed holes or pushes the seeds into the blocks so they could be spaced over the block.
Yes! I've also since seen people skip the dimpler, sprinkle seed, and then cover with vermiculite...so many different ways to approach soil blocking : ) Thanks so much!
@@jasmineshomegrown You're welcome! This is only my second year with the blockers, added the mini this year so i'm still fumbling along and learning as i go, overall pretty happy with the results but can see how other methods would be better for certain seeds. Enjoyed your video, thanks for sharing!
Skipping the dibbler is a great idea for blocks of lobelia. The seed is so fine and they grow well in grouped plantings.
Great video, subscribed right away! looking forward to more of your content!
Thanks so much! Super appreciate the feedback : )
New to soil blocking this year, saw a video where the tool was all rusted, so I decided to rinse well after use and dry it thoroughly with a hair dryer set on low temperature without removing the plastic plugs. Works great !
Ooooh good idea! I've just been letting the blocker air dry but a hair dryer would definitely guarantee no rust. Cheers!
I splurged and bought my blockers from Ladbrooke's in the UK. They have some on their website that are powder coated and nice colours too. I asked about the advantages and they said the blocks slide out easier. They arrived from the UK to BC Canada in just 10 days. I will be trying them for the first time in a month or two. (zone 4 here so I have to resist the urge to start everything too soon.
I'm not sure if it's the same kind of Green Sand, but it's used in metal casting, try industrial or construction supply
Thanks for the tip! I’m going to have to look into that : )
I get 50 two" blocks in a 10-20. Pack them in there tight. They still prune.
Wow! That’s awesome. Sounds like I can definitely squeeze more in : ) Thanks!
Just further to my and other people's comments about fitting fifty 2" blocks in a 1020 tray, i recently bought some Bootstrap Farmer's mesh botton trays which look to be what you are using. Went to use my first one this morning and with the tall sided ones, the base is smaller then every other brand i have which all measure at least 9.5" wide, same as the Bootstrap Farmer's low sided tray. Their tall tray measures 9 × 19" inside bottom, be pretty hard to squeeze 50 into one of those, your 36 would be very comfortably accomodated.
Yep you nailed it! They are Bootstrap mesh inserts - love how durable they are, but no matter how hard I try I cannot for the life of me fit more than 36 2" blocks without smooshing something!
@@jasmineshomegrown I know you want to phase out plastic but by chance you need more mesh trays the shallow Bootstrap Farmers are the top half of regular ones so you get the extra half inch in each dimension you need to fit fifty 2" blocks which at least for me measure 1 7/8" each. In The New Orgsnic Grower Eliot Coleman has instructions for making three sided wooden trays to handle his soil blocking needs, an non-plastic option...
@@davec1117 good to know! The mesh trays are just so convenient : ) I’ll definitely check out Eliot Coleman’s method - maybe there’s a happy medium between the two. Cheers!
Great video! I didn't know about soild blocks. Thanks you, P.S. Lettuce = 1 or many.
Thanks so much! Glad it was helpful : )
I guess it also depends on the scale. I have a small garden so I don't really measure the time spent on sowing. I only look for efficiancy so that my workflow makes sense. I have a soilblocker (2x2 inches) and I want to try it for zuchini and squash. The rest I do in plastic containers but I invested in a good quality plastic so it should last me for years to come. And just to mention it - people can do plastic from hemp and other nature friendly sources.
Focusing on efficiency in workflow makes total sense! I used the 2x2 for two varieties of winter squash and they're really happy. They had enough space/nutrition to get their first set of true leaves and I potted them up yesterday into 5" pots. I was hoping to put them directly into the ground, but the weather just won't warm up! Cheers : )
I've used 2x2 for squash and zucchini. The seeds blow the soil blocks up very soon after sprouting. I wouldn't use it again myself for those seeds.
Interesting - thanks for sharing!
I, too, have used the 2" blocker for squash and zukes. There was definitely a bit of cracking but after I watered them I was able to press them back into shape and they held together just fine after that. Definitely something to watch out for so you can fix it if/when it happens... but when it does, it's not a lost cause.
I suspect this depends on what kind of seeds you're using.
I had no problem with zucchini, summer squash and little-bitty sweet pie pumpkins. But my larger seeds (like the blue hubbard, pink banana squash, and C. Maxima halloween pumpkins) made big vine sprouts which did crack blocks.
Knowing this is possible and something to watch for and correct means this can still be Worth Doing.
Anyone know what happened to this gardener? Only one video. I hope she's okay and I hope she comes back. Good content on the video she posted.
I'm looking at picking up a soil blocker, and I'm going to put together capillary matting trays to keep them watered, especially the minis. The matting will also work with my cell trays, if nothing else!
I feel like capillary mats are in my future as well : ) Cheers!
I suspect that the roots will grow into the capillary matting.
@@OhPervyOne Oh, the blocks will go in a mesh tray for sure, then I can shift them daily. If they are big enough to get grabby, they can be bumped up, planted out, or just taken off the mat until I'm ready to give them their next home 🙂
You can add some cement to the mixture so that the blocks will be more stable and have a better structure !!! 🤣😂😆😁
Excellent idea 😂
Add wormcasting to your soil
Yes!! Need to get my worm farm going : )
interesting
thanks!
Hi, I am trying out three different mixes for my soil blocks - straight promix hp, 50% promix & 50% worm castings, and 100% worm castings. I can’t get things like greensand here in Nova Scotia easily and it is really expensive on Amazon! I’m going to use Miracle Grow to fertilize, I’m wondering what you are using for fertilizer. Fish emulsion is very expensive here, and I can’t find any scientific evidence that it is any better than miracle grow. Thanks!!
Hey there! For fertilizer I use our homemade compost and aged chicken manure, comfrey tea, or a quick fermented weed tea with kelp powder mixed in. I’ve never used fish emulsion - it’s expensive here too and just not in the budget… I also top dress the garden beds with about an inch of compost mixed with aged cow/horse manure between plantings. So far it’s been enough to keep everything going strong!
In order to reduce the amount of real estate taken up by your soil blocks, see Coleman's "New
Organic Gardener". He has experience-based tables recommending the size of soil block for various seed types, the number of weeks each seed will stay in the block before transplanting to the garden, and those seeds that will need up potting to a 2-inch soil block. Most seeds are started in 1 3/8 inch soil blocks which yield 70-90 blocks per 10x20 tray. Three-quarter inch mini blocks are typically used for lettuce, but Coleman recommends up blocking them to 2 inch cubes. I have gotten away with direct planting the three quarter inch lettuce seedlings into the ground in a divot hole lined with the same soil block mix you use to make the mini blocks. The 20 cell mini three-quarter inch soil block maker lays down 120 blocks in 1/2 of a 10 x 20 tray. For coco coir, soil ph testing the mix is important. Coco coir is slightly alkaline and typically a small amount of soil acidifier amendment is needed to bring the mix into an optimal ph range. Soil blocks still suffer from the disadvantage of plastic cells: for plants with aggressive tap roots like peas, the taproot can blow out the bottom of the soil block and grow directly into the water tray. The advantage of the soil block over plastic cells is you can pick the soil block up in immediately see when the taproot has penetrated the bottom of the block. Then you can decide to up block or put the plant in the ground depending on local weather circumstances. No more seedlings wiith wrap around bound roots! Great video!
Thanks so much for all the info! Happy gardening : )