soil blocks

I have seen that quite a few of you here use soil blocks. I have done some research on this and it looks like something I would like to try.

I guess my question(s) are:

1) do I need to get one of those fancy block makers?

2) are there alternatives to these fancy block makers?

Quilt be was kind enough to give me some info on the 3/4" block fitting into the 2" block

3) is this a standard feature or do I need to get a certain set?

4) What kind of soil do you use to make your blocks, MM, store bought, or something else?

5) do you take care of these blocks differently then you would say a yogurt container full of dirt?

sorry I hope these don't scare you off. I am really interested in this and want to see if I should start this year or build up to for next.

Thanks for any info.

I guess it depends on what you do now, and whether it works for you or not. I was having a hard time doing the transplanting into bigger pots. I woud germinate lots of seeds in a tray in vermicuite, then try to separate the seedings to put in their own bigger pot. I lost quite a few by shocking them to death!

I just got mine, but they are very easy to use. thanks goes to quiltbe for the info. She sent me a receipe for the dirt, but, I used mm with some added peat for stabiity and I added the fertilizer as receipe said, I can give you receipe, but don't know how to switch to another thread to find it.

The little ones are perfect for putting 1 seed in each, then I can transplant into the larger block, with no shock.

I checked the internet and there are a couple of plans for make your own, but woud only make 1 at a time.

They are pretty pricey but you only have to buy them once.

Johnnys select seed is the only place I found both types, and I figured I'd better buy together so 1 pot would fit into the other.

I haven't grown anything in them yet, but, I've made the pots and planted just since Monday. Got to be better than what I was doing!

Jo

I was talking to a friend of mine that has a market farm today. I was fussing about seedlings and asking her about soil blocks. I had looked at Quiltbee's videos and read these threads for ideas and was thinking to make myself a press with a tomato paste can etc. She gave me her 4 block press because she uses a 20 block press now that she has finished trialing the system.

She also told me to toss the seedlings that look like the pots might have damping off, there is still time in our spring. So I went home with a soil blocker and just played with it. Planted Peppers, eggplant and Thai basil..... so far.

It is supposed to snow tomorrow..................

littlejo wrote:I guess it depends on what you do now, and whether it works for you or not. I was having a hard time doing the transplanting into bigger pots. I woud germinate lots of seeds in a tray in vermicuite, then try to separate the seedings to put in their own bigger pot. I lost quite a few by shocking them to death!



Johnnys select seed is the only place I found both types, and I figured I'd better buy together so 1 pot would fit into the other.

I haven't grown anything in them yet, but, I've made the pots and planted just since Monday. Got to be better than what I was doing!

Jo

I just got mine, but they are very easy to use. thanks goes to quiltbe for the info. She sent me a receipe for the dirt, but, I used mm with some added peat for stabiity and I added the fertilizer as receipe said, I can give you receipe, but don't know how to switch to another thread to find it.

The little ones are perfect for putting 1 seed in each, then I can transplant into the larger block, with no shock.

I checked the internet and there are a couple of plans for make your own, but woud only make 1 at a time.

They are pretty pricey but you only have to buy them once.



What draws me to these blocks are two thinks, even though I don't own one yet, is that you can make a batch of 3/4" blocks and plant one seed per block. I got a seed starting kit and planted to many seeds in some tray cells and they all germinated and had to cut the smallest off.

And the second reason is once they germinate in the 3/4" blocks you just put them in the 2"blocks without any shock. If the seeds don't sprout in the small block I guess I could put the dirt back in the tray to build new ones.

However what soil do people that use the block makers prefer? Johnny's 5-12 mix or any potting soil?

Eliot Coleman, who has been a proponent of this method for years and even used it on his TV show "Gardening Naturally" some years ago, developed the soil formula:

3 Qts Peat Moss, 2 Tablespoons each of Greensand, Phosphate Rock and Blood Meal. Mix together thoroughly.

Add: 1 Qt Perlite and 3 Qts Aged-Compost. Mix together well.

Dump some into a waterproof container like a kitty pan or dishpan, add water and stir til its sort of like wet oatmeal. Press down soil blocker into the soil mix to fill.

There's a sticky on the board somewhere with the 2 films I made of the procedure. It might help someone to understand how to do this. I'd check it out in the seach box above if you are more interested.

You can find both videos I made here:

https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t11383-part-ii-up-potting-soil-blocks

The 2nd one is in the first post and the first one is a few posts down. Shows how it works.