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Google
Soil Blocks: Tutorial In Photos
+12
has55
Kelejan
trolleydriver
canada6827
Turan
floyd1440
UnderTheBlackWalnut
llama momma
CindiLou
AvaDGardner
RoOsTeR
quiltbea
16 posters
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Re: Soil Blocks: Tutorial In Photos
Thank you for the link. It is pretty much what I found online. Most of the 'recipes' called for peat moss, perlite and compost. Much like Mel's mix. That's why I asked if I could just use it. Thought it would be simpler than buying additional ingredients. But guess I'll just have to play around with it.
Thanks for the responses.
Thanks for the responses.
canada6827- Posts : 15
Join date : 2013-03-18
Location : Tolosa, Texas 75143
Re: Soil Blocks: Tutorial In Photos
If you use vermiculite (e.g., instead of perlite) it probably would be better to use a finer vermiculite in the mix rather than the coarse vermiculite required for Mel's Mix.canada6827 wrote:Thank you for the link. It is pretty much what I found online. Most of the 'recipes' called for peat moss, perlite and compost. Much like Mel's mix. That's why I asked if I could just use it. Thought it would be simpler than buying additional ingredients. But guess I'll just have to play around with it.
Thanks for the responses.
trolleydriver
Forum Moderator- Posts : 5388
Join date : 2015-05-04
Age : 77
Location : Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Re: Soil Blocks: Tutorial In Photos
3 Qts Peat Moss, 2 Tablespoons Greensand, 2 Tablespoons Phosphate Rock, 2 Tablespoons Bloodmeal. Mix together well. Then add: 1 Qt Perlite, 3 Qts Compost. Mix together and use this for your soil block starting soil.
The above is the recipe for Johnnie's Mix that can be purchased from them, at great cost seeing as they are in the US and not Canada.
I tried my best to get the ingredients and still have some on hand but where do I get Greensand and Phospate Rock when I only need 2 tablespoons of each?
I have on hand peat moss, Bloodmeal, compost. I have looked at the actual production on video and it looks so easy.
Maybe the make up of the compost is critical?
Perhaps there is a market that could sell the properly mixed ingredients that would be guaranteed to work? So that we could buy it off the shelf. These tiny quantities are so much hassle, at least to me.
The above is the recipe for Johnnie's Mix that can be purchased from them, at great cost seeing as they are in the US and not Canada.
I tried my best to get the ingredients and still have some on hand but where do I get Greensand and Phospate Rock when I only need 2 tablespoons of each?
I have on hand peat moss, Bloodmeal, compost. I have looked at the actual production on video and it looks so easy.
Maybe the make up of the compost is critical?
Perhaps there is a market that could sell the properly mixed ingredients that would be guaranteed to work? So that we could buy it off the shelf. These tiny quantities are so much hassle, at least to me.
Re: Soil Blocks: Tutorial In Photos
great tutorial
has55- Posts : 2345
Join date : 2012-05-10
Location : Denton, tx
Re: Soil Blocks: Tutorial In Photos
Kelejan, I add a couple Tablespoons of an organic gardening fertilizer I keep around, rather than individual ingredients. I have a small bag of Espoma's brand. This is not critical, especially if the compost is good, just like in every thing else we do.
As I usually only start a couple dozen or so plants each spring so I look to what is easy to find and not frozen. For the soil I look at the commercially available seed starting mixes. I look for one that has a fine texture. When I use it I usually end up adding a handful more peat, that is what holds the blocks together, but I try it first and then add peat if and as much as needed to get the right consistency. I suspect MM would work just fine if the vermiculite/perlite is not too large in size and quantity, add extra peat if the blocks do not hold. I have had good success with these brands- Jiffy seed starter mix brand and even Miracle Grow Organic seed starter. Not so good with Fox Farm's Seed Warrior, the perlite is too big and too much so the blocks do not hold, but it is good in trays.
As I usually only start a couple dozen or so plants each spring so I look to what is easy to find and not frozen. For the soil I look at the commercially available seed starting mixes. I look for one that has a fine texture. When I use it I usually end up adding a handful more peat, that is what holds the blocks together, but I try it first and then add peat if and as much as needed to get the right consistency. I suspect MM would work just fine if the vermiculite/perlite is not too large in size and quantity, add extra peat if the blocks do not hold. I have had good success with these brands- Jiffy seed starter mix brand and even Miracle Grow Organic seed starter. Not so good with Fox Farm's Seed Warrior, the perlite is too big and too much so the blocks do not hold, but it is good in trays.
Turan- Posts : 2618
Join date : 2012-03-29
Location : Gallatin Valley, Montana, Intermountain zone 4
Re: Soil Blocks: Tutorial In Photos
Thanks, turin, that sounds so helpful. I have c & P it in Word under Gardening - Making Soil Blocks so I will have it on hand when I start later this year.
Re: Soil Blocks: Tutorial In Photos
I've seen soil blockers on sale at Johnny's Seed on and off through this year. I bought the small one and the 2"...I started carrot seeds indoors in the small ones...and I did beets, sugar snap peas, and peppers in the large blocks. The large blocks worked well...I had trouble getting the small blocks to work with the mix I had on hand. I had too many small woody pieces in my compost to get good compression in the small blocks.
landarch- Posts : 1151
Join date : 2012-01-22
Location : kansas city
Re: Soil Blocks: Tutorial In Photos
Soil blocks is how I still start most of my plants. I think the plants transplant much better. This is a good tutorial that Quiltbee made.
I just started - 12 tomatoes, 6 kinds, - 12 peppers, 3 kinds, - and 10 broccoli, 2 kinds. This weekend I will probably start some spinach and lettuce too.
I just started - 12 tomatoes, 6 kinds, - 12 peppers, 3 kinds, - and 10 broccoli, 2 kinds. This weekend I will probably start some spinach and lettuce too.
Turan- Posts : 2618
Join date : 2012-03-29
Location : Gallatin Valley, Montana, Intermountain zone 4
sanderson likes this post
Re: Soil Blocks: Tutorial In Photos
It's been a dozen years since the first post in this thread. It looks like Amazon now sells lots of these, from $8 to $40+ or more. Almost all of them were 2" makers.
The exception is a tool by Fiskars. It makes a ridiculously large 3.5 inch pot, or four smaller 1" pots. It runs about $15. I might check that out, as my supply of yogurt containers has dried up.
The price I found at Johnny's was about $50, and there doesn't appear to be a 3/4 inch maker anymore. Smallest is 1.5 inch. But maybe I'm searching with the wrong text or something.
I seem to recall that we had a post somewhere with someone with plans for making block makers in a 3D printer.
The exception is a tool by Fiskars. It makes a ridiculously large 3.5 inch pot, or four smaller 1" pots. It runs about $15. I might check that out, as my supply of yogurt containers has dried up.
The price I found at Johnny's was about $50, and there doesn't appear to be a 3/4 inch maker anymore. Smallest is 1.5 inch. But maybe I'm searching with the wrong text or something.
I seem to recall that we had a post somewhere with someone with plans for making block makers in a 3D printer.
markqz
Forum Moderator- Posts : 969
Join date : 2019-09-02
Location : Lower left hand corner
sanderson and Scorpio Rising like this post
Re: Soil Blocks: Tutorial In Photos
markqz wrote:The price I found at Johnny's was about $50, and there doesn't appear to be a 3/4 inch maker anymore. Smallest is 1.5 inch. But maybe I'm searching with the wrong text or something.
I saw this interesting listing for a soil blocker that makes 20 3/4" blocks.
https://thegardenersworkshop.com/product/kit-starter-soil-blocking/
And then, there is this one that makes 20 1/2" blocks.
https://territorialseed.com/products/micro-20-1-2-in-soil-blocker
"In short, the soil food web feeds everything you eat and helps keep your favorite planet from getting too hot. Be nice to it." ~ Diane Miessler, "Grow Your Soil"
sanderson likes this post
Re: Soil Blocks: Tutorial In Photos
I only have the 2" block maker, it makes 4 at a time. I like the idea of the 1/2" blocks but could never get myself to buy the maker partially because it makes so many at a time. I got my 2" block maker used a dozen years ago. It is still going strong. If I have to pot up a size I use the 4" plastic pots that I seem to collect. I have to be careful to wash and bleach those plastic pots so I do not spread disease.
Turan- Posts : 2618
Join date : 2012-03-29
Location : Gallatin Valley, Montana, Intermountain zone 4
sanderson and Scorpio Rising like this post
Re: Soil Blocks: Tutorial In Photos
I got the Fiskars. I may need to work on the recipe some more. Here's a tray of De Jeur radishes, about 10 days into their growth cycle. I like the 1" size. The 4" size is enormous, but I think I can slice an inch off the bottom and make it into a hocky-puck pot for starting squash.
markqz
Forum Moderator- Posts : 969
Join date : 2019-09-02
Location : Lower left hand corner
sanderson likes this post
Re: Soil Blocks: Tutorial In Photos
In general, for soil blocks Mel's Mix would not hold shape well enough. You need a higher percentage of peat or lesser percentage of vermiculite. I think a recipe is posted in this thread or another one.sanderson wrote:Mel's Mix or other recipe?
Turan- Posts : 2618
Join date : 2012-03-29
Location : Gallatin Valley, Montana, Intermountain zone 4
sanderson likes this post
Re: Soil Blocks: Tutorial In Photos
Johnny's Select Seeds has an excellent article on tips for making soil blocks, including a recipe.
https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/methods-tools-supplies/seed-starting-transplanting/soil-block-makers-eliot-coleman.html
https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/methods-tools-supplies/seed-starting-transplanting/soil-block-makers-eliot-coleman.html
"In short, the soil food web feeds everything you eat and helps keep your favorite planet from getting too hot. Be nice to it." ~ Diane Miessler, "Grow Your Soil"
Turan likes this post
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