The best video on how to actually use the soil blocker! I bought one a few years back & never used it. Thanks to you it’ll be used this year. Have a great day 👵🏻👩🌾❣️
Steven, thank you so much for your thoroughness! Of all the farmer dudes on youtube, I always come back to yours before making a final decision on a purchase or method. Thank you for making too wet soil blocks. Seriously, half of my first farmer's market takings should go your way. (some of it will. :) )
Idk if this was a series or not but im planning on starting a market garden in spring and boy am I researching like crazy! Saw part 1 of this already. Thanks for being so detailed.. others may not like it but I like thorough explanations 🪴🌱
Hey Champ. Best video for beginners blockers out there. No one goes into detail I have found like you have to explain the consistency needed for the block to be. Thanks alot mate!
Thanks for all the great content you've put out. I would love to see not only the how the different seedling methods work out but also see what the differences are once the plants are transplanted out to the fields. I love my soil blocker but I'm very intrigued by the winstrip trays
I'm starting my first apprenticeship at a market garden next month, and you're basically my other teacher for the season! I'm so happy to have found your channel. Such clear direction. My mentor does low-till, not no-till unfortunately. Peace from BC!
That's great you got an apprenticeship that's the best way to start. Have fun and best of luck. Nothing wrong with low-till as long as that doesn't mean using a real tiller that tills 12" down. Tilthers are fine, broadforks are fine, depends on the context of soil structure, crops you are growing and how you intend on harvesting them.
Just want to say, Its my first year using the soil block maker and the roots are so healthy looking .. plus not using any containers or sending any more waste to the land fills..
And so it begins! Happy spring y’all! That consistency is a similar mix to what we want when working with concrete and mortar as well, maybe close to the golden ratio? Thumbs up on attention to moisture! Great block action brother thanks for the content.
I'm wondering about the wisdom of using peat moss... Any thoughts on the impact of harvesting peat? Do you think Coconut Coir could be a viable and more sustainable alternative? If so, why use peat? Thanks for your thoughts. Love your channel.
So helpful! Thank you! One question (I couldn't find anything, but maybe I didn't search deeply enough): How do you water regularly if not up from the bottom (solid bottom tray)? How often do you water? Do you want the soil blocks to maintain the same kind of moisture you begin with? Thanks in advance! ~Unfortunate Killer of Seedlings
Do you have anything on the construction of your green house? I like the build of it a lot, so im curious about how it all came together and what you do to keep it in good shape. Thank you for the videos, keep up the awesome work!
Hello, thank you for the thorough explanation Video. Question. I am new to gardening and would like to start with seed blocks. I’ve watched so many videos and most suggest the mesh trays but don’t go into details on how to water them properly so they don’t break. Any suggestions?
Very thorough clear and well presented. I’m home gardener but looks like Winstrip from Conner is best. Much less work time and from his video they are stout. Didn’t say cheap but less $ long run
Steven, How has transplanting cucurbits worked for you? Any special considerations? I thought that these needed to be direct-sown to be kept happy. Thanks.
Works great in 2in soil blocks you can always pot them up if you need to as well. They are perfect as transplants and that's how farmers grow them to get a jump on the season.
So what’s the watering procedure for the soil blocks after you finish seeding the and covering them with the peat vermiculite mix? My experience has been that they crumble and fall apart from bottom watering. So fiat I have had poor results trying to use soil blocks and this really is disappointing 19:31 19:31 19:31 because I can see the advantages of I could just figure out why they keep falling apart.
Another great episode and can't wait for update on results of trial. How important would an apprenticeship be or volunteering be to some one thinking of starting a similar venture?
I think they are super important, and speed up learning 10x but you can of course learn by yourself by reading, watching and learning by your own experience. Just start slow and get a couple of seasons under your belt before you think of doing it as a business.
Question: I've been soil blocking in doors under grow lights but the seedlings shoot up way too fast and have a "leggy" weak stem. why????? help. I just started over and lowered grow lights toward surface of the blocks.
Do you have a link for the exact mesh 1010 trays that you have in the video? The link in the description shows 1010 trays with only tiny slots in them and I’m looking for the mesh. Thank you.
How does this still work with the blocks so close to each other? There doesn't really seem to be any gaps. Won't the roots just grow into the next block instead of air pruning?
How do you water without them falling apart, especially since there is no side space to water even down the side? How do you remove them once the plant has grown larger and is ready to transplant?
What is the size of the square trays? I can't seem to find them anywhere. Logic would tell me they're at least 16x16 due to the fact you're fitting 8x8 - 2 inch blocks in them, but all I can find is 1010, or 15x12 trays. Thank you anyone who can answer this.
I'll really be interested in seeing your test comparisons. I've done a lot of soil blocks, but not in the mesh trays (just normal 1020 with drainage). (Got super excited about them when I first read Eliot Coleman - mostly for the plastic reduction). What I found was that the sides, by the time the seedlings had been watered for 4-6 weeks, had pretty much run together, and honestly, I couldn't tell all that much difference between those seedlings and ones just started in normal plug trays. And they were a LOT more work. So now I either just skip the blocks and fill the whole tray, dibble, and then once to size, prick out to transplants into larger pots (stuff like tomatoes/peppers that I'm going to be potting up anyway). Or I just transplant directly from the trays into the garden (onions - some greens). When you do your comparison, do a follow up of plant size AFTER some period of time planting out as well.
That's a great idea to show how they will look after planting too. I'll try to do that but I may not have the bed space or need to have more for my bed production, may do grow bags for them instead. They can get bigger in the soil blocks before transplanting, they are spaced further out than the plugs. Some roots do grow into other blocks but it's not a big deal, if you want to prevent it don't space them as close. I notice the biggest difference in health over the plugs when planted out in the field. They take off way sooner and are healthier overall. This is why I'm so excited to have the winstrip trays, best of both world :)
Do you have a respiratory issue? Pinene is a bronchodilator, meaning it allows for easier airflow in the lungs. Might I suggest breathing the vaporized oil of the pine tree? Alternatively, you could smoke cannabis. Yes, smoking cannabis helps you clear your lungs and may even induce a healthy cough if you're congested. Jack Herer is a type of cannabis with plenty of pinene, if you go that route. Not sure if it's legal where you live. If it isn't legal, forget I said anything.
How long have you been on RU-vid? get tripod to make your videos and just plunk it down and work in front of it with your TWO hands and stop waving that camera mate
