The Soil Blocker

Here Ye, Here Ye--Feedback Wanted!

2010-09-29T09:37:00.000-07:00

Greetings Anew! Customers and Friends.

Jason's Great Grandfather's Company
advertising for eggs back in the 1930's.
Jacob Kramer is where the
Old Farm Boy trademark gets
it's name!

Now is the time to participate in the expansion of the Potting Blocks Company. We are a gardening product store with research facilities in the ever expanding Organiculture Industry. We are forging new relationships to bring gardeners, farmers, and nurseries to meet with advanced, efficient, and practical gardening products and information. But, we need your help. We need to know what you'd like to see on PottingBlocks.com, the world's resource for soil block agriculture.

We'd like to know what products we should carry, not just soil block makers and seed starting supplies. And, finally, we'd like to know what would make our site or your experience better. Please go ahead and leave us your comments here, and we'll register you for our big release party drawing of a brand new soil blocker invention coming in 2012. That's right, another soil blocker to the family! So go ahead, tell us what you think, what you'd buy, and what would make us better, because the home-grown gardening phenomena is FOR REAL and expanding.

Thank you kindly,

Jason Beam, creator PottingBlocks.com and the only Authorized USA Distributor of the Authentic Ladbrooke Soil Block Maker made in England, Not China!

Soil Block Supply--Premier Edition PottingBlocks.com Catalog

2010-07-17T11:50:00.000-07:00

Greetings and Salutations,

I'd like to formally announce the coming of new era in PottingBlocks.com: The Creation of the first Soil Block Supply Catalog. It will be released on January 5, 2012, marking the 4th year anniversary of PottingBlocks.com. It will be released on PDF file format in response to customers demand to eliminate the use of paper, thus saving countless forests from clear cutting. It will contain the vital information, products and customer service needed to completely support the Soil Blocker, or one who uses soil blocks to farm and garden. SBS, Soil Block Supply, will contain only items that support, accelerate and expand the phenomenal growth rate of transplants in soil blocks. It's like Hydroponics, but say "Soilponics". It's Certified Authentic Beyond Organic, or customer testifying all products and the processes of achieving biological products are produced with the highest welfare of our planet earth in mind, excluding absolutely no creature on our Mother globe. This means most products are Vegan, and the remainder products are strict by-products of ethical, biological, natural, and humanical, or "good for all People". And, our commitment to eliminating the use and need for plastics, continues, with choosing only recyclable plastic containers to send products, or selling only local or regional United States plastic manufacturing companies adhering to strict environmental controls and laws. It's the "one-stop-shop" for the most authentic seed starting supply catalog in the world.

Our Motto: "To help you grow the most abundant, nutritionally dense fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers using the organic soil block system of growing. Vitamin and Mineral Complex Complete. Food is Medicine, and People Eat."

Our Vision: "We Will Return to the Garden, and Feast Abundantly in our backyard, city block, farm, community, or Country by using simple timeless gardening tools and leaving the soil a trillion times better than when we found it. We will all be fed Nutrient Dense Plant Food, and We Will All Be Fed."

Our Goal: "Support each customer with First Class Help in gardening, farming, or the art of soil blocking. Provide each customer with First Class Organic Gardening Products that will assist you from seed to start, soil block to garden patch. Whether you are a beginning gardener or a commercial grower, we answer your questions and we will seek the right help, partnerships, research, and live consultations needed to master the art of starting seeds in potting blocks, and transplanting them efficiently, correctly, and without any transplant shock, nor stunting."

What's New?

We've added dozens of new products to the original soil block makers. This is now a complete seed starting source for soil blockers. So, we'll sell the finest seeds in the world, sell you the finest soil block makers in the world, sell you the finest potting soil in the word, and sell you the finest garden products in the world that will last generations to come.
We've added numerous more products to the famous Old Farm Boy brand of potting soil. Old Farm Boy will stand for Original, Organic, Vegan and Ecological soils, fertilizers, and amendments. Safe for all people and planet. Old Farm Boy Potting Blocks, the "pre-made soil block", or soil cubes, are available for those who want the results and benefits of soil block super growth, but don't want to make them. You can buy the pre-made soil block, or call it the "pot-less" pot. It's plant and play time for these customers, as they get the same lifetime gardening support and answers to their questions as the soil blocker tool customer.
The OFB Potting Block is the only seed starting container that sources the ingredients regionally, and leaves a minimum carbon footprint.
We've also added high quality plastic items that will last decades without breaking, and be completely recyclable after its use is up, often many decades of rugged farm abuse. We are committed to using minimal plastic on our own research farm, but unpredictable climate changes across the globe has made the use of agricultural plastics indispensable in regards to raising good food. However, there is no excuse for us, as the world's resource in soil block agriculture, to not completely phase out the use of any plastic products, minus the one's we already have, by 2012.
And, finally, we've added soil blocking organization products. We must all keep better track of our soil blocks. We must learn this system thoroughly if we are to teach others, grow select strains of rich vegetables, and save our own seeds, for prosperity, security, and "thrival-ness". We now stock soil block labels, waterproof soil block charts, trays, flats, and include planting by the moon schedules and information.
WOW! This is really complete. Customers have supported this mission from the start. To them, we are eternally grateful, for they have provided the means so that PottingBlocks.com is the end; the end of your searching for the perfect organic seed starting system. Now, this day, let's start anew, on the journey to the most authentic way to start seeds, with live help for life, and a dedication to grow for yourself, for the benefit of all.

Happy, Healthy, Honestly Good Gardening,

Jason Beam, creator http://www.pottingblocks.com/

Trays, Trays, and more Trays!

2010-04-05T13:30:00.000-07:00

Wood trays with 2" blocks awaiting Micros

A common question asked in soil block agriculture is, "What kind of trays do you recommend?" Let's hammer this one out.

Soil Blocks are a recently developed seed starting medium used in the United States(earliest records indicate late 50's). Plastic was already well in control of agriculture at that time, and was convenient for starting seeds for most people and businesses. So, most of us continue to use plastic, as it's really a remarkable product. And, soil blocks fit quite nicely into the plastic regime of plant trays. But, you will notice that PottingBlocks.com does not sell any plastic trays. Why? Plastic fosters dependence on foreign oil and costly processing and transporting, not to mention the entire environment becomes severely polluted with plastic byproducts in the solids, liquids, and gasses of our planet. We must forge new options and new ways to deal with agriculture, but let's not go too fast! Plastic is a very reliable soil block tray, and here's plenty of examples of styles and equipment from people who use them.

My favorite company, Seeds of Change, uses the amazing web-bottomed 17"x17" tray with a 2" lip. If you can find these cheaper, they're great, I love them and will use them in long greenhouses for micro salad production. The open bottoms air prune the roots and hold a maximum of 64 2" blocks. This is first choice among the salvageable greenhouse freebies. Then, you've got the most popular flat tray in the U.S., the 1020. It comes with holes or no holes, and we like the no holes so that water can sit in the bottom of the grooves for reserves and help keep blocks moist, but we LOVE the bottom mesh trays for air pruning. 1020's are cheap and easy and you shouldn't have to buy them, if you can find them free, almost everywhere! The major downfalls of these two favorites is that they will eventually break, and end up in the garbage, or hopefully, in the recycled bin. So besides "gardening with garbage", as the Research Farm puts it, what's next, Guru?
Next, this style comes from the Undeniable Ambassador of Soil Blocking, Eliot Coleman who brought soil block makers to the US agriculture scene, and his market farming techniques for masters. They're the old-fashioned style wood trays, made from 1/2" stock plywood bottoms and three sides of 1"x3" wood in any length and size you can dream up for your operation. This will create a custom system for all those handy enough, and willing to make them. The 3" side height is perfect for allowing the seeds to sprout while they can be stacked up as high as you like. See first photo. We still use these trays, because, frankly, we trained ourselves under the Eliot Coleman system, and the trays are lasting 8 years now. We did paint them with a white latex paint for light reflection and water resistance. Make them out of cedar or redwood if you've got it. Since, this is a research farm, new options and methods are being trialed, and we have hit on some real winners. Let's track them down in the order of least expensive with the most work, to the most expensive with the least amount of work involved. (Why is it always like that?) (And, it goes for all of our commercial stand-up soil block makers we sell!)

Let's start with the stackable dairy crates with mostly three sides that stack up on one another. They're great! IF YOU CAN FIND THEM!
Next, again, an Eliot Coleman tip, the bread trays and carts found behind grocery stores and bakery outlets. They're top notched, first rate, professional systems, IF YOU CAN GET THE OWNER TO PART WITH THEM. Hunt them down all over town if you need to as they are well worth the wait, the hunt, the patience and the few bucks to bribe the owner to "depart from this one with the little rust". See photo.
Next comes the hybrid system for innovating farmers and gardeners: The wood sided expanded galvanized metal lathe bottomed tray. See photo. This is a fantastic system for the 'art of soil blocking", which is to air prune all sides for the final elimination of transplant shock. This way is found no where in the plastic pot culture system no matter what they tell you! You can replace the spendy lathe with quail fencing, poly covered fencing, quality gauge hardware cloth, or the new 2'x4' plastic bench tops or lapping animal cage bottoms, found at http://www.farmtek.com/, cut in thirds and either rimmed with wood or not.
Down the line we now have stackable fiberglass trays used in the food industry or hydroponic systems. Of course, they are the best, but they will cost you a year's worth of home-grown vegetables at your farmer's market. This is a great system for long term investments in soil block equipment used for serious systematic gourmet market growers. They simply last forever and can withstand repeated abuse and harsh climactic conditions.

Fiberglass trays

Now, when it comes to the Micro 20--3/4" (mini-blocker), we use narrow, long wood flats. But, honestly, the home scaled gardener can do so well with reused food containers that would hold a little water, or even complete plastic food boxes with lids and covers, as the Micro 20's must not be allowed to dry out. Micro 20's work better in smooth, flat bottomed trays with a little raised lip for the placement of black plastic strips that seal in heat and moisture, and weight down the seed until it pierces the block dibble and grows the tap root down. See You Tube Video.

The point is, don't get hung up on "where do I put them?", get caught up in good block making and attention to watering needs, and the system will present itself to you according to your environment and conditions. Don't forget to drop us a line if you've found something of interest to all. My promise to the world is to develop a low cost, efficient, excellent expandable system to be used by kitchen gardeners to commerical operations. You'll know it when we find it! We are the world's resource in soil blockers used for farming.

Question: What makes soil blocks better?

2010-03-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

Answer: Faster plant growth due to small compressed seedling spaces given just enough room for accelerated growth rate as opposed to loose-filled soil in plastic pots, or larger than necessary seed pots. Stronger, healthier, vigorous seedlings due to the competition factor in small spaces, given just enough room at transplanting to keep the seedling's edge on survival. Air pruning makes soil blocks the only seed starting method in the world where 5-6 sides of the "pot-less" pot are air pruned and completely eliminate transplant shock by keeping the roots safely growing inside the cube, and not anywhere outside of itself. With the miles of linear space for roots to grow in, the compressed cube will not become root bound. When it finally reaches the garden, it will explode into the ground with such tremendous growth rate, you can literally see it grow before your eyes. There's plenty of oxygen for the roots to uptake, because of the exposed sides. Note the pictures showing air flow in a soil block (right) compared to a waterlogged and less oxygenated plastic pot on the left. There's even air trapped inside the compressed block, too. If you were to dry out a block, and then immerse it water, it will spend several minutes releasing air bubbles underneath the water proving air was present in the wet, compacted block. No worries for the seedling in compacted soil; a great seed will penetrate a lot harder conditions than the soil block. And, if it can't, you really shouldn't be growing such weak seedlings anyways.
Also, space is saved because of square shapes fitting together tighter, and time is saved in the end because each compressed block of soil can hold your seedling 3-10 times longer than pots of the same size in other seed germinating systems using loose-filled soil. Plastic pots require constant transplanting to avoid transplant shock, but even then, most seedlings found at a nursery or greenhouse are root bound and stressed anyways.
Finally, soil blocks need only three components for a lifetime of hassle-free seed starting: the soil blocker, the soil, and the seed. What could be easier, if it really works this well?
These facts are verified by independent scientific studies based in Europe, where soil blocks are the preferred method for most vegetable growers, and even large scaled flower growers. If you are researching which option to start your vegetable, herb, and flower seeds, train yourself with soil blocks and you'll learn about gardening without the downfalls of status quo plastic gardening, or as we call it, "gardening with garbage". And, since you found someone willing to teach you online or on the phone, why not have faith and trust that it'll work for you, too?

PottingBlocks.com Turns 2 Years Old.

2010-01-02T17:43:00.000-08:00

It truly is a happy anniversary here at Potting Blocks Research Farm in Alpine, Oregon. It was here, 2 years ago today, that I launched the most popular website on soil blocking. Why did I do it? What was the story behind the web site? It all started as a need to compile more information and specific instructions about soil blocking in one convenient place--the Internet. Many of us know Elliot Coleman of Maine "broke ground" on soil blocking in his famous book "The New Organic Grower". I, too, read that book 9 years ago, and started right from the beginning with soil blockers after I completed my organic farm apprenticing in New Mexico. We had to use Jiffy peat pots back then, and I really hated them. They were not the way to start seeds, but lesson learned and I started training myself with soil blockers. It was an immediate success in the little town of Hot Springs, Montana, the sight of my very first greenhouse business. People would come day and night to see the demonstrations, bring me seeds to plant, and buy soil block vegetable starts. They would load them up in recycled containers. It began to occur to me that not all the information was out there for advanced soil blocking. I had collected books, and magazines, and obscure information from libraries that helped improve on earlier techniques. I even innovated many techniques and systems of transport and transplant. I began to sell seedling starts in soil blocks just like they're sold in Europe, on wooden flats, where the customer is responsible for their own container. I did, however, provide recycled food containers in many shapes and sizes for them to use. Complete transplanting instructions included with every order, I had them hooked on "European Style Transplants".
After we sold the farm in Montana to move to warmer pastures in Oregon, we pretty much dumped every last cent into our current little "farmette". After my last stint at carpentry to pay down some bills, I had to get growing transplants again. What happened instead was the creation of this soil block website. In all of December of 2007, I formulated a huge informative website and published it in January 1. 2008. To my surprise it was an immediate success. People all over the world were reading it and learning more about their own soil blockers. Then came the first timers, who asked if they could buy them from me! I never turned anybody away, I just asked if they would wait a week or two and I'd deliver. I had to find my sources here in the states first, but now I buy in bulk shipments from the manufacturer in England. From that point on, I have been importing soil blockers and selling them online. All thanks to each and every reader of my website! Because, every hit helps me get higher in the Google rankings. Thus far, this has been a success due to readers and customers. Very little advertising in Google Adwords account for the only exposure I get. But now, magazines, newspapers, and garden centers are seeking me out for interviews and workshops. I still love doing a soil block demonstration just like it was my first time. I still love them as the solution to landfill-bound plastics, and incredible growth potential. I am building a retail center for seed starting equipment and vegetable and herb transplants by 2011. The customers have proven the demand for this equipment, as transplant sales are up 40% across the country and home gardeners are looking to do it themselves. They want a seed starting tool that will last a lifetime with no more aggravating plastic to throw around. What the world is seeking is a simple tool that will make transplant pots without the need to buy plastic, and knowledge on how to grow the best food plants possible. What they have noticed on the Internet is a place that delivers service, quality, knowledge, free consultations, and friendly sincere help. Just as I had longed for many years ago. Yet, my prices are way cheaper than when I had to buy the whole set! I have sold myself on the value of PottingBlocks.com. I hope you find it just as useful and that you, too, will support the good work we're doing here by purchasing a soil blocker from "me".
May peace be with you in the New Year and forever. Remember, the Potting Block Guru is always here to help.

Ready-To-Use Potting Blocks?

2009-08-30T09:32:00.000-07:00

Greetings again friends, customers, loyal supporters!
After a refreshing sunny summertime break from blogging, I had to return to the key board of communication. The occasion? A ground breaking innovation in gardening: Ready-To-Use soil blocks shipped directly to your home! As I have told readers before, soil blocks are not new. They are over 2000 years old. But, what is new about Ready-To-Use soil blocks is the fact that you don't need to buy a soil blocker, mix your soil, or even get dirt under your fingernails to have all the numerous benefits of soil blocks. They're known as "Culture Cubes" and, thanks to the tireless efforts of one Mr. Jon Kehl, you can buy a sturdy home garden kit of 12 1.5" soil blocks complete with mini greenhouse cover and tray, seed covering worm castings, worm tea concentrate, and detailed instructions. But, what makes this kit so amazing to agriculture today, is the fact that the worm castings are 100% Vegetarian! This is known as Vegetable Vermicompost. That's right, everything I have extolled as a virtuous potting soil ingredient. Jon is the founder of Rocky Mountain Worms, and his soil block cubes are made with our PottingBlocks.com soil block makers! Jon, taking advantage of the "life time customer consultations", has asked the Guru many intelligent questions on how to make this product become a staple in homes of all gardeners who want the amazing growth potential of soil blocks, but don't want to make them. This is a garden product miracle, and I have personally tested them, as I do with every product I endorse. My results? Easy to use, easy to understand instructions, speedy germination, plenty of time for plants to grow up big before transplanting, plenty of worm castings and worm tea for continual support, clean, neat appearance, suitable for indoors and outdoors, kitchens and hydroponic greenhouses, and best of all, no work gardening!
This is what you'll get from Culture Cubes (in their own words):
"Culture Cubes are compressed cubes that hold their shape so no plastic inserts or pots are needed. Their base ingredients are rich organic soil and quality worm castings and tea. Volcanic pumice and vermiculite provide the perfect water to air ratio for strong root growth. The cubes contain no peat or animal waste (except vegetable based worm castings). Soil cubes are used extensively in European countries and have been in existence for 2000 years. Rocky Mountain Worms has combined seed starting technology and vermiculture techniques in developing the Culture Cube kit for ultimate seed germination and plant production. The kit contains 12 cubes in tray with clear lid, worm casting mix for seed topping, 1 oz. worm tea concentrate for watering and additional microbial activity and complete instructions. Shipped fresh in breathable containers to preserve microbial growth."
Our trial runs are proving to be every bit as good as our own home made Old Farm Boy Potting Soil, an amazing feat I might add! They also sell Vegetarian Worm Castings, a must have for the do-it-yourself potting blocker. They sell support sprays and worm teas, too. This is a great product, something PottingBlocks.com can stand behind. And, right now, they're on sale at their website for only $8.95, regularly $10.95. So, hurry in and stock up for fall, winter and spring planting. We are one of Jon's trial farms for Culture Cubes, and I must confess, he's spoiling us by sending Ready-To-Use Potting Blocks with dynamic growth results from your kitchen window sill. Please check them out at www.vermiculture-growing-cubes.com

Warning: Pocket Gophers Push Up Soil Blocks.

2009-06-01T15:54:00.000-07:00

Alert! Alert!!!
Those of you who have, or have had gopher problems, be aware that for some reason or another, they detest them, and decide to dig them up and out. It is almost like a game for them as they push the little transplant Popsicle out of the ground where it meets it's fate and dries and dies in the sun. What do you do about it, you wonder? Gophers are big problem in many people's garden, as evidence of the things for sale in garden catalogs. The best relief is simple, but definitely not for everyone. Get a ground hunting, "mouser" cat, and keep the area prone to gophers mowed. Feed the cat less food, and introduce him/her to that pile of gopher dirt in your back yard. Eventually, they'll get them. And, hopefully it will be the male gopher, which is territorial, and hence has already scared every other male away.
The second bit of sound advice is to get rid of your perennial clover. I know, tough decision to make. I had to make it. Because perennial clover, that which grows from the roots every year, or year 'round, attracts the gopher as he/she feeds on the roots and subterranean critters. How are you suppose to do that??? Well, if it's in your lawn and everywhere, cut down to the ground real short, and time the cutting right before a rain comes. That let's the grass come back, and from all the rain it stunts and crowds out the clover. Do this a few times a year, and don't let any more clover go to seed. If you have a potential garden spot with clover and gophers, dig it up!
Best of luck! And, if you need any more organic gardening advice, buy some soil blockers at www.pottingblocks.com and get free lifetime gardening help. That's what I do.

Successful Transplanting of Soil Blocks Outdoors

2009-05-23T13:36:00.000-07:00

Well, by now your soil blocks are probably busting out at the seams with all your
favorite spring starts. You will undoubtedly be wondering how to assure the success of the seedling, after watching it sprout and grow so vigorously in the soil block maker system.
We'll cover some crucial basics to transplanting soil blocks in the garden outdoors.
First, the best success comes from hardening off the seedlings. That means, get your pampered windowsill or greenhouse starts accustomed to the variable, drastic,
and changeable outside conditions. It begins by taking your flats or trays outside on a sunny day with little to no wind which will dehydrate the little guys. Bask them in the sun for about 2 hours, and then return to the comforts of the indoors. The next day, they will spend 3 hours, the next day, four. Keep doing this until they are successfully "hardened" by the sun, breeze, temperature, and changing elements.
This process should take a week, sooner if weather conditions are perfect, longer
if the weather has been inclimant. Some may say that this is an incredible amount
of labor or work. They may be right, but, I am batting 1000% with my transplants.
What I sow in the block, grows up and is harvested out of the field. No thinning,
no lapse in germination, no waiting for the right conditions in the garden, no transplant shock, and no stunting of growth. So, in the end, we'll all do the same amount of work, but will you have the same volume of produce harvested?
Second key to success is soil block moisture. They should be wet before being planted. The success of soil blocks depends more on their moisture level than the
outside garden. After a good night's saturated soaking, they'll be ready for transplanting the next night. Or, if they're really growing fast, soak a couple of hours before transplanting at night. Always transplant at night for best results because they'll use the whole night to get acquainted with their new home. Water only when the weather has been dry for a couple days after transplanting, and gauge the needs of your plants accordingly. With no transplant shock, they'll be growing very fast again.
The third success point is soil block depth and coverage. Plant your soil block deep. Deep enough so the entire block can be covered with soil. Firm all around the
block to squeeze out any air pockets, which can dry out a block faster than cut flowers in the desert sun. Always cover any bare stems right up to the first true leaves, even burying the seed leaf. That may suprise you, but you must trust me, PLANT DEEP.
And, finally, the best advice is timing. Use your gut feelings to predict the optimal time to transplant in the garden. If the weather turns sour, keep them sheltered for awhile before submitting them to the elements. If conditions are perfect and will remain so, try getting them out sooner than my recommened week of hardening off. Perfect conditions mean: moist air or humidity, a really good rain a few days ago, or a scheduled rain after transplanting, partly cloudy, partly sunny,(does anyone know the difference between the two?)no wind, barely a breeze, and believe it or not, 2 days before the New Moon, as this will pull their roots down and stimulate root growth, something to do with the tides and all that influence.
So, with these keys in hand, unlock the final stage of your successful soil block journey. I have taken you thus so far, the rest my friends is up to you.
See you 'round the fence post.

Why You Need the Mini 5, 1.5" Soil Blocker Now

2009-04-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

The little Mini 5 goes so unnoticed in the farm and garden. It is the least sold
potting blocker out of the potting block family. Why is that? It is not because it
isn't the perfect blocker, or an odd ball in the bunch. No, it is precisely because
of the lack of education first time soil blockers can find. By now, everyone is
fairly comfortable with the Micro 20 fitting into the Mini 4 and how versatile those two blockers are individually and together. But, where is the detailed information on the least known blocker of them all? Well, right here, right now, of course. The Potting Block Guru would like to shed some light on the Mini 5. And so, I would like to say, without a doubt, if you only had to buy one soil blocker in your entire life, IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE MINI 5. Why? Many reasons compound in my reasoning, but first let's say that, by itself, it is the most versatile blocker we make. It will handle all seeds, all sizes, all types of growth rates, all seeds pins(cubic pins are not recommended, as the walls become too frail and fall apart), and they make a comfortable 5 blocks in one swift stroke. The Mini 5 can easily replace both the Micro 20 and the Mini 4 because you won't need to transplant the Mini 5 into anything except the Maxi 1, which the Mini 5 sits in so nicely with just a little potting soil to top it off. I have tested the Mini 5 this year with every seed imaginable, and it does the job quite well. It gets the early seeds up and out into the garden way earlier than anybody else, it handles the tomatoes and peppers started in February and finally transplanted into the Maxi 1 by April, with no transplant shock or slow growth. It is used to seed melons, one per hole, and you get to choose the most vigorous plant. It will handle squash seeds, corn seeds, and anything that needs less than three weeks before the last frost date, with no transplant shock. Try it for peas and get three crops per year, one extra early, one regular spring planting, and one fall planting, keeping the flowers safe from frost. It handles all flower seeds, even those microscopic seeds. It also uses way less potting soil than the Mini 4-Micro 20 combo. The small size is easy to handle, but holds as much soil as a 2" square pot from a nursery. It is actually a little smaller than the Mini 4, so it is easier to handle for smaller hands. And, since you don't need cubic pins, you'll save time in not changing those out over and over again. And, finally, it's cheap! The prices have come down because people are finding out about it. They just love it for lettuce and herbs. And, commercial growers, please don't forget the 1.5" comes in a Stand Up or Multi 20 soil blocker! Imagine, one machine one stroke, 20 blocks, perfect every time! This is actually the best selling Stand Up, or Multi blocker we make, but it has been rarely known about outside of the commercial farmer arena. So, make haste, make soil paste, block away, no waste, and enjoy the easiest to use blocker of them all--the little friend known as the Mini 5

Prevent Your Blocks from Drying Out

2009-03-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

The ingredients of the soil block is primarily composed of peat moss. Peat moss has a tendency to dry out. That is, unfortunately, the drawback of an otherwise excellent medium. But, there are tricks of the trade. First, always let your potting soil rest after you wet it down. This is crucial, because when you come back to it, you'll probably have to add more water. That's great, as that proves the peat was absorbing all that water and now you can top it off with just the right amount to make the "slur". Second, Drying can be prevented by proper spacing. The factory spaces the block spaces tightly together, so when they are ejected, they are touching. This is actually O.K. Leave them close together, under one condition: You transplant them before their roots creep into the block next to them. By transplanting faster you can close the air gap and keep the moisture. I know I said blocks should have 1/8" spacing aroung them, but this is the exception to the rule. Should you want to leave your seedlings in the blocks longer, yes, do go through the extra step and actually pull your newly ejected blocks apart from each other. Third, depending on the tray system you use, always close the last face of the blocks up with a piece of wood. Like a 1x2 on edge, cut to fit the inside of the tray. Air gaps within the blocks are fine, but exposed block faces will dry out quickly, and a dry block pulls moisture from other blocks. I keep all kinds of different sized sticks around to make little wood borders. Plastic trays are actually the best, drop your blocks right up to the edge. Fourth, try keeping your blocks in a shallow tray that can hold water. Fill the water up about 1/2" for the 2" block. This is known as the capillary mat system, and is tried and true at our farm. I use it when I'm going to keep non-root crops a long time in the blocks, like lettuce. Space out your blocks and keep the tray filled with water. And finally, you must water them morning, noon and night. Try using Fogg-it nozzles. You can just drench your seedlings without hurting them. Or, use a gentle water rose attachment or watering can. The main point is to saturate the block and keep it as moist as it was when you made them. Should you be left with extra "slur" after a day's work of block making, I highly recommend you fluff it up with some dry blocking mix until it is slightly moist, almost dry. Then, you can use the slur again without experiencing germination inhibition. Because, the wet slur will start to break down and use up all the nitrogen and produce gases that will prevent seeds from sprouting, or it will turn your seedlings yellow. So, "fluff it up", stir it up, and come back in no more than a few days, or else you should just save it for an ingredient for non-soil block potting mixes and make a fresh batch of slur every time.

What is a Blocking Mix?

2009-03-22T10:28:00.000-07:00

A blocking mix refers to the potting soil being used to create soil blocks. I would refer to it as blocking mix versus potting soil. Not all potting soils are the same, and more often than not, you do have to alter them. This is really no big deal and a lot of people are turned off to fixing a bought product, or creating a special recipe with obscure ingredients like rock dust, or technical terms like compost and garden soil. I understand completely....
One time, I ran out of my favorite ingredients. I had a lot of blocks to make that day, and the nearest garden center was 100 miles away. Add to that, a lot of my ingredients come from no where else, except California. I bought some cheap generic potting soil from our local hardware store. My results were dismal compared to my own. The blocks just wouldn't stay formed, they couldn't handle being saturated and compressed. Other times, replacements have dried out too quickly. Sometimes, they would stink due to the composted cow manure. And, some soils are way too chunky to fit in the Micro 20(3/4" blocker). I just wanted to make blocks that day, not mix a batch of my own stuff.
For our readers who "just want to make blocks", and "just want to buy some potting soil at the local garden center", here is my advice. First, you do have choices these days, but it pays to READ THE INGREDIENTS. You are looking for a soil that is actually soil-less. I know our home made recipes calls for soil as the secret ingredient, but I KNOW my soil. Your looking for mostly Peat Moss, some perlite or vermiculite, and a little compost. Compost again is our secret ingredient, but NOT animal compost, as it might stink, it might not be from organic animals, and it might not be thoroughly composted. Compost in our recipe is from our own home made vegetable or "green and brown" compost. Still, most bagged potting soils have composted bark or forest litter, and that can be too chunky. Watch out for excess fertilizers or nitrogen contents above the 2 range in the analysis(eg. 2-4-1, 2 being the N). Excess nitrogen can and will inhibit seed germination. Also, look for "horicultural or plug grade" ingredients, that means they're smaller particles, easier to use. So, go ahead and learn about the potting soils before you actually buy them.
Next, buy small bags first, and do a sample run. Make up some blocks and see if they hold up. See if the potting soil is finely screened or not. If it's not, you'll know. It will clog the block makers. You'll have to go to the hardware store and purchase some 1/4" hardware cloth, or screen. Build a nice wood frame for it, about a 2'x 3', and sift out all the chunks and sticks and bark and big pieces of perlite. You'll enjoy having a soil screen around, anyway. But, if that's not what you want to do either, buy a couple of brands in a small bag, test them, take back what you don't like. Stores are used to this, and if you didn't use too much, explain why you don't want it, and they'll readily take it back. (By now, I think you're getting the hang of it!)
Finally, the final analysis comes from the actual germination rate. Please use fresh, new seeds from a reputable company to test your potting soil out. This ensures a good test, as the seeds will be closer to 90% germination rate and above. Make sure to read the instructions on the seed requirements and meet those specifics. When seeding blocks, you have three options: 1.) No cover; 2.) Cover with potting soil dust(either sift some or pinch out small particles of soil and sprinke over the seed holes); 3.) Cover with black plastic, like a garbage bag, and check back in 2 days and keep checking daily for sprouts. If, for some reason seeds aren't sprouting in a timely matter, check for green algae growing on your cubes. This is an indication of excess nitrogen. Note: Most blocks will grow green algae on them over time, and that is just fine. The algae will act as a tiny green manure and will break down as soon as the block is buried or transplanted. It's the rapid formation of algae that signals excess nitrogen. Read your label again, and determine if there really is too much fertilizer for proper germination.
Some other things to consider when testing out your products: Do they dry out too fast? Do they allow water to drain quickly? Do they crumble when handled? Are your blocks not perfect like I said they should be? They can be, you know? Remember, there is a learning curve in block making, and chances are, you are going to be the only one who knows what to do. Keep searching for the holy pail of blocking mix!
If you really want to know the secret to my Old Farm Boy Blocking Mix, I'll tell you.
It's made with 1/2 to 1/3 coco peat with peat moss. The coco peat prevents drying and the peat moss knits the block together. Then, I have replaced perlite with pumice stone or diatomite rock. Next, I replace compost and soil with
the same volume of worm castings. Finally, I add glacial rock dust, and sometimes Zeba Quench. There it is: The secret is out. Now go on and make some!
We are beginning an exhaustive study of every potting soil available in the U.S. and Canada. When this is ready for publication, we hope it will save gardeners time and money and get them "potting on" with ease and joy.

Making the 4" Block

2009-03-01T08:10:00.000-08:00

After you successfully made the 3/4", and transplanted into the 2", 2-3 weeks later you will want to transplant into the 4" block. The 4" will have it's own learning curve, as you're about to pack as much soil in a 6" plastic pot into a 4" cube. The first requirement is potting soil mixed with enough water for the mix to be stiff, but not dry. It should stand up when you form it into a mound. The mix should be thoroughly wetted, and let set up for an hour or so. You'll need a large rubbermaid tub or round rubber tub to make them. Fill it up almost halfway with mix, as you'll soon see that the 4" cuber eats up soil, fast! Now dip your block maker entirely in water and begin to mound up the soil in the tub to a peak as you start compressing the soil with your blocker. Keep charging the blocker, once, twice, three times into the muddy peak. At this point, see if water is oozing out of the top of the blocker. Keep charging until it is. Make sure to slightly tilt and twist at the same time and then lift off the blocker from the bottom of the bucket. This will release suction. Now, the time comes to eject. Place your blocker(heavy, isn't it?) where you want your block to sit. On a board, tile, plastic sheet on a bench, bread trays from a local bakery work well. I recommend using a piece of greenhouse plastic, or heavy garbage bag, and building a little wooden frame around it so when you place the plastic on the frame, it creates a little plastic lip that holds in water. You can staple the edges on the back side of the frame. That little bit of water retention will keep your blocks moist and worry-free. Back to the ejection, first, firm up the blocker by pushing the handle down into the cube, this sets it up in place and creates a firm foundation and 2" impression. Now, lift the handle up with your fingers and then push down on the lever with your thumbs, while lifting your arms up. This is one continuous motion. Your block should have a suction sound as it is trying to release the block. Hold this pattern steady, be patient......and the block releases. Inspect. Are your edges perfect, is the 2" insert deep enough? Is the block tall and erect, or is it squat and flat? Is it crumbly? You should be able to pick it up, EASILY! If not, you must try again. Check your moisture in your mix, wet enough? If anything, a wetter block is easier to make than a dryer block. The water acts as a lubricant and helps slip it out without crumbling the sides. This is the most important time of your block making life. So many people have given up at this point. The blocks aren't performing the way you think they should. You need to practice, get over the learning curve, and experience success. Take some time to master this art, once, and the rest is history. Keep trying until you make the block that feels like it doesn't want to come out of the mold, and then all of sudden, you hear a loud sssssssuction, and the block pops out stiff, strong, firm, wet, upright, only slightly tapered, perfect 2" insert indentation with a deep hole.

Here's some tips: The blocker might actually need to be lifted off the ground temporarily to let gravity pull it down and out. Always dip your blocker so all the edges are clean for the next round. I like to use perlite in my 4" mix because it acts like a spring and helps pop it out. When in doubt, keep charging, you can't over pack the blocker, so, keep compacting so the water is gushing out the top. Lean over your blocker, eject it at waist height so your arms can lift straight up into your chest and gravity is pulling the block down. (Ejecting at chest level will fatigue you quickly.) Place your blocks in a space where they won't be moved for a while. If it's still cold out, keep them off the floor, as cold settles to the ground and will stunt your root growth. If you have to move them, use a metal kitchen spatula, or a big cedar shim. A perfect block can be picked up and moved around with ease with your bare hands. This took me hundreds of times to get it to the point where I could actually toss you a block and it would stay together. Believe me, it's possible. I'm here to help. This is the most underrated gardening product on the planet. Our entire nursery has converted to the 4" blocks to sell tomato, pepper, eggplant and perennial herbs like rosemary, lavender, and globe basil. I grow entire heads of lettuce in a 4" block on the floor of my greenhouse throughout the winter. Think about this: if all you ever had was soil blockers and nothing else, not even potting soil, you could contrive a way to transplant starts. For instance, I use some soil in my back yard that has a little clay in it. I mix it with a little home made compost and then mix it with chopped straw(or straw that's been walked on and is much smaller than it's original form) and wet it down and make perfect 4" blocks. Then, I take them in new garden spot, punch a hole with a post hole digger, right into the sod, plant a cube, and walk away. I let nature do the rest. You can grow the best cucumbers, squash, pumpkins and sunflowers and even tomatoes this way. If you mulch heavily, you don't even need to water. So, don't give up. You're blocker is an investment for the future. USE IT. Tell me about your success, please. We need readers like you to tell the world about the 4" block and how great it really is. Thanks, folks, for listening!

How to Make Free Soil Blocks Part 4 of 4

2009-02-26T08:38:00.000-08:00

There could be no free soil blocks without the free soil blocker. Try this home made technique at my fabulous web site for the do-it-yourselfer. See Soil Cell 1 at pottingblocks.com. Here you can go down to the local hardware store and pick up
a few parts for under 10 bucks and in a few hours have a soil blocker to last many years.
There is also a link on that page for making another set of home made soil blockers.
Inspect both options and choose the one best suited for your time and skill.
This concludes our series found no where else in the world, except, of course, your source for all soil block gardening information, supplies, and technical assistance, PottingBlocks.com.

One final note to those who choose to purchase gardening products.
This is our hobby, our passion, maybe even our careers. To think that we can get along without ever needing to buy anything is refreshing. However, buying seeds, supplies, tools, garden aids and sometimes useful gadgets are what we enjoy doing. There as many ways to garden as there are people. Those, like myself, who buy gardening products to make our gardening more efficient, faster, more productive, more nutritious, more abundant, and ultimately the most joyous daily activity imaginable, are in it for sport, for love, and for sharing the wealth. We would spend our paychecks weekly for another brick in our wall of gardening splendor. To us, I say, shop on! You'll never know when you might find the Holy Grail of gardening Truth disguised as a potion, gimmick, or obscurity unless you buy and try.

How to Make Free Soil Blocks--Intermission

2009-02-24T08:49:00.000-08:00

Before we wrap up the conclusion to "How to Make Free Soil Blocks Part 4", I need to address a serious problem among users of soil blocks. The problem is stinky, rotting blocking mix. This happens due to a few reasons. 1.) Using unfinished compost in your recipe. 2.) Choosing a potting soil with steer manure. 3.) Making up a slur, and then leaving it in your tub for days without using it. Remember, finished compost smells great and is dark and crumbly and is aged for several months after it has broken down, or collapsed from thermophilic activity. Check your potting soil for steer manure, it will always stink no matter how broken down it is. And, finally, you must use your blocking mix immediately after it "knits" together, like 1-2 hours after wetting it down. If you let it sit, it becomes anaerobic, or without air, and begins to putrefy. All soils need air to breathe and keep the microbes alive and well. To this extent, I have coined the term "Actively Aerated Potting Soil". A.A.P.S., for short, is the process of churning, mixing, and aerating your wet potting soil. Since blocking mix is whetted down into a slur, or muffin batter, it is going to react a lot different than filling up plastic pots of soil and watering them down, only to drain out at the bottom. The mix will just start rotting if air is not incorporated frequently into the mix by stirring vigorously every hour until it is used. Churn and mix and turn and stir, over and over until you smell good clean "soil smell" again. Let your nose be your guide to a good actively aerated slur.

You may be wondering how the block gets aerated after it gets made and is all compressed in a block. How does that get aerated? Well, it gets its air from the water that drains through it, and the drainage material used, perlite or great compost, as these ingredients allow air to penetrate the block. That is why I stress the use of misters. Misters have more water particles blasting the block than a watering can, and that means that more oxygen particles are being delivered to the roots than just dumping water over the block. If that's all you've got, fine, just make sure to aerate the water first by a.) shaking it up in the can, or b.) filling it up violently with your spray attachment. This will create more air molecules in your water. Your blocks are exposed on five sides to air, so they should get plenty of it. If you pack your blocks side by side, touching each other, than it is important to aerate your water, or brew compost tea and apply. But, AAPS goes a lot further than that, stay tuned for future articles at the Soil Block Blog for the first hydroponic system in the world that uses soil blocks as the medium. These techniques will simplify and demystify the science of hydroponics as it is applied to soil block gardening and organic fertilization. This trademark by the guru is known as OSBH, Organic Soil Block Hydroponics. Stay tuned for information found no where else in the world. Thanks for supporting. I greatly appreciate you all, even though you are few, but growing!

How to Make Free Soil Blocks Part 3 of 4

2009-02-23T09:09:00.000-08:00

Of course you can't really make free soil blocks without making free soil. Our next subject will cover the art of blending your own soil block mix soil, for free, without the need to purchase anything.

Someone once said "Necessity is the mother of all inventions.", well, when I needed some blocking mix, I invented some right on the farm. It was really more about experimenting with on-farm materials until I came up with the right stuff. From those experiments, I figured out how to keep the free blocking mix coming so that it was always there. If you want to make free blocking mix, first, you have to discover what you do have. Blocking mix, in my experiments, need to have at least 3 parts fibrous material, 1 part drainage and/or aeration material, and 1 part compost, and a little nutrition/sweetener. Let's break down these elements into what you might find at your place:

Fiber (to knit your blocks together) is normally purchased in peat moss. If you have a peat bog in your back yard, dig some up and tell me about it. Here, in western Oregon we are blessed with a type of moss that lives on fir branches and the forest floor. It is very similar to peat moss, in fact, it is a moss and works just as well. You might have seen it lining hanging baskets. It's a light green, soft and very fibrous moss. You can dry it and crush it up a bit to make your own home-made peat moss. If not, the next best thing is chopped straw. It contains a nice light texture when chopped and sifted so that it knits together with the addition of compost or some compost/soil mix. Provided you have some dry straw, crush it up and sift it over a wheel barrow with some 1/4" screen. No straw? No problem, how about hardwood mulch or saw dust or hardwood branches that were stacked up and dried in a brush pile? Crush the brush pile and sift out the little pieces with your trusty, "wait for it", 1/4" hardware screen. Same with the mulch or saw dust. I really only recommend hardwood, as it is not so acidic and it doesn't inhibit germination. The best fiber from hardwood is a big hardwood pile of mulch or chips that have composted and are dark colored. Look around the neighbors yard, too. You or your neighbor will also have the next fibrous material, leaf mold. Leaf mold is decomposed leaves that still have some structure or leaves in it. It is known as "mold" because of the beneficial fungus that eats and lives in the nutrient packed leaf. Make sure it is also dried out a bit, crushed and sifted over a "you-know-what". These are the best ingredients to use, but if they are still not available try dried, brown, and fluffy grass clippings. Feel them, are they loose, dry, brown, light, not sticking together? You could make this material by bagging your own clippings and then sun drying them until they are crispy. Try dried, black pine needles under a fir, pine or spruce tree. They have to be black and dried so they will not cause major problems with your plants, like over acidity and numerous other problems that I urge you not to discover. Do you shred your own paper at your home or office. Bag it up and take it home. However, leave the little plastic window pieces from the envelope in the trash. O.K. then, I know anyone can have fiber around their house somewhere. Let me know if I missed any material.

Drainage and/or aeration material normally comes from perlite and vermiculite and is used to drain away excess water and provide air to the roots. It is also used to store a little water for the dry times of waiting for the next watering. By far the best material is sand. Sand from the beach, sand from the dunes, sand from your kid's sand box(don't take it ALL!). Sand is free everywhere and needs no explanation other than don't take it from potentially toxic places or sand that is too salty from high tides. Go a little bit further inland and it will be salt-free. Some people have it and some people don't. I have had it only once when we were mixing cement, and used some extra in my blocking mix. I really liked it, but since, have not used it, as perlite has been so cheap. Now, I'm ready to go back to sand, as it weighs down your blocks a bit for the outside transplants that get hardened off in the elements. If sand is not around, and sometimes I know it isn't, try rocks, pebbles, pea gravel, river stones, etc. screened through 1/4" screen. Go easy on the screen by using small shovel fulls and sifting slowly. Rocks should be everywhere and should come from a safe, non-toxic area. Volcanic rocks are best, especially pumice stones. All I've got now are basalt gravel and it's not my favorite because it's sharp and heavy, but screened and washed(driveway gravel) makes a most suitable free substitute. Do you have pine bark from ponderosa or yellow pine or jack pine or black pine trees? Crush it up, sift it out, wash it down, and it makes an awesome aerator. I only recommend the thick pine barks and not fir or spruce as they are much more acidic and difficult to grow plants. You could, however, compost them first, and use them when they are black. So, somewhere, someone will have these three on hand: Sand, Rocks, Bark. Now, it time for compost, and we have all heard it before: the best compost is dark and crumbly, finished, mature, smells aromatic, aged, broken down and homogeneous. Great compost is the key ingredient. See www.pottingblocks.com/compost.html for a primer and a how-to course. Our final ingredient is a little nutrition and sweetener. Your mix might be a little acidic from some of the ingredients we get on our land, so it's best to sweeten or alkalize your mix up a bit. Do you have any old sheet rock around? Crush it up, remove the paper and sprinkle some of the dust into the dry components like the fibrous material first. This is in essence, lime, gypsum lime to be exact. It may not be safe, as some drywall has asbestos in it. Use caution. The next sweetner is a little hardwood ash from your wood stove. Use only pure ash from hardwoods and nothing else. Sift and blend with the dry ingredients. If your soil is made with straw, and you're growing brassica family or Cole crops, dried and crushed eggshells will improve conditions considerably. Live near an ocean? Pick some sea shells and oyster shells and crush them up and add them to the dry mix, too. Do you have animals? Do you feed them alfalfa pellets or hay? Crush those up for a base fertilizer. Wow! We are on a roll with all of our free stuff. We better get a recipe and get mixing, there's still time you know? See www.pottingblocks.com/recipes.html for the right proportions you'll need to make a free blocking mix. Let me know of anything I may have missed or email me with any question. The whole point is to get growing using Nature's lead as our role model. Everything in nature grows just fine with free materials, why can't we? Just mimic our Mother Nature and we will succeed. Stay tuned for the most interesting subject yet, home made soil blockers. Come again in the guru's potting shed!

How to Make Free Soil Blocks. Part 2 of 4

2009-02-22T08:27:00.000-08:00

In our next free soil block technique, we will be revisiting the ancient Aztecs of Mexico City. For a primer on this technique, known as the Chinampas soil block, read up on the history of the first soil blocks ever made at www.pottingblocks.com/info.html. We may not have shallow lake channels to scoop nutrient rich mud and make blocks, but with a garden hose, a bucket, a hoe, some scrap wood, straw and soil, we'll come pretty close. Here's the Outline: (Makes one wheel barrow full of mix, about 100 2" blocks, 40 3" blocks, 25 4" blocks.)

1. Test Soil. 2. Make Forms. 3. Make Mix. 4. Fill Forms. 5. Remove Forms and Cut Blocks. 6. Seed.

Your first step is to determine if your soil is suited for the Chinampas soil block technique. You will need to do a home-made soil composition test. You will want to sample soil that is from your garden and has been weeded recently. You'll also want to take soil from perhaps a stream bank or some areas that are prone to flooding or look black with a humus build up. If you find yourself looking at the soil in your pasture, you might just want to make our turf blocks described last week. Now, take a clear glass jar with a tight fitting lid and fill it slightly over half way with your proposed soil. Take the first few inches of soil minus any heavy mulch or leaves and sticks, we're after the broken down humus and soil particles. Next, fill your jar with water almost to the top. Add two teaspoons of salt. This will help settle the clay. Close the lid tightly and begin shaking vigorously! Shake until all the soil is completely suspended and it looks like chocolate milk. Let it sit over night and check in the morning. You should notice that the soil sample has been seperated into layers of different colors and different particle sizes. Here's the break down: The bottom layer is Sand, the next layer up is Silt, the next up is Clay, and finally the top layer is Humus or Organic Matter(note how it appears to be floating on the top). You can determine rough percentages of content by taking a permenant marker and scoring some lines from the top to the bottom, about 10 lines evenly spaced will give you a percent in ten percent increments. So, what do you got? How much Sand, Silt, and Clay do you notice. My soil here in the foothills of the Willamette Valley are: 30% Sand, 35% Silt, 30% Clay and 5 % Humus. "What am I looking for anyway?", you might be saying. You're looking for at least 30% Clay. Clay will bind the blocks together where you have no other source of peat moss or "channel mud" which is the binding material source for other blocks. Clay is a fantastic soil medium when used with organic matter and lots of water, perfect for soil blocks! If you have too much clay or all clay, that's fine, too. Clay is composed of mineral rich powdered rock dust with a natural binding element. Sounds good for soil blocks! You may be thinking how can you turn sticky clay into rich potting blocks? This takes us to the next step. Provided you have some clay, you will want to get some straw from somewhere. It should come free. At last resort, you can buy some, but look around for some spoiled bales that nobody's using. If it's wet, start chopping it up with a machete or shovel and make it smaller. If it's a dry, start walking on it and break it up with your feet making the stalks smaller and smaller. You could sift this stuff with 1/2" hardware cloth. The wet stuff, keep chopping by hand to make little pieces. Make a big pile, like the size of a 2'x 2'x 2' pile. This is about half a bale of dry, crushed straw, much less of a wet, chopped bale. Our next ingredient is compost. Sift with 1/2" hardware cloth and bring that in a 5 gallon bucket. Now, go out and pick a spot where you will be mixing. Bring in a half a wheel barrow of clay/soil. Wet it down with a garden hose, and mix it up with a hoe. The point is to thoroughly wet the clay, but not soupy, stiff but moist, but no excess water. You will need some hard packed ground to mix the straw in or lay out an old piece of plywood. Do you have an old concrete pad somewhere? Dump out the clay and add the compost slowly, like adding flour to the creamed butter. Now mix in the straw. Chop it in with the hoe, turn it, flip it, get the straw mixed in thoroughly, through and through the clay. If it's too hard, add more water. This will make it easier to mix, but it will be heavier, so go easy. Your over all objective is to make a wet but stiff paste like a muffin mix, or like a cake batter that can be moved easily and spread in a pan.

Now, we need the pan, or the block form. There will be two ways that your block mix can be used now: 1.) in individual cells created with wood scraps or 2.) one large form that can be filled to it's capacity. The first way is to build grid like patterns of thin stocks of wood like 1/2" plywood and make your forms into 2"x 2"x 2" squares, 3"x 3"x 3" squares, or 4"x 4"x 4" squares. It depends on what you are growing. Check out the sizechart at www.pottingblocks.com/sizechart.html. You can make these grids any size you want. The idea is to make a form, fill it, remove it and fill again. These grids are like a honey comb. Make sure the form is wetted down or evenly soaked in water overnight in a tub with pond-like water that is sticky and thick with algae. This "pond water" will coat the wood form with algae that will help it lift off the blocks. Set your forms and blocks on wetted down plywood or a large sheet of plastic. Fill them with a shovel and level off the tops. After you have filled them, you should be able to lift the form up and the blocks stay put. If they do not leave the form, your mix should be wetted down again and tried again. You should have nice shaped wet squares of Chinampas soil blocks.

For the other method you will make only one form with a thickness of 2", 3", or 4". It can be made out of any stock and built as large as you want, provided you have made enough mix to fill it. You can put your form over a sheet of plywood, a large sheet of plastic, or a concrete pad, just make sure you spray everything down with lots of water to prevent sticking. After filling the form full of muck, smooth out the top with a trowel or board, sort of like screeting concrete. Now, lift off the form and what is left is a big block of mud soil. Take an old knife, or machete, or a piece of hardwood board sharpened into a shim-like cutting tool, known as the coa, or digging stick of the ancient aztecs(see entry photo) and cut and slice your brick up into the same size as the thickness of your board. You can score out the pattern first, and then cut through completly. Either way works well. I like the one form method because it's a lot less work and cutting those bricks or blocks are so much fun. On the other hand, a well made honey comb form made with wet soil spaces the blocks out just right for the air pruining technique. No need to move them any further or cut the roots when transplanting. Finally, it is time to seed. Poke a hole in your newly formed blocks with your finger, a stick or dibble, plant your seed, sprinke a little compost or sifted soil over to cover and wet them down. You could cover with black plastic to keep the heat in if it's chilly. Keep them moist, as the clay will have tendency to dry out. Transplant out when the white roots have poked out of the block, or when the canopy of plants are shading each other out of sunlight. Cover the block completely in the soil so the clay will not be in contact with the air. Mulch over for more moisture retention. Drip irrigation is best in Chinampas blocks. Top dress with manure, or fertilize with compost tea.

You now know how to make the famous Chinampas soil block. A very low tech, high performance soil block that costs nothing with large yeilds and enhances garden fertility with clay, compost and straw. Let me know how it goes or if anyone in the states has done authentic Chinampas type channel muck gardening. Lettuce get growing!

How to Make Free Soil Blocks, Part 1 of 4

2009-02-21T09:01:00.000-08:00

You may not have a soil blocker and don't want one, but you are still interested in making soil blocks. You are inclined to do so because we all realize that plastic comes from oil, and oil is on the price hike. Plastics used to be cheap, very cheap. Now, even my cheapest wholesaler can't sell me a 5 gallon plastic bucket for under $7.00! So, it seems fitting to write about the subject of Do-It-Yourself Soil Blocks. Before I was a farmer, I lived in New Mexico and built Adobe and Rammed Earth homes since I was 19 years old. These principles guided my ability to create soil blocks at home. These techniques are nothing new to agriculture, as the ancient Aztecs made soil blocks over 2000 years ago. They are, however, revised and updated so that anyone, anywhere can make them for free. The idea is that the gardener has nothing but seeds, and would like to grow and protect them in a nursery until better planting conditions exist. Here, you will receive the most comprehensive subject ever written on Home Made Soil Blocks and Free Soil Blockers. I encourage readers to write and to add to the expanding list of techniques.

How To Make Free Soil Blocks: Part 1 of 4

First, we will follow the way of the old school American Farmer. He made Turf Blocks and raised them in a glass house or glass cold frames from old glass windows. All that was needed was a good piece of sod from a good pasture or backyard. The soil should be dark brown to black and have been growing grass or grasses for years. It should be cut from soft soil and not hard packed from human or animal traffic. You will also want a sod cutter; a wide, semi-circle metal blade atttached to a handle. A long serrated kitchen knife will do as well. Something to cut the thick matted root mass is all that's needed. Try bones, sticks, wittled hard wood scraps or old pieces of metal. Water the patch of sod the night before so that it's easy to cut in the morning. Get right down to it and cut the sod in a 1 foot by 1 foot square. This first cut may not come out well and it doesn't have to because you're just getting the edges started for the next cut. Rip or tear or cut that first square out and discard. Clean up the edges all around the square and cut another 1' by 1'. With the one edge previously cut it should lift out easier. You'll want all that root mass and soil to be about 3-5" thick.

How does it look? Square? How does it hold up to handling? Intact? Solid? Keep searching for a good tight strong piece of sod. Different grasses have different lengths of roots and runners. Find a good chunk! When you have a perfect square and about 3-5" thick, cut it further into 4 squares. A serrated blade works best, scissors will do the cut, too. A machete blade can dice it into four squares with two hard, precise chops. An old cow or sheep shoulder bone will work, too. Now turn them over and place them where they can grow for a while, like a board or on cleared piece of ground, or some metal roofing or against a south facing building. The idea to make blocks in the first place was to get a head start. So, create your nursery with the best place possible. Sunny windows? If you provide no cover, it is best to at least protect them from the wind and keep them on the sunniest side of a building. If you're expecting a frost, sprinkle the seedlings with straw or long dead grass, or cover with an old blanket, but use some wire hoops are fir bows or bent poplar sapplings for support. Do not crush seedlings. Next, you will want to wet your blocks really well so you can poke a hole in them with your finger or a stick, depending on the size of the seed. Plant your seed and cover lightly with some good compost or black topsoil. Water again and do what you can to increase the temperature of the blocks. See http://www.pottingblocks.com/season_extension.html for ideas on creating a micro climate.

Don't worry about the living grass underneath the block as it will die and become organic matter when you transplant in your garden. Keep them moist. Fertilize with compost tea, rabbit manure tea, fermented seaweed, or your own urine diluted with water at 16:1. Hey, you're the one gardening on the cheap, you don't have to tell anyone, anything. Human urine has been used as a fertilizer since the dawn of man. But don't take my word for it, try a little research and see what you find. Look at this book called "Liquid Gold", by Carol Steinfeld. Even Jesus Christ mentioned it: "Drink thy water from thine own cystern." Quoted from another farm book called 'The Water of Life". I may have gone out on a limb, but hey, now is the time and here is the place. Transplant your turf or sod blocks when all your garden soil is warmed up, all danger of frost has passed and the block is starting to show white tipped roots poking out. Stay tuned for more in Part 2. This is the Potting Block Guru signing off.

Transplanting the 3/4" soil block into the 2" block

2009-02-08T09:34:00.000-08:00

Let's examine the soil block method of transplanting, or otherwise known as "potting on". We call it potting on because you pot "on" top of the next size block. When we transplant, we simply lift one block up and place it on another. No pricking out, which always scares me that I might be ripping some roots out or traumatizing the poor seedlings. No popping out of the container which also seems damaging. And, no untangling any roots that have been circling the pot. Nope, not here. We "pluck" and lift, place and push in slightly to release air pockets. No transplant shock. No stress. However, the potting block method has to be done before the roots overtake the bottom of the block, the only side not air pruned. As you can see in the picture, this tomato taproot has broken the bottom surface and needs to be transplanted. If you were to see the top, the seedling hasn't even produced seed leaves, yet. It is still in it's seed coat, while the root is galavanting around looking for food. That is why we must pay attention to the roots in the Micros versus the leaves. We must have our 2" blocker with cubic pin inserts ready to go and get ready to make some up. We should have made our grow tweezers and be ready to pluck, lift, pot on, push out the air. This ensures a rapid root developement in our seedlings. We now can relax, and watch the growth. We can do this for about 2-3 weeks before we're planting in the garden or planting in the 4" block. Sometimes, growth happens even faster. Say, a week, and we need to tranplant because the roots have maximized the block. So, we stress the need to pay attention to the roots, not the leaves, in soil block transplanting.

It is interesting to note that you can leave tomatoes in the 3/4" block for an extended period of time. Yes, they will be set back a little bit. But, our next move will get them back up. Say, you just didn't get to them in time and they're three inches tall and roots hanging out everywhere and into each others' blocks. We know it happens, especially with that ambitous tomato! You might notice that it would be very difficult to transplant this tomato into a 2" block. It is clearly overgrown. No worries, if you have the 4" block maker! We'll get into making the 4" block next week. If you were to make some 4" blocks and then take your little overgrown seedling and, with a clean exacto knife, cut off all the leaves except the top four. Then, wrap the stem and roots around the micro block, for 360 degrees. A complete loop. At this point, only the top four leaves should be right above that root and stem ball. Now, place in the 4" cube. (The 2" cube can actually work just as well, but make sure you build a strong, wet, fibrous block and push it in.) Back to the 4" cube, simply take some slur and fill in the big 2" hole insert, covering the stem/root ball. Squeeze out the air pocket and let it develop new roots off the stem. After a few days of that, watch out, this 'mato is gonna bust! Try it, you'll have a stronger stemmed tomato that can sit in that block for another 2 months before transplanting.

Practical tips for the 3/4" Micro blocker

2009-02-01T09:08:00.000-08:00

The Micro 20 or 3/4" block maker is an amazing tool. It blocks 20 spaces for seeds with 3 times the amount of soil of a 1" tapered plug. It is a space saver. You hardly need any space to whip up 20 seedling cubes. But, this machine does have certain particularities that you might not be aware of at first glance. First, the best potting soil to use is simply peat moss screened over a 1/4" hardware cloth or screen. With 4 parts peat, 1 part vegetable compost (or worm castings) and a handful of horticulture grade lime and rock dust you can create hundreds of successful blocks for little or no money. The mix should come out stiff but not dry, thoroughly wetted and moist, but not soupy. Second, such a small machine will have two types of users: one with big hands, and one with small hands. For the small handed folks, using two hands to charge the blocker seems appropriate. Pack your blocker in a shallow plastic tub. Use your pointer fingers and thumbs, and push into the tub over and over and pack it tightly. For the large handed users like myself, use one hand and hold the ejection mold and pack and turn and pack and turn. Using a flat wooden surface works fine, just pile the soil in a heap over and over again. Scrape it against a real flat blade, like a trowel or a dull knife or thin piece of wood. But, a bit of advice from the Guru: You simply may opt out of the scraping the blocker step, as I have found it leaves a less desirable block. Try both ways, first. If you don't scrape, you'll want to press the maker firmly on the tray to flatten out the bottoms. Your blocks should come springing out and be perfect little squares with a nice seed hole definetely indented. Anything less than perfect is not acceptable with the 3/4" blocks. You should be able to pick them up easily; firm, strong, solid, crisp. It will take a few times to find the sweet spot. Third, lay them on a small square of plasic or a recylced plastic container of some sort. I'm not a big fan of wood anymore as it seems to dry out too fast. Wood works fine if you're constantly watering. But, even better is some recylced plastic container with a shallow lip around it to hold in some water for easy watering. DO NOT LET YOUR MICROS DRY OUT! You could lose valuable seeds, quickly. Now let's talk about what to grow in Micros.
In my experience, tiny seeds for flowers work best in Micros. We are planting more and more flower starts each year, and the space saving benefits are miraculous. Seeds that take a long time to germinate are perfect because you don't tie up all that space waiting for seeds to germ. Classic examples would be flowering tobacco and alpine strawberries. They can sit there a month before anything happens. As far a vegetable seeds go, parsley and celery are best started in Micros. If you are a market gardener or nursery owner, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants are the norm. Not that a home gardener shouldn't use the Micro, if that's all you've got, but I would just use the 2" blocker if I had a small amount of seedlings of those three to start. Then you have to change out pins for transplanting, and that's a little time consuming for home gardeners. I have a dedicated 2" blocker for every pin, so I don't change them out anymore. Make sure to cover tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants with black plastic to keep the moisture in after watering, and it help heat up the surface. Transplant quickly for these three, because their roots are already three times the size of the seed leaves that are visible. Note: If you have let them get too lanky and tall, just transplant them on their sides convering up the long stem with soil. They'll just grow roots on the stem and your plant will be stout and strong. The best transplanting method is using a grow tweezers. You might have to make your own. Just take two wooden plant label stakes about 6-8" and staple or tack them over a 1" dowel at the end. You could also use some scrap metal for a spring taped around the stakes. You could use some cedar shims split to 3/4" and some metal wire spring or sheet metal or the 1" dowel for the fulcrum end. If you find one, a tortilla flipper is PERFECT. Always dip your tweezers in water before plucking out a block. The ends should be fairly thin and sharp to push in and cut or separate the blocks from each other. Transplant immediately to your prepared 2" blocks with 3/4" cubic pin. Push down firmly to release all the air gaps. Water with a little willow branch water for root growth, or kelp fertilizer to ease them in their new home. With a little practice the Micro 20 will become the most amazing space saving seed starting invention you've ever used.

Finding the Fabled 8" Soil Blocker.

2009-01-23T09:28:00.000-08:00

I've noticed most gardeners use the 2" block maker. And, only a few commercial gardeners use the 4" block maker. Maybe it's too heavy, maybe it's too much work, maybe it uses up too much potting soil, or maybe it's too expensive. Some will make their own 4" block maker. But, not me. I have covered why the 4" Ladbrooke block maker is the King. For those that do use the four inch block maker and are curious if it can be potted onto another block, you have arrived at the right place. I call it the fabled 8" soil blocker because nobody makes it, you have to make your own. And, besides, I don't even know of anybody who has ever made one! Why would any body do that? It's true, it brings up a lot of questions, doesn't it? Well, let's take a look at the nursery business. How many sizes of plastic pots do they go through before the final sale? Lots. We're starting to seed in November for summer block sales. We sell mostly soil block six packs in recycled wooden flats. When it's time for larger pots, I reach for the black plastic bags in 1-10 gallon sizes. I use bags because I anticipate the customer throwing them out when they've transplanted their plant. It has way less waste then pots, way cheaper, and way lighter, easier to move, and has a slight square shape, which we all know from soil blocking, saves space. But I'm all about the reduction of plastic pots on my farm. So, one day I decided to build my own 8" soil blocker. Out of new plywood and hardwood dowels and an old metal spring and some short screws came the invention so few will use, so few will need, so few will want. Oh well, I loved it. It worked. It worked just like the 4" block maker. It makes a BIG block. Now, I could transplant long standing plants like blueberries and all of the berry bushes in 8" blocks. I could keep fruit tree saplings around a year or two now with no worries. I could over-winter peppers. I used them for landscaping plants and hedges to roses and flowers, flowers, and lots of blocks of flowers. My next challenge was to provide a way for my customers to cart off their blocks. This block is heavy, like about 5 pounds of wet potting soil, so if it falls, it breaks. Other than that, it can be made out in the nursery and just sit there. With the right blocking mix it was easily moved, but that was also a challenge to find the right blocking mix consistency. And, although I could move it with a wide tined manure fork, I know my customers needed a handle. So, with some left over jute netting, which is similiar to burlap, I sewed a cradle/sling with two handles slightly offset as to not disturb the plant stems. I used some thin hemp twine and a long nail punch and made a very inexpensive reusable sling for easy pickup. Now, it's even better with constant refinement. I build the block right on the sling, or sometimes in four packs with custom slings for blocks of berry bushes or peppers. Much like the wooden flats for 2" six packs, I offer the customer $1.00 off their next plant of the same size if they bring the sling back. Was all this extra work really necessary and worth it? Absolutely! I have a customer base that shop at my garden center because it's different. I keep giving them reasons to support me and spread the word about my offerings and commitment to the environment. With all of this oil talk, I can offer the customer an environmentally alternative to ugly plastic pots, and entice them to come back with the $1.00 "deposit". What are the difficulties in using the "fabled 8" soil block? First, it's heavy. It requires great strength to make a block. Second, it requires a lot of potting soil and a large tub. It has to be deep enough, like twice the size of the depth, which is 8" for the depth as well as 8"x8" on the sides, and enough room for the long charging handles. Third, you have to make them where they will sit for up to 3-6 months or a year. That takes a lot of planning. For my nursery, I use mobile tunnel over landscape fabric to keep them warm in the winter and slide the tunnel off of them for outside summer sales. Fourth, for commercial use, you need to sew up some slings. That is very time consuming to sew up hundreds and in a couple of years, tens of thousands of slings. Fifth, building the blocker so it can withstand repeated use is slightly difficult. I have had to rebuild mine a few times already. Wood and screws cannot keep up with the demand on this machine. I am having one constructed by a metal fabricator starting this year. Email me at jason@pottingblocks.com if you're interested in purchasing one. I am not sure if there will ever be a need for one outside of my unique nursery, but I am here to say that all the principles of soil block gardening are used to create the 8" block and it is well worth it. Here is one design (next paragraph) based on my experience with adobe and rammed earth building. It is so easy to build and easy to use, perhaps this is the idea waiting for discovery.

You'll need: a couple of 2x 8's scraps and some 2 x4 scraps, some 3" wood screws, and a cordless drill. Build a frame with the 2 x8's as long as you want, but preferably the lenth and width of at least a four block maker(21" x21"). Frame the interior of that wood block with cross blocking keeping your 8" square and creating 4 squares. Done. Now, set it on a piece of plywood and water it down really wet. Next, make up some blocking mix with whatever you've got. Refer to my blog on making free blocking mix for ideas, entry for May 11th, part 3. Fill it halfway with a moist layer of mix, but not as moist as regular blocking mix, as you'll want to tamp, or slightly tap the potting soil down with a block of wood. I use a four by four post end cut off and attached to an old wooden handle. Moving on until you reach the halfway point or 4", then build a stack of 2 x4's 3 high(4 1/2") and 4 1/2" inches long. Screw 'em together and you've got your cubic pin. Screw a little block of wood on top in the shape of a handle so you can pull it out later. Water the pin down, too. Lay that in the center and make sure that the cube is flush with the top of your form. Fill with tamping mix around the block and begin tamping and filling until you've reached the top on all four blocks. Now, carefully tap around the outside of the form to release suction. Pull up the form carefully. Note: This is different for every type of wood used. Some woods may catch on the blocking mix and some won't. To be absolutely sure it comes up clean each and every time, do one of these two things: 1.) Sand and paint the inside with Kilz latex primer. Or, 2.) Let your form and cubic pin soak in water for a couple of days in the sunlight and let it get all slimy with algae. I recommend the soaking to get the algae growing because it's natural and easier and slicker. In this case, you must use galvanized 3" wood screws so they won't rust. After the form is pulled off you should have four beautiful blocks. Now, carefully grab the handle of the pin and lift straight up and out. Voila', you're Fabled 8" block is ready to use. Stuff it with your favorite 4" plant and move it in part sun and part shade for a while, and water well in a couple of days with some manure tea. It can sit there virtually all season without the need for transplanting any further, if you fertilize regularly. Transplant late in the season if neccessary, but only in late afternoon. And, if you want to keep this block idea going, make yourself a 14-16" block the same way and Pot On again. You know I will! Blast me email if you've ever tried to Pot On your 4" block. I'd love to hear it, but you know that! The Guru writes again and everyday until the world understands the soil block method. The Guru predicts the wave is coming. The Guru understands the power of relentess pursuit of passion! Au revoir!

Environmentally Sound Ingredients for Soil Blocks

2009-01-14T09:07:00.000-08:00

Many of our readers are sharing their concerns about the enviromental impact of horticulture grade potting soil materials, not to mention the possible irritants of mined products. So, PottingBlocks.com has made a new commitment to provide detailed information about new environmentally sound and healthy-minded potting soil ingredients. But first, a clarification: Potting soil contains soil or compost or living ingredients. But, then it could be sterilized and become inert. Always know what has been done to your potting soil. Then, you have potting mix. Potting mix or potting soil mix is always inert, and always free of soil, or known as soil-less. For the most applications, your blocking soil is a potting soil, or, full of soil, compost and never sterilized. Now, back to the point...Peat moss has come under attack, as of late, because of environmental degradation of peat bog ecologies. PottingBlocks.com has responded with test runs of coir fiber from some companies that are milling it just right for soil block making. Suprisingly, most coco peats will not work for soil blocks without half peat moss. We are almost ready for release of the first and only soil block recipe with only coir. In the past, I have always recommended peat or coco peat mixed half and half. That is because soil blocks must knit together and yet still be friable. Peat moss has been our only medium. But, with certain techniques, coir can be washed, aged, composted and milled exactly like peat moss, so hope for the future is here! We will be updating everyone when we have the coco peat moss line available. If you have access to straw, like wheat, barley or rice straw, the kind with the hollow stem, you can shred it by hand, or leaf shredder, and sift it with a 1/4" soil sifter. Use it as the same ratio as peat moss. The key here is to use soil and compost in your block mix to bind it all together. It will be friable enough for seed germination. As, far as human health is concerned, perlite has been known to cause certain irritation in some people's throats and lungs. Perlite lets off a lot of dust when dumped and mixed, so ALWAYS WEAR A DUST MASK! Mining products are still a key component to horticulture, so at the present, the next best alternative is PUMICE STONE. Pumice stone is mined from abandoned, open field, lava and volcanic ash wastelands, so it's impact is minimal. I can find it for less than $50 a ton, and is a very suitable replacement for perlite, with no toxic dust! This is a miracle product that I wish I was using years ago! You might be able to find it by the bag, but, maybe you should call or go to a nursery and see if they can bag you up some. The next concern is vermiculite, which is a known carrier of asbestoes, IF IT HAS NOT BEEN TESTED! Always buy "tested for no asbestoes" vermiculite. The best suitable replacement for sand would be large, coarse, washed horticulture grade sand. It may not help moisture retention, as water usually drains freely in sand. But it does work, if you keep your blocks well watered. You must, however, use the coarsest sand possible so your blocks do not fall apart. Sand harvesting, as you might expect, does minimal damage to the environment. We will keep you updated as soon as our test results are complete to which materials we should all be using to save our beautiful, abundant planet. Also, we will be releasing our line of Vegan Composts, Vegan Worm Castings, and Vegan Fertilizers and Amendments, as well as our commercial line of ready to use blocking mix called Old Farm Boy. Stick with the guru, I promise to protect the environment!

Moisture Retention in Soil Block Ingredients

2009-01-04T08:09:00.000-08:00

You know you'll have to make your own blocking mix in order for your blocks to be perfect and professional. You know your main ingredient is peat moss. Your next ingredient is the water absorbing, retaining and aerating medium known as the fluff or the fill. It puffs up the peat which will be saturated with water. Yet peat would dry out too fast if it wasn't for the fluff. Typically, this material has been known as perlite. And, just as peat moss was the only way to make blocks until coco peat came along, perlite was the only way to hydrate and aerate your blocks. Not so anymore. There are now two more exciting mediums to consider, if you have access to them. The first is pumice stone. By far the cheapest ingredient to add to your soil block mix if you can get it local. Pumice stone can absorb and release anywhere from 45-65% of water back to the plant roots. Perlite can absorb and release only 35% of available water, still too low to prevent drying out in case you skip watering for a few days. But with pumice, you have less to worry about, and it is not dusty and irritating to the lungs, which is one drawback to perlite when mixing your own. Pumice is common out in the west, I get it 25 miles away at 50.00 bucks a ton! Cheap! You may have to screen it down to 1/4" before mixing, as it might plug up your blocker. Pumice is the best replacement for perlite when budget is a concern.
The next ingredient of monumental importance to our potting soil industry is diatomite rock. A mined substance from ancient sea bed dwelling creatures, diatomite rock is diatomateous earth before it is pulverized. The new king in organic water retention, it has the ability to hold 150% of it's own weight in water and slowly release it back for absorption by the plant roots. Not only that, it is less dusty and contains numerous micro minerals and nutrients. It is also very colorful in all shades of pastels. Makes a very pretty potting soil! It is a little more expensive than perlite, but well worth the cost, if you forget to water in the heat of the summer. It will not dry out for many days, whereas perlite would be spent of its water and the plant will be dead. Diatomite rock is as lightweight as perlite, too, yet breaks down in your garden soil even more slowly, releasing valuable trace minerals.
And, of course, those seeking a fool proof addition to the blocking mix and any of the three aerators mentioned, Zeba Quench will be mentioned again and again by myself and other commercial farmers. Zeba Quench is an all natural, starch-based biodegradable super absorbent soil amendment that improves soil moisture retention and water supply to plants. It can deliver up to 400%! of its weight in water back to the plant. And, Zeba Quench releases 95% of its stored water to the roots when they need it most. Not only can it do all that, it can do it over and over for hundreds of times hydrating and re hydrating the plant roots all year long. Decreases your watering by 50%, which is a lot of time spent frolicking somewhere else in the summer, not slaving over transplants. It is the ideal soil block amendment, and it comes recommended for no other reason than the assurance factor of having reliable transplants in all seasons.
Many people are reluctant to buy Zeba as an added expense to what should be a virtually free act of gardening: starting and transplanting seedlings in soil blocks. I understand. But, Zeba is most helpful for beginners, busy careers, moms and busy housewives, and professionals in the nursery business. Why? Because if your not always right there tending your soil blocks, they will soon out grow everything around them and be searching for more water, not more space. In a moment's notice, the hot summer sun could kill thousands or even just one precious transplant. If you know you can't be there all the time to monitor soil block growth, which, literally grows before your eyes, than hire someone that will. That help, my friend, is Zeba Quench.
But remember, you can always skip soil blocking and keep your plants in a stunted state of existence called: Plastic pots!
Good day and welcome to spring, the Potting Block Guru is here to dispel the darkness of winter blues! Stay tuned, onions are coming up!

Eleven Mistakes Made With Soil Blockers

2008-09-28T06:27:00.000-07:00

I have heard that many people bought soil blockers through the years, and then, stopped using them. There are numerous complaints as to why they won't bother with them again. This has come about due to the lack of authentic information at the time of purchase, and misguided information from garden forums on the web. Results from your soil blocker should always be excellent. We have covered the basics for a successful experience at www.pottingblocks.com. However, should you read this before you buy, or before you begin practicing the art of soil block making, as you will be far ahead of the learning curve. Once you know what NOT to do, maybe all that's left is the right way to soil block, and any further discussions, or shall I say, speculations, on garden forums on the web will end. Here is my top ten list of the biggest mistakes made, most common errors made, or beginner busters that need to be avoided. Let's count down to the biggest mistake. Oh, and on a positive note, the only way we learn is through our mistakes. So, thank us later, those who have come before you and learned the craft of soil block making.
Number 11. You don't wet the potting soil enough, or you water it down too much. Your striving for the consistency of oatmeal. You would want to pick up a ball of mud and sling it on a wall and there it would stick. You want your blocking mix to be wet, yet only drip when well squeezed with your hands. You are looking for stiff wet mix, yet you won't see any water puddling. The soil should easily stack up in your bin. Keep churning it, and adding water to wet, or more potting soil to dry.
Number 10. You don't dip your soil blocker in water after every discharge. Dipping is essential to wetting the machine and allowing the next round of blocks to eject smoothly.
Number 9. You don't screen your potting/blocking soil with a 1/4" screen. This is essential, as particles larger than 1/4" will clog the simple moving parts in your blocker. This causes the blocker to eject a crumbly erratic block.
Number 8. You don't charge, or pack your blockers with enough soil. Don't be afraid to pack that soil in the mold. How else is it supposed to hold up to watering and root growth without a pot to contain the plant? You cannot overcharge a soil blocker. This is why it was created: To hold 3-4 times more soil than a loose filled pot of the same dimensions. The roots will penetrate the soil easily, provided you made your own potting soil. See recipes.
Number 7. You don't cover your seeds with a sheet of black plastic, or sift more potting soil over the top. Unless your seeds require light to germinate, always cover with black plastic or sifted potting soil to anchor your seed in the block and mimic natural conditions, like moisture and darkness. Be aware that a vital seed will sprout very fast under the black plastic, so check every day.
Number 6. You don't use a thermostatically controlled heat mat. How else are you supposed to trigger the seed to sprout if you don't give it a perfect soil temperature 24 hours a day? In nature, the soil on the ground serves as a heat sink or bank and can retain that constant temperature. Not so in blocks and pots. You must provide the minimum heat requirements.
Number 5. You don't tilt, lift and twist off the bottom of your mixing bin to release the suction and pull off a clean and smooth bottomed soil block. This is certainly the trickiest trick to soil block making. If you don't tilt, lift and twist your blocks will get stuck in your bin over and over, or fall out prematurely, or not lay flat in your flat. Be prepared to practice a few times, if this is new to you and allow some trial runs.
Number 4. You don't use one hand with the Micro 20, 3/4" soil blocker. Try using one hand and pack and pack and pack the soil blocker until it is so compacted that the bottom looks like one block. Then, DON'T SCRAPE THE BOTTOM. Scraping the bottom of the Micro 20 is counter productive and ruins a good block. But, make sure it lays flat in you flat.
Number 3. You don't mist your blocks. How else are you supposed to deliver oxygen to your roots unless you "mist" them and oxygenate the water as you water your blocks? Mist mixes with air and light as it is soaking your blocks. Misters are easy to find and are the life blood of your plant roots. If all you have is a watering can, at least fill it up using a squeeze trigger nozzle and really, really agitate the water so it gets real foamy and bubbly. This aerates the water and delivers oxygen to your roots.
Number 2. You don't water them enough. After your seeds sprout, they'll need water three times a day if you use a peat moss based soil. Less, if it has coconut peat, and even less if it has water absorbing crystals in it. That's why it's important to know your ingredients. Bottom watering is helpful, but are you aerating your water with an air bubbler? Remember, you must actively aerate your water for your blocks, unless they're planted at the edge of a rushing stream!
Numero Uno. You don't use the right potting soil. You must make your own and in the correct proportions. At very least, you have to experiment with store bought brands. Potting soil and mixes were never meant to be used in compression machines. They were not formulated to allow water to penetrate while being compressed. They were not mixed with the right volume of peat to compost. They may not have enough aerator and moisture retaining ingredients like perlite, diatomite rock, or pumice. Or, the particles are too big. Or, the compost was made with forest by-products. Or, there was no long term fertilizer. Many people believe that all potting soils are the same and should work with their new blocker. All potting soils are not the same, and must be tested in order to see if they're compatible with the soil block machine. Some say that mixing their own is too much work, or they can't find the right ingredients. You can always buy the "Old Farm Boy" potting soil, which is specifically formulated for soil block makers, but is used by everyone. Because, while all potting soils can be used for containers, only one brand can be used successfully for block making. You simply have to mix your own if you want real great results.

The Art of Watering Container Plants

2008-09-07T06:59:00.000-07:00

Fertilizing plants and watering them properly are closely interrelated. Plants obtain sufficient nourishment only when the soil is moist. This horticultural fact is often overlooked.
Many people refuse to believe that plants should be watered every day. They counter with the assertion, "Over watering kills your plants." This is true, but 99% of all container bound plants suffer from drought rather than from excess water.
There are two methods of watering plants; one entails the use of a sprinkling can, the other is automatic watering. If you have gone to all the trouble of mixing soil and installing lights, you will want to understand thoroughly the principles behind each system. You never can quite get away from a watering can, and yet for your tiny seedlings, vegetables, annuals, and perennials you will probably prefer to use automatic watering.
The philosophy of watering is well illustrated in terms of the out of doors. What gardeners call a "really good rain" does not just sprinkle the ground but saturates it thoroughly. It does not come down in a flood but falls gently for some time. Growing conditions are considered excellent when such a rain is followed by sunshine, so that the soil dries out gradually; but before it actually cakes and cracks, another good shower should come along. Try to give your plants these ideal conditions. A number of things will help.
The first important step is to purchase a good watering can. A skillful waterer is able to use anything from a tumbler to a pitcher but a watering can with a long spout is a great help. Many types are on the market. One type has a spout two feet long, which makes it possible to reach all your plants easily. The tips of these spouts vary in diameter from 1/8" to 1/4". The smaller the opening, the smaller the stream they deliver. This is excellent for your plants, provided you do not skimp on the amount of water you give them. Sometimes it seems to take a long time to moisten the soil in a pot thoroughly with a small stream of water.
How to Water
With your sprinkling device in hand and your thinking cap set firmly on your head, you are ready to water. Do not just draw the water from the tap, but test it as you do for a baby's bath by sticking your wrist in it. It must be just lukewarm-neither cold not hot. Study, too, the needs of your plants. For example, our African violets, in three inch pots, usually require about one-fourth of a cup of water apiece per day. The begonias, on the other hand, one whose leaves are about equal to all the leaves of the African violet, takes at least four or five cups a day.
When the soil in a pot looks dry, pour on about 3/8" of water; if it looks quite wet, add 1/8" to 1/4". Add the water slowly. When a small amount seeps through the drain hole at the bottom, the plant is properly watered. If, in the course of a minute or two, no water has penetrated through, add more. Make a practice of letting only a small amount come through the hole, since large amounts of water will carry away the nutriments in the soil. But make sure it does come through; oftentimes you may need to add water two or three times if the soil is dried out. When you have learned to judge the needs of each plant more accurately, only a very small amount of water will seep through the drain hole. That is the whole story of correct watering.
But life is complex. Even in this simple operation there are a number of traps. You may have skipped a day or two so that the soil is thoroughly dried out and shrinks away from the sides of the pot, leaving a space around the edge. As you pour water out of your sprinkling can, it will drench down the sides and come swiftly out the bottom, counterfeiting the real thing. If your thinking cap slips off, you can water your plants in this fashion and scarcely give them a drop to drink, as the the ball of earth is completely dried out and the water will not penetrate.
When the soil in the pot is dried out, it must be thoroughly soaked, pot and all. Submerge the pot in a pan of water so that the water comes nearly to the rim. Remove the pot a soon as the soil is moist. With your fingers press the soil back against the sides of the pot so the gap will be closed and you can water normally again.
You can achieve the same result-but it takes more care-by watering the plant from the top and pressing the soil firmly against the sides with the fingers. The soil, as it gets wet, swells. The process will to be repeated three or four times before the soil is thoroughly moist. The first method is usually safer for a beginner.
Sometimes the drain opening in the bottom of a flowerpot will become sealed off. This prevents the water from draining through, and the soil becomes waterlogged. You can detect that a pot is not draining when water remains for some time on the surface of the soil. Correct the difficulty immediately, for plants cannot live long in water. Drain holes occasionally become sealed off when pots rest on a very smooth surface. Usually there is sufficient dirt or unevenness on a bench to prevent this from happening; but if your have trouble with it, the pots may me set a a hardware cloth, pebbles, or a layer of vermiculite.
You can tell whether soil is too wet or too dry by touching the surface with your finger. Dry soil is firm, and very little will adhere to your finger. Moist soil is soft, and much more will adhere, leaving your finger somewhat soiled. Water-soaked soil is so wet the water will ooze out when you press it. This usually occurs when your flowerpot is placed within a decorative container. Should this happen, immediately empty the water from the decorative container and take pot and plant to the kitchen sink. Lay the pot on its side, and the excess water which has collected in the soil will drain off. It is probably best to leave the plant on its side for about a half-hour, because the roots of the plant will die if they are allowed to remain in water soaked soil. After draining off the water from a water-soaked plant, do not water it until the surface of the soil again has a normal appearance. Soil is always darker when wet; as you observe its color, you will gain experience in gauging the amounts of water needed.
When all is said and done, watering from the top is an art, and many fail to learn it. However, there are other ways of watering plants. Self-watering devices are not difficult to install, and the plants thrive with this method of watering.
Automatic Watering
We were slow to investigate automatic watering for soil pots because we ourselves had mastered the art of watering, but once we had used it we became enthusiastic devotees of the system and installed it wherever we could. Unlike many automatic devices, an automatic watering system is not difficult to provide and entails very little expense. We got our start in gardening through hydroponics, the ultimate automatic watering device, but moved on to soil because it was less costly and less finicky and you can farm more land than hydro pots. With these simple techniques, the plants grow much better because the soil is kept constantly moist and it saves you a lot of time, hours of time.
One of the simplest forms is the wick method. It is possible to purchase special flowerpots that are designed to be used with a wick, but it is an easy matter to adapt any container. Just as a lamp wick carries oil to the flame, such a wick carries water into the soil as the plant absorbs it.
Wicks may be made of stove door seals or asbestos rope, cylindrical fiberglass, or pieces of cotton cloth or burlap make into 1/4" cylindrical roll and held in place with string or rubber bands. About 1 1/2" inches of one end of the wick are frayed and unraveled and spread out in the bottom of the pot. The other end is threaded through the drain hole and rests in water. The pot is rested to keep it above the water. Empty tuna fish cans, well washed, with a hole punched in the center of the bottom for the wick to pass through, make excellent stands for pots in your decorative water container.
Your plants will grow much better as soon as adopt this method, for it ensures a constant water supply. Of course, you need to keep the water replenished. Washing and packing of the soil and nutriments are also eliminated.
Seedlings which are to be grown in flats can be watered with wicks too. Holes about four inches apart each way are drilled through the bottom of the flat, and wicks run through the holes into a pan underneath, which is filled with water. Watch the flat to make sure it does not dry our even slightly, but generally it will not if the reservoir below is kept supplied with water.
When it comes time to fertilize the plants that are being automatically watered, we water each pot separately with a watering can. A fairly safe rule is to add 1 cubic inch of the fertilizer solution to each 6-8 cubic inches of soil. Thus, a three inch flower pot or a 2" soil block requires 3 tablespoons of the fertilizer solution. A 4 inch pot or 3" soil block requires 1/3 cup of solution; a 5 inch pot, 1/2 cup, and a 6 inch pot or a 4" soil block, 3/4 cup.
If you are using automatic watering for seedlings that you plan to transplant out of doors, and they are in micro blocks, it is very easy to figure the number of cubic inches of soil, and to add the proper amount of fertilizer solution each week. Fertilize when the depth of water is low.
Installing automatic watering does not relieve you of the necessity of keeping a watchful eye on your plants to see that they do not dry out. Oftentimes, it will be necessary to water from the top. Cucumbers, melon, squash, and lettuce seedlings use a great deal of water and will probably need additional amounts.

Soil Blockers vs. Speedling Transplant Trays

2008-08-25T06:23:00.000-07:00

When deciding which seed starting equipment to purchase, always take in account the "plastic factor", or the eventual need to discard, replace, sterilize, and store plastic trays. Also, we've created the first comparative breakdown of two systems: soil blockers and Speedling transplant trays. We will use the Micro 20, 3/4" soil blocker versus the Speedling 3/4" tray.

-----------------Soil Blocker------------------------------------------ Speedling

Seeds/unit---------- 20 blocks in 10 seconds------------------------- holds 338/tray

Price ----------$29.99 one time investment--------------------------- $6.99/tray

Price/cell/block -------------$1.49 ---------------------------------------$.03

Limit------------- unlimited -----------------------------------------------338
---------------2 minutes=17 charges=338 blocks ----------More seeds?=more trays needed

Time to equal costs---10 minutes=1690 cubes=$.03/cube ---More seeds?=more trays needed

Volume of soil ----------.75 cubic inches -------------------------.25 cubic inches

Maximum time plant
is allowed in cube after
germination
(using a tomato as the example) -----14 days ---------------------------4-7 days

Average life span ------minimum 20-40 years---------------------- less than 4 years

Cost factors -----one time investment ------------------------yearly price hikes(plastic=oil)

Time to maintain -----------------5 seconds -----------------------10 minutes
(clean, sterilize, store, etc.)

Transplant shock?----------- No ------------------------------Yes

Damage by excess water? ----No------------------------------ Yes

Sand in potting mix?---------- Yes------------------------------ No

Damaged by the sun?--------- No -------------------------------Yes

Bottom watering?------------- Yes------------------------------ No

Extra options needed? --------No -------------------------------Yes, inserts, drain trays,
----------------------------------------------------------------------UV blockers, etc.

This chart is helpful for those considering soil blockers but are hesitant because of past reliable performance of Speedling trays. However, you wouldn't be reading this if they lasted forever?
Choose soil blockers, choose http://www.pottingblocks.com/ to purchase your soil blockers. Why? Lifetime warranty, 30 day money back guarantee, live customer service 24/7, technical support 24/7, free consultations, free charts, tips, ebooks, videos, free samples, customer updates on new products and services, and a real comittment to your success: Known as the Potting Block Promise. Choose potting blocks, "the last seed starting equipment you'll ever buy".

Using Soil Blocks in Hydroponics--Part 1 of 3

2008-08-24T06:48:00.000-07:00

Soil blocks make the perfect growing medium for a simple hydroponic unit. Suprised? Isn't hydroponics supposed to be soil-less and water based? They can be, but there is a big misconception that hydroponics have to be that way. Hydroponics can be any way you like. Not that you'll hear that from the hydroponic dealers who all want to sell you something better. Soil blocks in a hydroponic setup has many advantages over a traditional hydroponic kit. First, soil is a forgiving growing medium, which is to say, you can screw up with fertililzers or forget to water and your plants are not going to die. Second, using soil blocks in hydroponics is easy to use, not like the complicated hydroponic systems which need pumps, timers, sterilizing, meters, monitoring, costly fertilizers, and water purification and ph adjustments. This is too much science and not enough enjoyment. Third, making soil blocks from your own potting soil is a lot cheaper than buying rockwool cubes for every plant you want to grow. We are going to lead you down the path of least resistance; soil block hydroponics. Of course, you should have a set of soil blockers. I call a set as follows, a Micro 20 3/4", a Mini 4 2", and a Maxi 1 4". You can view these blockers here at www.pottingblocks.com/sizechart.html. This is a one time investment, unlike rockwool cubes or even coco cubes. When the blocks are done, they go in the compost pile with no little wrapper. With rockwool, you're back to the store for more. With soil blocks, you make your blocking mix up or purchase some potting soil and you have unlimited amount of blocks for pennies a piece. Fertilizers can be made at home with compost teas, worm teas, and manure teas for pennies a gallon. Containers for soil blocks can be made from reusable plastic bins or rubbermaid bins or barrels or even wood trays lined with greenhouse plastic. A step up with modual container size systems would be the use of high grade black plastic nursery grow bags from sizes down to a quart all the way to 30 and 50 gallons. (email for prices and details)The rest of the bags are filled with a number of inexpensive growing mediums like inert pumice stones, coco/coir chips, clay pellets, Vegan compost, or even shredded straw. Seriously consider using numerous local byproducts of farms, like walnut shells, plum pits, or moss found in a forest floors or the old man's beard moss growing from fir tree limbs. These are safe, environmentally responsible growing mediums which are ecologically harvested and minimally produced. Nature provides if we look around.
Now, the issue of watering can be as varied as the person who's doing the growing. There's the manual top watering with fertigation, or water plus fertilizer in a diluted form. There's manual bottom watering, ebb and flow, wick watering, or wicking, and then water basins, pumps and timers for the automated setup. All these hydroponic setups can cost little to nothing, and allow the beginners of hydroponics to get their feet wet and still outgrow the professionals. How? Simply by the miraculous power of soil. Yep, soil is a miracle substance that just water and fertilizers do not have alone. You can have one without the other, but make mine with soil. I like the billions of microscopic biological creatures, called the Soil Food Web, to assist my plants whether I'm growing hydroponically or in the farm field. For every problem that comes up with most hydroponic growers, something has to be bought and applied and fixed in order to get a crop. With soil block hydroponics, if a problem comes up, you have the power of natural based elements like compost teas, wildcrafted or garden herb teas, kitchen ingredients like molasses, milk, eggshells, and spices like cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and dish soap for remedial aids. These cost nothing and work with soil and effectively balance out your little biological imbalances like bugs, pests, molds, fungus, etc. Soil is like the fulcrum point in hydroponic gardening where you can always get balanced with something on one end or the other, like air, water, nutrients, biology, light and temperature. With just a water based hydroponic system, EVERYTHING must be precise or you'll end up with some pretty sad plants. I prefer the forgiving and learnable art of soil and water hydroponics. Stay tuned for part 2 and I'll teach you how. But first, take a look at the soil block web site of choice: www.pottingblocks.com.

Environmentally Sound Potting Soils for Soil Blocks

2008-08-21T07:10:00.000-07:00

Sowing Schedule for Weekly Lettuce Harvest

2008-08-03T08:13:00.000-07:00

Building on our fundamental soil block making and fall planting lessons covered earlier, lettuce (pun intended) look at a sowing schedule and how it compares to a harvest schedule during the shorter days of fall and winter. These results are accurate for 36 degrees parallel and up. Lower parallels will be similiar, but have shorter harvest times due to longer winter sun hours. Gauging the harvest time from sowing is crucial for fall cropping. With cold frames, greenhouses, cloches, etc., climate is not as big of factor as sunlight. Lettuce harvests will take so much longer due to the shorter days, but production, or number of days to harvest, will return at a better rate in January. This Dutch data chart has the horizontal axis representing sowing dates from August through April. The vertical axis gives the number of days to harvest. Written along the curve of the graph are average harvest dates corresponding to the planting date directly below. Notice how a sowing in October 5 will take 2 and a half months to harvest(February 5). Lettuce planted in April should really only take 30-40 days to mature. But, by using this chart you can actually time the harvest of lettuce to meet your family's demand for fresh greens. This lettuce chart can be used for just about any salad greens, baby greens, or spinach. Keep track of your results and expect a learning curve. Plant extra seeds for this experimental stage. Weather can be a factor: Cloudy days will most certainly slow your chart down a bit, but sunny days can easily speed it up. Soil blocks are very important in this procedure. A 2" block gets a better start and can easily outgrow and outpace a 1.5" block. Eliminating transplant shock is critical to good growth in the winter. Soil blocks make this harvest a reality. Understand the length of day will have the biggest effect on crop timing. With that understanding, a day to day harvest is the goal.

Succession Planting In Soil Blocks.

2008-07-27T07:52:00.000-07:00

Succession planting means to continue to plant as the season progresses, at timed intervals, without stopping. I didn't used to plant in succession. I was one of those gardeners who started so early, loaded up on every seed I could, and transplanted, and waited for the harvest. Sound familiar? Then, after all the lettuce was eaten, and all the corn was gone, and all broccoli was done, we had nothing left to eat(or flowers to gaze upon). I loaded up my spring with way to much work, after sitting idol all winter staring out the window at the snow. Sound familiar? Now, I plant in succession, slowly but surely, staggering the things I like to eat all year long. I keep planting, without fear of failure, as failure with some crops is inevitable. I plant all year long with the help of soil blocks, of course! Soil Blocks are the perfect medium to plant a succession garden. First, when you should only be planting a few seeds at a time, you just block up a set of 4 in the Mini 4 2". Like 4 lettuces a week, ALL YEAR LONG. Or, 4 kales, 4 broccolis, 4 green beans, 4 corns, 4 herbs, 4 flowers.....The Mini 4 is so perfect for this task its worth it's weight in gold. In the heat of the summer, while you think it's too hot for anything but lemonade, most seeds will germinate without any heat mats, lights, or greenhouses. The summer temperatures are your perfect germination temperatures. Thus, seeding in soil blocks becomes so easy, as nature is doing all the work. You just pop the block in the ground when it's sprouted. No hardening, no thinning, no competition from weeds, no lights, no heat mats, and no electric bills. Set up an outdoor potting bench. For me, it is two rubbermaid tubs: one to store dry blocking mix and it sits on the bottom, and one to make the slur which stacks on top for easy "charging". Next, I use two cheap aluminum saw horses with two 2 x4's spanning any length(mine are 12'). Then, hopefully you have a bunch of your little plywood trays made up. And, if not, I just use plywood scraps, without sides, without any particular dimension, just as long as they can fit 4 2" blocks in a few rows and can straddle the two 2 x4's. Although, it is nice to have some 2 x2's around to border your blocks for extra moisture retention. I just make some blocks and seed and cover with a sheet of black plastic, or a large garbage bag, and check back in a couple of days. After the seeds have sprouted, I decide if they can hang out in the block for a while, or do I need to go and weed the garden or till or make some potting soil for some container gardens. I've got time. They'll be fine in these blocks, provided I water well three times a day. A lot of people have remarked, "Why don't I sow directly in the garden all summer long?" Direct sowing is a very important skill, not to be undermined. I admit, it might be my weakness. I am a soil blocker to the very end of the fall and start of the next season. I choose to start all my seeds, in summer and fall, with soil blocks for the following reasons: 1.) If, and when the seed comes up, it's guaranteed to grow in the space I will plant it in. No gaps in my garden. 2.) Better germination rate. They're safe from rodents and insects and dry spots in the gaden. 3.) Faster germination due to the warm soil in the heat of the summer suspended and covered with black plastic. Note: Don't let it get too hot or you'll cook your seeds. Try covering with peat instead. 4.) The soil blocks will inoculate my garden soil with the ingredients I've used to create them. This can be anything from organic matter, like compost and peat, to mycorrizae fungus for outstanding root growth, to rock dusts, to fertilizer or fertilizer pellets, to moisture absorbing pellets, to lime, to fish emulsions, kelp meal, soft rock phosphate, greensand, etc. Whatever my garden needs to be productive, I'll add it to the blocking mix. Or, perhaps I'm suspicious of toxic build up of something, I'll inoculate with BioZome. That means, I don't have to spend time on my garden plot except to clear it out and till it up. Whatever it lacks, I'll build up it in my blocking mix. I refer to this technique as "inoculating the soil with soil blocks". I can eventually be adding tons of organic matter in my fields without ever having to shovel manure or compost. 5.) Less work to transplant than it is to seed: Just jab and plant, jab and plant. No machines, no seeds plates, no numerous passes to make furrows or trenches, and way less stooping. 6.) I get to choose the strongest most vigorous seedling to plant without having to watch them struggle in the rows. Thinning blocks are A LOT EASIER than thinning rows of plants. 7.) Succession planting=less work, less often. A tray of 4-12 transplants a week is hardly any work in comparison to thousands a week with normal spring fever. But, if you are in that situation, check out my new Free ebook called "Transplants in Soil Blocks" by David Tresemer (a $9.99 value) @ http://www.pottingblocks.com/ click Free Ebook. This is an excellent handbook for using a garden cart. 8.) Mulch is not needed during a drought. Just make sure and close the air gap around the soil block transplants. 10.) The block protects the roots for weeks from marauding animals and pests. 11.) I can set the block in much deeper in the soil. This means, I can getter a bigger root system and hence more yields. (See today's picture.) I always plant deep enough to cover the seed leaf, right up to the first true leaf. The red circle indicates where more roots will grow, giving you a bigger root system for better nutrient uptake of microbes hanging out in the top soil. If you have a soil blocker, try this today: Seed a row of four with four varieties of salad greens. Do that every Sunday. Make it a rule, a discipline, a hobby, a habit. Next thing you'll know is; your eating salads every day of the year, provided you stepped up to a little season extension. More on that in Fall. Try planting 4 sweet corns every Sunday throughout the late spring and early summer. Whatever your favorites are, get into the habit of soil blocking in succession. My motto is "less work, less often= more harvest, more often." Are we there yet? Tell me your stories about succession planting with soil blocks. The guru predicts soil blocks to be all the rave in America in a few years. Just you wait. So, until next week, the guru says, "Pot on, Pot often, Pot all year, Pot on a smile." and stay tuned, we're taking numbers!

The Benefits of Using Extra Potting Soil to Make Blocks.

2008-07-13T06:23:00.001-07:00

I've read quite a few comments on the net as to why people are reluctant to use so much potting soil to make soil blocks. Reasons like cost, weight, effort, usage, resources, etc., make people doubt their soil block making advantages with insignificant cause. Let's look at this concern.
Isn't the reason for using soil blockers to pack more soil into the seedling space for the roots to stay compact, air pruned, and still provide plenty of space for air, nutriments, and water? Wouldn't that require more potting soil? But, wouldn't that also mean you could have more time before you need to transplant? More green growth while you wait for the right weather, the time to harden off, or even until the harvest of some greens, herbs, or flowers? Isn't it better to have one excellent plant versus a dozen mediocre plants? Well, if you're using up your potting soil resources to make blocks, then you must be doing it right! The 2" block uses the same amount of soil as the 4" round pot! Weren't you going to transplant into the 4" plastic pot anyway? Why risk transplanting? Pot on! Pot on! Pot on! (Sounds like a drum.)
Now the concern over cost of potting soil and your usage. Are you making your own? You can save a bundle by buying peat moss, compost, perlite, and amendments and fertilizers by buying large quantities. Yes, it is more expensive up front, but you may not need to buy them again for years! Or, did you ask your neighbors or friends to split up the bags and spread out the cost? Or, did you buy one bag at a time at your local retail store? Yes, that will eat up any one's budget. Soil blocks demand more potting soil to achieve these wonderful results described in http://www.pottingblocks.com/. We have the Ladbrooke recipe: 4 parts peat moss, 1 part compost, some sand, a handful of lime, a handful of rock powder. PERIOD. Buy a bale of peat moss, make your own compost or worm compost, scoop some sand from your kid's sandbox, borrow a cup of lime from your neighbor and you got yourself approximately 900-1200 2" blocks(depending on the amount of compaction per block). This bale costs me less than $10.00. Folks, that's a penny a block!
Some are complaining of the extra work involved in making the blocks. Wetting the slur, charging the blocker, lifting the heavy maker and releasing it, transporting the trays and watering three times a day, all sounds like a lot of work, doesn't it? It doesn't have to be. Results with soil blocking are amazing if you focus on quality, not quantity. For those who still complain about the extra effort, and there are many of you out there, I have one last parting shot: Give your soil blocker away to someone more ambitious, excited, grateful, resourceful, enthusiastic, energetic, scientific and biologically-minded, environmentally conscious, and, wait for it.....ENLIGHTENED!!! You'll quickly make a best friend and you can go back to the endless train of plastic, sterilizing, storage, Miracle grow addiction, transplanting up and up and up, and more transplant shock than if someone where to move you from your house to a bigger house in Mongolia! It may be bigger, but it wasn't comforting, and you may not recover from your new location no matter how much water and food and hot desert sunshine they give you! Harsh, but forward.

Bottom Watering for Soil Blocks

2008-07-06T06:53:00.000-07:00

Many people are convinced the only way to raise soil blocks is by bottom watering. This is also known as manual ebb and flow, static evaporation, and water wicking. It is not the only way to water soil blocks, but it is the best way to water if you have very little time to monitor your seedling garden. Let's explain bottom watering and explore the variety of methods used with advantages and disadvantages, and instructions on creating them.

Bottom watering is the manual watering technique that fills a shallow, water tight tray with water up to a predetermined height of water at specific intervals to hydrate the roots of seedlings, transplants, or cuttings. The rate at which water is supplied is determined by the rate of evaporation of the environment, and root wicking caused by plant growth. The amount of water supplied is determined by the size of the plant container (or soil block) and the depth of the holding tray or water reservoir. Bottom watering can be done manually by watering cans, or automated by timers outfitted with drip irrigation, or with timers on pumps which fill and empty the reservoir, known in the hydroponic industry as ebb and flow (E&F).

You should ask yourself, "Do I need to bottom water?". "Am I at work for 4-8 hours a day, every day?" "Am I new to soil blocks and gardening?". "Do I have A LOT going on in my life and tend to forget little things?". "Am I going on vacation, or away for the weekend?". "Do I live in the desert?". "Do I want to grow baby greens?". If you answered "Yes" to any of these questions, then you are a bottom watering candidate!

After viewing a brief discourse on soil block making at my website: http://www.pottingblocks.com/, you'll want to have your system of watering prepared in advance of making blocks, since they will need somewhere to go right away. Big Tip Here: If you are bottom watering, you need to make absolute sure that your blocks are very firm. Make sure and charge the blocker 3-4 times and watch for water oozing out the tops. If not, your blocks could just melt away.

The fastest and easiest way to start bottom watering is to reuse some of your recyclable containers. Look for aseptic packs, or rice dream and soy milk containers, Styrofoam take out trays, salad bar trays with clear lids, plastic bottle bottoms, old cake pans, salad green tubs, etc. Make your blocks and discharge them into the container with about 1/8" spacing between the blocks. After you seed or place cuttings, you won't have to water for about three days, as the newly wet blocks contain enough moisture in them for that time. Cover your seeds with plastic to make absolute sure they won't dry out. After about three days, you'll want to water your blocks by gently pouring in water on the side of the container, never directly on the block, to a maximum of 2/3's of the height of your chosen block, be it micro, mini, or maxi. You'll have to watch and keep track of how fast it is evaporating and how fast your plant uptakes the water in order to gauge how often you'll be filling your trays up to the 2/3's mark. Never go over that line or you could drown your seedling. Better to have too little water at this stage then too much as the block itself contains a lot of water pores for emergency use. Only when the plant is well established in the block could it be over watered and pose no threat to growth. If your block is made from a potting soil that DOES NOT CONTAIN FERTILIZER OR AMENDMENTS, make sure to begin an organic fertilizer program in 10-14 days until your blocks are transplanted into your garden bed. Consult my web site for fertilizers to use, or my past blogs at www.pottingblocks.com/blog.html for free ideas.

The next best way to begin bottom watering is to cut the bottom out of an old Rubbermaid tub, provided at least 2" of the bottom is salvageable. A jig saw is easiest! Try cutting the bottoms out of any old plastic junk lying around. This works well for a larger blocking system.

The best way for larger scale growing is to make a custom tray out of plywood for the bottom, and 1x3's or 1x2's nailed or screwed around the sides to make a lip. Then, take a spare or old piece of greenhouse plastic (4-6mm) and line the tray and make it water tight. Be sure and sand any sharp edges and wrap it completely and staple, duct tape, or lathe it to the bottom of the plywood. If you decide to staple, use some kind of a tab on top of the plastic to prevent it from tearing, as the water will stretch out the plastic and make it loose if you don't secure it firmly. This method takes a little longer to construct, about a half an hour to an hour, depending on your size and if you have to rip your lumber down to size, but creates a solid tray that can be used for a few years. Build shelves for them in a greenhouse, or create a potting block bench top with the option to cover with wire hoops (9 gauge) and plastic for a hoop-bench propagation station! Add a large heat mat with a thermostatically controlled switch and you got yourself a mini greenhouse.

Now, you can take the last option and create a hydroponic system known as the ebb and flow with a pump and timer. For this you will need: a timer(capable of multi-settings), a little fountain pump, a water reservoir or Rubbermaid tub, silicone, some plastic tubing that fits your pump, and whatever fittings secures the pump with the tubing with couplings. Now, build your plywood trays deeper, at least 2" for the micros or minis, or 4" for the maxis. Drill a hole the same size as your tubing at a corner of the tray and then cover with plastic. That hole will be your drain and fill hole. As you position your tray make sure it is slightly slanted towards the hole for proper drainage. Position the tray on a bench over the reservoir and secure the pump in the reservoir, silicon the tubing to the hole in the plastic lined tray. Check for proper water drainage and tilt. Hook up the pump to a timer, fill the reservoir with water, and manually test to see how long it takes to fill up the tray to the 2/3's rule on whatever block you choose. This amount of time will be programmed into your timer to come on once every three times a day. Next, fill with soil blocks, and seed or transplant or fill with cuttings and wait three days and turn your timer on. The water should fill through the pump and drain through the same hole. Mix fertilizer in your water at the 10-14 day mark and watch for rapid growth in order to transplant before the roots spread out too far. You can transplant or pot on the next block and replace them back in the tray, or get them out in the garden. Make sure to harden plants off properly to prevent stunting of growth.

Experiment and create for yourself the wonderful options of bottom watering. Be sure to check out timeless, in-depth and hot information at my website to steer you clear of soil stumbling blocks. And, be sure to stay focused on blog spot to receive the three part series on hydroponic soil block gardening. I'm sure it will please those who want to go hydro, but need to stay with organic soil systems.

Greetings! Now Open for Business!

2008-06-26T07:46:00.000-07:00

Hello gardeners, farmers, and the curious, and welcome to The Soil Blocker.
Yahoo is unable to fix my feed problems, so I've made the jump to blogspot. Critical research and history to the soil block movement has been sitting unavailable to many readers, until now. This blog is created to dispel many misconceptions and misuse of soil blockers, even by gardeners who have been using them for years. It seems as if these folks have a lot of advise for techniques that should've been corrected by the proper use of a soil blocker. I am here to help realign the growing movement for the soil blockers. You may recall, I am the Potting Block Guru, and I am here to answer all questions about soil blocks, soil blockers, seed starting, transplanting and even commercial farming with soil blocks. Stay tuned, get your feed, every Sunday you will learn how to make that soil blocker sing with results that puts all other methods of seed starting, transplanting, growing and propagating, to shame!