Reconsidering My Soil Blocking Strategy

[@katebarrett1924]

Carmen - great detailed look into seed starting methods. You got me thinking!

[@toniasgarden3550]

I have actually come to the same conclusion that you have. This is my first year of growing a lot of floral seedlings, and I was really excited about the soil blocks and how that would allow me to grow more with less room than a plug tray. But in looking at my growing conditions in my seedling room, I don’t have that intense heat or light to give these soil blocks what they need to survive and thrive. So I started potting up my soil blocks, and like you I think this is going to be the way that I go. I will not use the larger soil block. I will just pot up into the plug trays. That seems to be working for me and my situation. I love your videos, you’re larger scale than me, which helps me see what can be done with a little bit more land devoted to florals. So thank you for all that you do and sharing everything that you’re doing I do appreciate it.

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Thank you! I feel like I’m learning new things all the time and it’s ok to change your mind!

[@devilmtn]

Wisdom!! Thanks, Carmen. ❤

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Thank you Brenda!

[@heatheraustin1246]

Agree with all you said! I quickly went to soil blocking for space saving. I never even knew about the 1.5 blocker until i saw it from blossom and branch. She is full of info, and believes most things do best it that size. I want to ry it also. Same thing with my snaps. After plant the the bigger ones out, i stuck the small ones in cells and they look great. Thanks for sharing 😊

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

That is exactly what I’m going to do with my snaps this year. Before I would just toss the baby ones but that is such a waste.

[@Phineesidel]

Hello… I’m new to flower growing and just starting out. I’ve purchase both the 3/4” & 2”… My first seedling are snapdragons, sweet peas and Lisianthus.. And I found that 2” blocks work well. I’m a little heavy handed and moving them or transplanting they don’t fall apart on me. I get great ROOT development ✅ I was going to use the 3/4” and then when the seed root develop transfer to the larger box but it fell apart on me, So I just stayed with the 2”…

[@melissasmithberger807]

I love soil blocking, but 100% agree on potting them up. I used soil blocks for my lisianthus this year and around 8-10 weeks bumped them up an they took off. I didn’t bump up my snaps and the roots were so grown together that when I planted out I ripped alot of the roots. It definitely has set them 2 weeks behind schedule for blooming.

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Yes I’ve had that issue with the roots. They can form such a thick mat of roots.

[@lindasowash7054]

I started out soil blocking but I have been starting things in trays this year and it seems it’s a 50/50 on which is best. I’m just going with my gut and see what I get. Love you videos Carmen.

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Thank you Linda!

[@MilliePat]

KZbin probably has 30 channels about soil blocking. Soil blocks can dry out every 12 to 24 hours. Cell tray don’t dry out as fast. I changed to soil blocks to reduce plastics. I have 20 1020 black trays that will be washed and stored. My biggest issue with soil blocks is humidity control keeping the blocks moist long enough to produce germination So far I get 20% germ with blocks and 90% with cell trays.😊

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Completely agree. I love the space saving aspect of soil blocking but they do need to be babysat.

[@janpapworth7956]

Love the space saving of soil blocks but have problems with watering, and growing on. Often pot on seedlings germinated in blocks to small pots or cells where watering doesn’t have to be a precision art. OK for Zinnias (not in the blocks so long), but hopeless in my case for snaps which in theory can be in blocks for many, many weeks. All my method are hybrids!

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

I also like the fact that with the soil blocks, you can see what germinates and then move them up. Not wasting all those cells on ungerminated seeds.

[@sunniesflowerco]

Soil blocking!! I have a lot to say, I'm so sorry. 😅 I love soil blocking but I am very pro plant-all-the-ways. Whatever works best and is easiest for you! So I think you definitely might be right about the 1.5" being the sweet spot. I'm really eyeing the new Swift Blocker Mini 27...it's an investment for sure. Last year was my first year with the 3/4" and it's pretty great but a bit of a learning curve. I totally over watered at first and didn't realize it's good for them to dry out. I've been using the same 2" blocker since 2015 and everything grows like a dream. Space issue is the downside, only 50 blocks fit per 1020 tray. Some people also don't care for how much soil it takes but I look at it like it's helping to amend my soil! I have always used Eliot Coleman's soil blocking recipe but have also found that my local Walmart carries a Pro-Mix Organic Garden Mix for only $12/2 cubic feet that works really well for the blocks. I only have to sift it for the mini's, otherwise just pull the big sticks out and you're good to go with the two incher. So much easier than mixing your own. I have Zinnias started in both sizes to see the difference in DTM. Last summer I trialed direct sowing Zinnia's vs the mini's and the DS were at least 3x bigger/healthier. Pumpkins and tomatoes are so great in the 2"... Morning Glory, Nasturtium, Green beans, anything fast growing or with a large seed goes into those. Sunflowers too, my first couple successions are in big blocks to get as much of a head start as possible. Mini's are mostly used for when I have many varieties of one thing. If you have a seed problem like me and ordered eight different Asters, the mini's are your best friend. They're also perfect for small successions because you can fit 12 different species, 20 seeds each into a single 1020 tray. The problem with mixing so many crops into one tray is that you cannot count on using grow lights. They will all germinate and grow on at different rates and some need drastically different temperatures, (I have a "Soil Blocking Compatibility List" 😅) so I only do this when there are enough daylight hours for them to grow on outside in the low tunnel. I'd say that is my biggest complaint about the mini. If growing under lights I mostly use smaller trays (I get two sizes from the dollar store and love them!) and plant one species per tray or know exactly which ones are compatible to be planted together. My preferred method is actually to sprinkle seeds into a 1020 tray. It's so fast and easy, esp for tiny seeds like snaps. I can fit 2-300 seeds into one tray and they actually grow very well that way. Even though they are crammed in close together they grow much better than in the mini soil blocks. I do not prick out, you can thin them out a bit but mostly I let them stay just how they are. It's very easy to pull them apart at planting time, I've found more so than taking plugs out of cell trays. The trick is a very sturdy tray, and the deeper the better. I use Bootstrap Farmer's extra strength 1020s for this and they are totally solid and worth every penny. The trays need to be able to be moved around easily esp when hardening off time comes around. I can easily balance two full trays at a time, one arm under each. If you watch Georgie from Common Farm Flowers she plants the same way and has amazing, sturdy/deep trays that I can't find anywhere in the US. But I'm always on the lookout. Cell trays get used pretty much only for sunflowers around here because I need a solid head count on those guys. I don't have as much success using that method and also I would much rather make soil blocks than fill cell trays up with soil any day of the week. Once you get the blocking down its very fast. I've noticed a lot of people don't have the soil wet enough. You should be able to pick the blocks up easily to move around. I think that is all. 😅🌻 Oops, nope P.S. Forgot fertilizer - makes all the difference in mini's! I didn't used to fertilize seedlings but last year joined in on Nicole's Fertilizer Friday...oh which is today! Happy Friday! So I can definitely see a difference and think it's very important especially for mini's since they do not have much soil to pull nutrients from! I use an (odorless 😉) worm tea sourced from my farmers market. It can also be used as a foliar spray which made a huge difference on my dahlias last summer!! ❤️

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

I 100% agree with everything you said! Yes, yes on the Bootstrap Farmer trays. I have the shallow 1020 trays and they are one of my favorite pieces of “equipment” that I use.

[@sunniesflowerco]

@@freshcutflowerfarm Nice!! The shallow trays are definitely on my list!! Love their stuff.

[@virnaflowerfarm]

Check out the swift blocker! It's great they have different sizes.

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Someone else also mentioned the swift blocker! I need to check it out.

[@virnaflowerfarm]

@Fresh Cut Flower Farm I used mine for the first time yesterday already wish I would have went with the 200 vs the mini 75.

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Good to know

[@MilliePat]

I dislike cell trays for starting seeds because the seedlings are difficult to pot up

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Yes. Sometimes the blocks fall apart when you try to separate them.

[@dottmcse]

I tried blocking for a few months. Too much time in comparison the method I use now. I use a 1020 tray and cast the seeds across. Let them grow to 4 leaf level then transplant to a 72 or 128 tray.

[@freshcutflowerfarm]

Yes, I do see that often as a downside of soil blocking. I like your method.