Soil blocks for growing seed

bobbyt · « **Reply #15 on:** January 21, 2021, 11:12 »

Yep will do Rowland Wells, will report back, I know I'm using coir, but in research I did, it seems you get similar holding together properties with peat.

Fishplate42 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 21, 2021, 11:37 »

Quote from: bobbyt on January 20, 2021, 15:04

...I plan to put them on top of a layer of wetted cardboard in a seed tray.

Sound good so far. I might give mine a go today if it stays dry (remote chance!) The only thing I would say is would not put them on wet card as the roots will migrate into it and make the blocks impossible to pick up without damaging the roots. The great advantage with blocks is the roots will air-prune and not become root bound. I plan to try my larger (50mm) blocks in those mushroom trays that come from the local veg shop (they just throw them away and are pleased to get rid of them) as they have a grid (mesh?) bottom. To water them the whole tray can be stood in a gravel tray with covering of water just deep enough to cover the bottom 10mm or so of the blocks, and removed once wet. The smaller 20mm blocks I plan to stand on a flat plastic boot-tray until they are ready to insert into the 50mm blocks. They can be watered with a fine plant spray.

All theory at the moment but I will post my results as soon as I have something to show.

Ralph.

bobbyt · « **Reply #17 on:** January 21, 2021, 11:50 »

Great stuff Ralph, I see what you're saying, I'll bin the cardboard idea then I think, and just spray them, or get hold of some mesh bottomed trays as suggested. Rob.

Fishplate42 · « **Reply #18 on:** January 21, 2021, 12:25 »

As I said, it is all theory at the moment I also have some wire mesh I am thinking I might line the mushroom trays with... I will let you know when I stop thinking about it and actually do something.

I can over-think it sometimes

Ralph.

rowlandwells · « **Reply #19 on:** January 21, 2021, 15:45 »

talking about soil blocks can you sow swede and parsnip seed in soil blocks ? and although its recommended to sow swede in May can you sow swede before May ?

bobbyt · « **Reply #20 on:** January 21, 2021, 16:17 »

Hi Ralph,
Ref the mesh trays you mentioned. I've attached a pic of meshed trays on Amazon, would they be suitable? Would they need to be raised from the bench on blocks or something and not placed on a flat surface? What do you think?

jezza · « **Reply #21 on:** January 23, 2021, 16:26 »

Hello try mustard and cress seed or a few lettuce at first to see if the compost mix is correct keeping the blocks damp but not wet on cardboard or capillary matting should work cover the sown blocks with a piece of polystyrene germination will be in a couple of days jezza

Fishplate42 · « **Reply #22 on:** January 24, 2021, 11:18 »

Quote from: bobbyt on January 21, 2021, 16:17

Hi Ralph,
Ref the mesh trays you mentioned. I've attached a pic of meshed trays on Amazon, would they be suitable? Would they need to be raised from the bench on blocks or something and not placed on a flat surface? What do you think?

Bob, They look as if they would do the job. Sitting on that tray, I think there would be enough space underneath without worrying about propping it up. The important thing is not to stand them on something porous that the plants can root into.

Ralph.

bobbyt · « **Reply #23 on:** January 24, 2021, 11:30 »

Great, thanks Ralph, I'll go and order them. Lately the delivery man is getting to know us quite well with all the online stuff we're ordering!
Good idea Jezza, about trying a few lettuce first, I'll give it a go.
Rob

Fishplate42 · « **Reply #24 on:** January 24, 2021, 17:32 »

Quote from: bobbyt on January 24, 2021, 11:30

Great, thanks Ralph, I'll go and order them. Lately the delivery man is getting to know us quite well with all the online stuff we're ordering!
Rob

Ops!... Hi Rob

We have just spent an hour or so working out what cardboard to recycle and what to make compost out of from all the orders we have made over the past few months... Amazon card seems to be the best for composting. We have a prime account so the card arrives quicker and mulches down faster

Ralph

bobbyt · « **Reply #25 on:** February 10, 2021, 16:18 »

Ok, update on soil blocks I made, seem to hold together well so far. Sowed some All Year Round Lettuce seed in a few of them as an experiment using a propagator tray on a heat mat I bought.

Success, germinated in 4-5 days and looking ok. Used lettuce seed as they are quite hardy and germinate easily in my cold greenhouse, have now removed from heat and uncovered to see if they grow on ok. Only sprayed them lightly to keep moist, but they have never looked as though they are going to fall apart, but obviously they won't dry out in this weather anyway. Can lift the blocks ok too - fairly solid, so I think the mix is good enough. So going forward I think I can use this mix to start most of my seeds.

Fishplate42 · « **Reply #26 on:** February 10, 2021, 16:38 »

Good stuff Rob. It sounds as if you are on your way. I still have to get going on ours as we are obsessed with sowing some early stuff (like chillies and aubergines) at the moment. On top of that the weather is not great here, at the moment, with some of the coldest temperatures we have had in the soft south for years. We are also knee-deep in snow (if you are a robin!).

Brassicas are next on the list, as soon as we can get outside to make some blocking mix that is not frozen!

I will post an update as soon as we do.

Ralph.

bobbyt · « **Reply #27 on:** March 17, 2021, 16:17 »

First batch of soil blocks ready to sow veg seeds, turned out quite well I thought. Already trialled a few lettuce and leeks, so should be fine. Just need to pop the seeds in the indents and cover with vermiculite or compost or can leave smaller seeds uncovered.

Fishplate42 · « **Reply #28 on:** March 18, 2021, 08:25 »

Quote from: bobbyt on March 17, 2021, 16:17

First batch of soil blocks ready to sow veg seeds, turned out quite well I thought...

They look good to me Rob. What mix did you go for in the end?

Ralph.

bobbyt · « **Reply #29 on:** March 29, 2021, 13:28 »

Soil Block success ! Took some pics of seedlings growing in the blocks, there's psb, stem broccoli, leeks, lettuce, tomatoes, cabbage, and sprouts. Used this mix - 3 parts coco coir, 1 part vermiculite, 2 parts seed compost, 1 part soil and I sieved the compost first.
Used a heat mat/heated propagator to germinate in my unheated greenhouse, then removed into meshed trays. Found it much less hassle and easy to water using a gravel tray or spray. All holding together well. People from my allotment all interested too, a couple of them are trying it out as well. I'd already planted some of the lettuce out previously, and its doing well.

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Soil blocks for growing seed

bobbyt

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Fishplate42

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bobbyt

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Fishplate42

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rowlandwells

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jezza

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Fishplate42

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bobbyt

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Fishplate42

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bobbyt

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Fishplate42

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bobbyt

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Fishplate42

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bobbyt

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