Soil Blocks Without A Soil Block Maker
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
- Potting up tomatoes and peppers this week I thought we would share a new technique we have in the works that we hope will save us some labor, some plastic, and teach us a skill we can use in the future.
Otherwise, sup y’all!? Is this a dumb video? Do people already do this sort of handblocking? Probably yes to both. I fear I will have to deal with comments like ‘oh this has been done for ages, unsubscribe” over and over. The more followers you get the more the quality of the comments goes down. It’s strangely relative. There’s got to be a mathematic formula for it. For every one thousand followers, you get one fresh new troll. For every 1000 views a video gets, you earn two comments from people who have never watched your videos or even the video they are commenting on. Also a couple thumbs down, which has to be the laziest of all criticisms. I do however appreciate the thumbs down in person. If I was talking to someone and they didnt like what Is as saying and gave me thumbs down? MADD respect to them. Anyway, click all the links!
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Hey there! One advantage that came to my mind that you didn't mention: this method scales up. If you need your wife/friends/kids to help, they're already fully equipped with two hands. You could do a whole community soil block making party and get through those 200 blocks in 20 minutes tops. If you were to equip 10 people with the device you showed, that'd literally cost a grand.
Next step is to make yourself wooden flats that you can use for years to come. Use 1 x 12s as the base and 1 x 2s for making 3 sides. That makes it easy to slide the plants out the long open side. Prior to the plastic era, if you wanted to buy a vegetable or flower transplant you'd go to the store, they'd cut your plant out of a wooden flat, wrap the root ball in newspaper, and hand it to you.
I still have and use wooden flats my dad made about 50 years ago… but hey are getting tired. He died at 96 and I turn 77 next month… time to make more flats, I like the idea of only three sides. Dad used plywood, but I have lots of cedar… should take me to 110++ LOL
I'm going to try meat trays I get from the grocery store with meat!! I've been looking for an alternative to newspaper pots, because everything must be organic!
What did they do years ago?
@@ahavarichardson5426 Be sure to thoroughly wash and sanitize any meat trays you use, to avoid transmission of E coli, Salmonella, and other pathogens that are commonly found on raw meat. Newspapers are printed with soy-based ink and would probably be acceptable for organic production, but check with your certifier if you are certified. Years ago it was wooden flats, and trees were grown in metal cans or sold as ball and burlap.
Pay Black thanks for the history lesson
I think you’re on to a lasting journey with your idea. In these days every penny you save may keep you solvent.
Not 100 years later, and gas is cheaper than we would have thought, but this information is more important now than ever. Thank you Sir.
Unless you already had supplies pre-pandemic, it’s harder now to get what you need.
@@katherandefy I already had supplies, and you can still get supplies. Quit making excuses. Life isn't going to wait until you are ready for a disaster to happen. There are not any participation ribbons for giving up in his game.
@@katherandefy Nonsense. there wasn't a shortage of anything.. All completely fabricated. In actuality entire crops and milk storages have been dumped due to the legislative tomfuckery regarding this "crisis"..
And your evidence for this wild claim? Oh right, Facebook conspiracy theories. 🙄
Animals not being properly processed is the result of a monopoly by only 4 meat processors in the US and when one shuts down or has to limit intake due to employee illness outbreak it creates a problem nationwide. Crops being dumped would only make sense when contaminated with chemicals that are unsafe to ingest, and given the irresponsibility of mass commercial farming practices over the last 30 some years, it's never a surprise when crops are pulled before reaching market or recalls on goods occurs. We need tighter regulations on chemical use and non-traditional farming practices (especially laboratory genetic modifications - not to be confused with genetic modifications via ancient farming techniques that have been proven safe and effect), and the creation of more meat processing plants to even start to fix the shortages that some areas are still facing. And just because it's not your community facing this, it doesn't meant it's not happening. That's like arguing it's not raining anywhere while standing in Iowa while a hurricane hits the East Coast, or there's no wildfires while standing in Ohio as swaths of the West Coast are burning. Just because it's not happening to you personally, it doesn't mean it's not happening. Children can grasp this concept, so I'm really not sure how suddenly grown adults seem incapable of understanding these things.
@@KatieCottingham Did you really take the time to reply to a comment that is 2 years old. Sounds like you have plenty of time on your hands and the means to make a difference in these areas you are concerned. I didn’t like some things in the world and instead of whining, complaining, and begging only, I actually put in the work. Yes my family will be fine because I am responsible. You assume that I have no handicapping disabilities but you would be wrong. I have issues but I am not crippled by fear like most people will be. I was homeless a few years ago, now I have a home, land to grow food on, a vocational skill, and I own a business I have built from the ground up that employees people. What is your excuse? Laziness. The difference between conspiracy and common knowledge these days is about 6 months. It isn’t happening to me because it happened to me in 2008 when I lost everything. I am acutely aware of the issues going on all around the globe, why, because I pay attention. I am sorry other people are suffering, but I can’t fix their problems. I can make sure that I am not part of the masses with their hands out begging daddy government to do everything for them. I will be the guy paying taxes for that unfortunately though. It sounds to me like you need to grow up, pay attention, and take responsibility for yourself and the people you care about. Be useful for something more than an easy target to make fun of on the internet.
Four years later, still relevant. Great idea for here on my mini-farm. Started on the Jadam Low Cost Gardening system idea, and , like they say, so many start up and operating costs, I am looking for the most natural ways to do things.
Not ridiculous at all. I think this is a great tip because when you’re starting up your garden, it’s so easy to feel frustrated with all the tools, fertilizer, etc that you’re told you needs. The way you broke it down to just your soil mix, water and your hands is awesome
I really like when people use common sense. I bet its faster too. Thank you.
Ya I came onto RUclips to find a good reviewed soil blocker. And now I know I don't have to waist my money on one. This the right way. Can't wait to try it out.
Farmer Jesse, long before plastic and more than 150 years ago, it is said that during the Edo period in Japan, little balls of soil were wrapped around a plants rootball and covered in moss. They were hung about the gardens to help cleanse the space of negativity 0:40 . It is known that these Kokedama,allowed the lower class people to enjoy the art of Bonsai, and were considered the poor man’s pot. I’ve made many of these, and with all sorts of plants. They look so ethereal while floating in the breeze.
I made my own 4" blocker from aluminum tube. The smaller ones I bought from Johnny's Seeds. It is an awakening when you see the lack of transplant shock from using blocks,. No need to store or buy plastic, either.
This is awesome! I already had the 4x4 soilblock maker in my cart then a friend send me this! Faster and everyone can help. Love it! You just saved me $114! Subscribed!
Agreed! This video is wonderful. I started seed starting this year and am a bit overwhelmed by the start up cost with containers. We want to plant a lot of seeds! But that requires a lot of containers and storage. Thank you for this idea!
i love this! I was a canna farm the government just ran out of business before i could finish construction, they purged us mom and pops in oklahoma several thousand of us. Oh well, switching to raised beds and potted veggies.. Enjoying the channel ill grab the book here. Have a great day enjoy the spring.
Kudos Jesse, any time someone talks about a new (old) way to eliminate plastic from the equation is a great thing. Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing.
This was awesome! Your continuous thinking outside the box is why I’m here. I was going to fab the large block maker but this looks way easier. Literally a face palm moment for me, Thank You
Haha, kinda the same for me. “Wait, Why do I need a blocker to do this?”
Thank you for sharing farmer Jesse. Love from California brother.
So glad this video popped up. I am needing to bump up some 2" blocks but did NOT want to spend $100 on a 4" blocker. Love all the info y'all provide.
U just saved me some money 💰 thanks . Keep making vids i need to learn the cheap way.
Great video. I love when people think outside the box and inspire others to do it too.
Thanks. I made some hand made soil blocks to start seeds in today. I'm glad I saw your video because I will uppot by adding more soil this way too😊.
Love the blocks! I've used cardboard pots and peeled them away but wanted a better way for next year. Don't worry about fuel and plastic. Both can be (and are being) made from plants and I expect this to gradually replace the oil based equivalents.(though would make for a bit of land use competition!) Also electric vehicles and tools will get better and (hopefully) more affordable.
What a great idea! I'm always looking for a way to reduce plastic waste. I wish I had seen this a few months ago in time for my spring garden!
What watering method do you use with these? Issues with them falling apart? How moist do you keep them once the plant is in them?
I would love to know the answers to your questions
ok so i tried it this year.. if you bottom water its fine.. i do overhead once to see what would happen and while it didnt cause them to melt i think if i did this every few days it would have an effect. aka just bottom water
I have found if you top water you can disturb the dirt around the top of the plant root, exposing roots and causing the stem to eventually flop. Bottom watering is the way I have found has works best.
I love that you shared this!!
An almost free soil block maker I learned of a long time ago... now passing it on. Go to Lowes or Home Depot and buy a short piece of 3 inch diameter PVC pipe, cut a length off to about 5 inches tall. Dump soaking wet soil into it until its about 3 or so inches deep of wet soil. Tamp it down well with a piece of broom handle and squeeze out all the excess water from the soil. After that, push out the newly manufactured soil block with the broom handle and poke a hole with your finger in the middle of the soil block. Now you're ready to Rock and Roll.
"We can always use more cowbell !" I'm dying right now
More cowbell! ;)
I like the phrase "primitive gardening". Not heard that before so gonna check that out. Thank you🇨🇦
You're so freaking amazing Jesse! Love your thoughts and you sharing them like you do! We are 4 years after you posting this and it's even more relevant!
this is the one!! I'm not buying or making anything. just hand forming all the seed blocks from start to sizing up, brilliant x
I use a smaller 4x soil blocker to start seeds. This year when I "potted up" I frequently just lifted the plants and tossed another 2 inches of mix in the tray and set the blocks back down. The roots grew down but remained air pruned to the side. Unfortunately they often grew together, so more root disturbance. I'll have to see how they perform. Did with parsley and fennel and brassicas and even eggplants. Admit I used recycled found plastic pots someone tossed in the trash for my tomatoes and peppers.
I thought this was extremely valuable as a first time viewer. I network with African and Indonesian community/market farmers who don't have real access to technological "hacks" like soil blocking tools. You're true market here, in my humble opinion, is in the non-technocratic simplification of processes which work. Good shit. Thank you.
Not ridiculous at all, my dude, you are totally spot on!!
What we don't do is just as important as what we do.
Red Gardens sent me.
Wow. I've been geeking out on my two smaller (mini + standard) soil blockers, and now I'm thinking, "Well, duh!" Thank you! Now if we can just get rid of the plastic trays. Maybe I'll make some reed mats...
Small soil blocks would be less efficient I think but entirely possible. I did some just for goofs the other day by hand and it was fine. Anytime I have a gap in my standing soil blocks from now on I’m just going to form a hand ball and fill it in that way instead of trying to make more block with the blocker and fit them in. Not efficient that way.
VagabondAnne : On the plastic trays. Obviously, once we have em, they last a long time. But all-natural ways would be rubber, rubber coated metal or wood, or fire-treated wood, are some I can think of right now. Clay/pottery... maybe structurally enhanced somehow like they do with concrete. And of course, these aren't totally necessary at all for growing food, as far as locale & season appropriate, could be all direct seeded, technically. Like, when people say "feed the world" what they mean is, keeping everything status quo. Food being wasted. Dogs eating corn. People eating too much corn. Cows eating too much/any corn and so on. Resources spent making all sortsa of "edible" & non edible novelty items, trinkets & downright crap... . Sorry, tangent !
Just what I was looking for
Thanks for the video. Sometimes I get a bit dizzy watching your videos .... I guess I am kind of a slow guy. I love what was said about thinking ahead ... far ... and farming like that. I often miss that with market garden videos. As said, things will get a lot more expensive so "primitive" might start to make more sense economically again too. There is a huge cultural component to this as well ... I mean that modernity has worked really hard to shame the old, traditional. "primitive", no so fast productive ways and said that one can't survive like that. Now we have to see that we survive modernity as we know it. You speak differently when you speak " what is relevant in a hundred years" ... there is something liken an ancestral depth that can be felt then .... Thanks for the video. Found it helpful. (I live in Austria)
Where in Aut?
Jesse, that's ridiculous! I love it! Been doing that for two years now after seeing it on RUclips somewhere! Sorry, should of said something sooner👍
Thank you for this. I would not be able to warrant the cost of the 4" block maker for my small garden.
($190 CAD is the cost for me in BC) I was thinking of hand molding the blocks around my 2" ones for peppers and tomatoes. This is exactly what I was thinking of and seeing it confirmed that it works was very nice to see.
This is awesome. I am a beginner and don’t have any tools. Thanks for sharing
Ha ha. I’ve been listening to your podcast for about 18 months and I just thought to check out RUclips channel after thinking about making soil blocks … love it!
The soil ball. Revolutionary new technology
Love this and thank you! I’m definitely subscribing! And I appreciate your work
I’m about to start my peppers in larger pot, definitely trying this before making purchase unnecessarily. Thanks!
Yeah, give it a try. I know we personally want to cut down on plastic, but I also just hate buying stuff that won’t last me many many years. I am sure I am not alone in that!
Love this, just use your hands... like pottery! This is the inspiration I needed, Thanks.
Remember this?
Eliot Coleman's Soil Block Recipe
2 Tbs. Green Sand
2 Tbs. Phosphate Rock
2 Tbs. Blood Meal
3 quarts Peat
1 quart Perlite
3 quarts sifted Compost
Add Water and mix to Fudge Brownie consistency. That's what Eliot said.
PBS series “The Victory Garden.” Barbara Damrosch co-hosted, with Eliot, the series “Gardening Naturally” for The Learning Channel, airing from 1993-2003.
I purchased and love my soil block makers my only concern is all the talk of a shortage of Sphagnum Peat Moss. This is probably trivial but I did think about it when I purchased them. I hate plastic and try to keep it out of my garden but man it’s tough.
Yeah I feel ya on all fronts. If making your own mix, you can also use coconut pulp or rotted tree pulp or from the woods instead of peat, it’s just harder to come by.
That’s right thanks, as a gardener I am always learning to change my gardening habits with what’s available .
Also coconut coir is a semi-decent replacement for peat moss.
Could chopped up pine needles be used if there a shortage of Pete?
You can replace the peat with spent dairy fiber from a manure digester. I get it free.
Can never get enough cowbell!! 😂😂😂
Hi, its 2020 here, Guatemala, after 2 large hurricanes in less than half a month...., your hint is valuable, I will start my own project
"We don't neeeeed, NO more cowbell... No more cowbell." -Bob "No-Till" Marley
That's awesome!! Thank you for doing this video!! 😊👏
we also used to wrap the soil block and plant in newspaper to make a paper flowerpot.Stack em in trays and water as usual.
I Just use a cardboard egg carton. Works well for me. It’s all good, whatever works for everyone.
Thanks for sharing
I Will definetely try this out. Thank you for sharing
There was a houseplant trend a few years ago of yokedama balls (I think that's what they were called) where you took a little rooted clipping or tiny fern and made a wet ball of soil and then covered that with moss and wrapped attractively with twine. I had a blast making them. But mine didn't live long :( I never got the watering thing down (I think i drowned them!).
Kokedama
Love it! Just wish I saw this two months ago lol.
Thank you for making this video. It has saved me a ton of money!!!
Nice simple scalable approach. I like it! I have soil block makers.. and till tend to start in open trays late and transplant fast.
Fantastic!
I’d love to see an interview with Michael Foley! His book is a treasure to farmers
Short and sweet. Great information. Thanks for sharing
We ALWAYS need more cowbell. The lord and our saviour sir Walken has mandated it.
Down in the south we call those dirt clods.😁
I love this!
Amazing... And at the right time for me!!
Thanks
I love it!
Are you still using this method for your seedlings, curious as to how it has worked out
That's cool, will test it out. Thanks for sharing!!
I am with you!!! Faster and cheaper too!!!
The trick is screening your mix well. Get all the wood and clumps out
it is already happening with the price of gas and groceries. Being retired on a retirement/disabled income it has become next to impossible to live without growing our own food.
I thought soil blocks were a great idea, but in use I found them too slow. Plastic trays are great for speed, but they deteriorate easily, dry out quickly and allow starts to become rootbound. I settled on germinating everything in a cooler filled with water held at temperature with an aquarium heater and aerated with an aquarium pump. Separating the waterborne starts is easy, then they get "potted up" to a fogponics chamber. They can grow in a fogponics system, be transplanted into the ground bareroot, or be grown in an air-gap hybrid system (something I came up with myself, but I'm sure someone else has imagined it I just haven't seen it anywhere before). Slurry filling the planting hole while holding the start in place works best for transplanting into soil. Washing out grass clippings into a bucket of water makes a great instant fertilizer (or you can brew it for a few days to concentrate it further). Drain the water through a series of screens to clear all the weed seeds and other fine particulate.
I like the soil balls though. For starts that are offered out for sale to home gardeners I think that's a beautiful way to form them up. Looks fun too.
Wut
Watching this at 12:38am immediately feel the urge to go make balls of soil mix
Possibly doing this with our cucurbits this year. Mind you I love the cowbell sound.
Thanks just purchased book on amazon
Awesome
Love that idea
Really cool. Watching from Kenya
Great idea. Was thinking on same lines.
"We don't need more cowbell" Haha
I like it. Looks like I can save somewhere btw 33 - 47% of soil.
Then: relevant
Now: pandemic relevent with everything overpriced
katherandefy Not available and when it is it's price has doubled or tripled!
Just as I was firing up the comments section to call out "Needs Moar CowBellzzzzz!" ... you beat me to the punchline.
you can never have enough cow bell
Why is no one talking about the phat bass lick in the beginning? That was tasty.
Nice
I will do this tomorrow with seed. Was just shopping for a soil blocker..too expensive. Not practical for the price. Will play in the dirt and be practical!
Not ridiculous.
We've been looking into alternatives to more and more plastic pots; one idea was make quart-sized grow bags. Easier to store, reusable.
I tried soil blocks. Serious question: how do you water the plants without destroying the integrity of the block?
Cheers. Enjoying your channel. Thanks for high level of practicality.
BTW, Chris Walken would disagree about the cowbell...
Mmmmoooorrreee COW BELL!! My dude I’m DEAD 😂😂😂😂
In the words of Will Farrell on SNL, "We need more cow bell(Bruce Dickenson (played by Christopher Walken).
Looks great 👍
Sounds kinda like kokedama without the moss. I think I will give it a try.
Would love to understand how this effects transplant shock. Seems you would need to apply a lot of pressure to the root ball, potentially damaging many more roots than with the cow bell.
The root ball is already encased in soil...and the amount of pressure isn't overly intense (slightly more than when you press down on a pot based transplant to firm the soil). It ends transplant shock, because the roots automatically (and naturally) 'air prune' when they hit the edge of the block...and continue sucking up nutrients from their existing roots (making more efficient use of the soil btw) and the water in the tray. Once transplanted, they simply continue to grow naturally. In a small pot, when they hit the 'edge' of the soil they are still in a moist, dark environment, so they keep growing indefinitely, looking for nutrients. There are no additional nutrients to be had, the roots 'bind'...and it's a mess. When they are transplanted that mess needs sorted before they can continue to grow.
Love the idea. we were just getting ready to buy the larger soil blocker... it's a great idea. it'd work perfectly w/ the windstrips we currently use. Do you get your Fort Vee from someone in the lexington area? by the bag or you order a skid? We're in Louisville, was adding up the cost to get a skid of F.V. delivered but, this year's compost budget is maxed..., we just spent $$$ on a load of Thoroughbred to expand/amend our plots. May want to elaborate on the Windstrip flats, thinking many people may not know what those are all about. thanks for the info.
We got in on an order from fresh start in Louisville and got the wholesale price! Call or email them and get on the mailing list so you can get that deal. Then we just picked up a 1 yard tote this spring.
So, what stops the compressed ball falling apart when it gets watered? Several people have posed this question below.
lol nothing does, it's not a good idea but no one will just say it straight out.
I love this idea!
But Jesse, don't you think in another year or two there will be an app for that? bwahahaha! No seriously, I like the way you think. I'm not a commercial farmer so time and cost are not so much an issue for me but I firmly believe that we all need to go back to SIMPLE methods and lifestyles :) I like the way you think and I didn't know of that book but will definitely read it.
Just wondering if when these are watered, and before the root systems grow further, does the soil loosen at all, or can they fall apart?
Cool beans. 🌱
Thank you!!
neat way of making them, thanks for sharing : )
This is perfect timing for me! I just began playing with different ways of starting seeds and determined I liked a size in between my soil blockers so I have also been making blocks free hand and so far it works!
How do you water them without them falling apart?
@@MidwayGuy bottom watering is really best. I just fill the bottom of the tray with about 1/2-3/4" of water depending on how many soil blocks you have and how dry they are etc