Market Farming

["Marlin Burkholder" <glenecofarm AT planetcomm.net>]

> I have to chime in that I love my soil blocks and wouldn't do anything
else
> for tomatoes and chiles.

I have looked into the soil blocks thing  several times myself and have even
talked to a few people who use them and looked at their equipment.  I don't
see how they could be anything short of a pain in the a_ _ to work with and
I wouldn't consider touching them with a fifteen foot pole.

I am not crazy about the mess of disposing with used plastic cell packs and
flimsey plastic trays either and have opted for the sturdier and reusable
"Winstrip" flats set into "Permanest" trays when I am starting seeds on a
grow rack inside the house during the late winter months and need to bottom
water.  As Spring starts coming on and I am getting things going in dozens
and dozens of flats out in the greenhouse, I set the winstrips into heavy
duty molded trays with mesh bottoms.  The biggest problem with the winstrip
trays is that they need to be cleaned thoroughly between uses and preferably
steam sterilized.  Also there is a little black spider that likes to spin
cocoons in the dirty winstrips and that can make them a bear to clean.

Any way you look at it, starting your own transplants is kind of a mess
somewhere in the process (usually more so near the end).  I get my biggest
jollies seeing all those plants coming up when it is still cold outside and
it is the time of year when I crave seeing green.

Marlin Burkholder
Virginia

>
> Steve
>
> Rancho Gordo
> New World Specialty Food
> www.ranchogordo.com
>
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