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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Soil Blocks

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  • From: "breck" <bcarden AT breckinridgegroup.com>
  • To: "'Market Farming'" <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Soil Blocks
  • Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:00:00 -0500

OK Dave I'll chime in.
Dave and I both use the same mix with worm castings, but I add a touch of
Azomite and lime. I use/reuse plastic flats without holes so I can flood the
flat with water and with a little fish/kelp juice added. Even though I do
thousands of transplants this way, I think it would be hard to do 10's of
thousands. However, there are some big boys that do. Besides the time
consumed making them, the time transplanting them is problematic. But, for
my size operation I like the blocks. As Dave indicates, though not perfect,
I use a Hatfield transplanter and find it to be a big advantage for me. I
made a tray holder for my hip so that I can transplant by myself. I have
started exploring multi-seeding some crops such as green onions and like the
results. Unlike Dave I use the 3/4" starter block for my small seed then
pot-on to the 1 7/8" +-. This allows me to have thousands of blocks starting
on my 8 s/f of heat mats at one time. These are placed on 1 s/f ceramic
floor tile. I mist and overhead water these until I pot-on. Again, this is
time consuming. As most of us have found out, the number of acres you plant
dictates some of the compromises you make as for as automation/machination.


Farmer Breck

________________________________________
From: market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
[mailto:market-farming-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of pech
Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 10:03 AM
To: Market Farming
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Soil Blocks

I use them and use sunshine organic potting mix. sometimes I'll add a bit of
kelp or worm castings to the mix but not always. I did find a second soil
block maker in a thrift store for 8 bucks and welded two together, that
works great.
 
1 40 pound bag of mix (I think thats how big they are) makes 450 2" blocks.
I use standard plastic trays to hold em and each tray can hold 50 blocks.
Some of my trays have holes in the bottom some don't I think I like the ones
with out the holes, then I don't have to water as much.
 
I know a guy who transplants them with a hatfield, maybe he'll chime
in......
 
Have Fun
Dave z6a







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