Adventures in Soil Blocking

[Branching Out]

Some people have an easy time of growing sweet peas, but for me it has been really hit or miss. This tray of 2" tall soil blocks have been sitting in our friend's unheated hoop house for about six weeks, since the end of January. They have developed LOTS of white fuzzies. I have been resisting watering them as they still have some moisture, and now the seeds are finally sprouting and pushing up through the top of the blocks. Yay! Hopefully the fuzziness will diminish as the block fills with roots. A second tray that was placed under cover on our sundeck shows no signs of germination; hopefully those ones will sprout soon too. They are spending a couple of hours on an upside down nursery tray, over the forced air heat register. Maybe a few extra degrees of warmth will be enough to convince them that it's time to grow.

 

[ducks4you]

If you have some seeds left, use a milk jug and start about 8 of them in it next to your house, south facing. Then, you can plant them outside when they grow over 6 inches tall.

 

[Branching Out]

If you have some seeds left, use a milk jug and start about 8 of them in it next to your house, south facing. Then, you can plant them outside when they grow over 6 inches tall.

A milk jug could perhaps work-- but I kind of like to keep the roots of each plant separate, to make for easy transplanting. One year I tried cardboard rolls, but the cardboard stayed too wet in our rainy climate. With a little luck the soil blocks will keep the sweet peas happy enough until it's dry enough to pop them in the ground. I also find that the milk jugs shatter after a while; the plastic doesn't seem to be UV safe.

 

[Branching Out]

When and if it ever stops raining all of these cute little 1 1/2" blocks of lettuce will get planted out in the garden. Frilly 'Green Reef' is a new one for me this year, as well as Red Mist and Alkindus. The bright yellowish green ones are an old favourite, Tom Thumb-- and it looks like there may be an off-type in the mix, as one seedling has reddish leaves. A Tom Thumb cross would be very cool! I will be sure to mark that one for seed saving.

 

[Branching Out]

This Vibrant Joy bok choy was started in 1 1/2" soil blocks in late August, and planted out close to the house in September. We harvested it lightly a couple of times during the winter, and now that it's spring the plants have burst into growth. it's hard to capture the colours adequately; the purple tones are spectacular.

 

[flowerbug]

... I also find that the milk jugs shatter after a while; the plastic doesn't seem to be UV safe.

not many are unless they are specificly made for exposure to the elements. after many years of picking up pieces of this and that plastics outside i no longer want them in any gardens at all.