Ahhh...the first soil blocks of the season (and of my gardening career). All in all, I think they turned out well and were relatively easy to make. There's always room for improvement I'm sure. The consistency of these blocks were a bit unlike what I was expecting, but then again, it's hard to tell if I got it right since I've never made them before. I had to improvise a bit with the ingredients since a couple of them were impossible to source this time of year. I guess I won't know for sure until I'm able to follow Eliot Coleman's recipe exactly.
Making soil blocks isn't as messy as it might look. I'm realizing that the trick to making nice looking soil blocks (apart from the recipe) is in the amount of pressure you exert when pushing down on the soil block maker. As you squeeze, water oozes from the blocks. I guess the sponginess of this soil block mix is partly what differentiates it from ordinary potting mix.
Sowing artichoke seeds.
Last night, I sowed some Imperial Star artichokes, Tuscan kale, celery, yellow wild strawberry, red wild strawberry and some Red of Florence scallions. The strawberry seeds were kept in the freezer for the past couple of weeks in order to mimic winter conditions and hopefully increase overall germination rates. Wild strawberry seeds are notoriously difficult to get started.
The Imperial star artichokes I'm growing this year were specifically bred to be grown as annuals. The seeds are really interesting looking - somewhat resembling a hulled misshapen sunflower seed. They will be left to grow indoors for the next 6 to 7 weeks, and then moved to one of my mini-hoop houses for an additional 6-8 weeks before being transplanted out. Exposing young artichoke plants to low temperatures of between 50 to 32 degrees for a period of at least 6 weeks is supposed to increase the chances of them producing edible buds the first year.
Since I only had one heating mat, the scallions and strawberries were left to germinate at normal basement temperatures (anywhere between 60 and 70 degrees). I figured that since these plants are accustomed to being winter sown, additional heat is not crucial. Hopefully, I'm right!
Those look really good! Can't wait to see little seedlings coming from them later.
ReplyDeleteI don't put any of my cold loving crops on my heat mat to germinate. Only the heat lovers like tomatoes and peppers. Some things like lettuce won't even germinate when it is too warm so I figure it is better not to use it unless necessary. I'm sure your scallions will come up just fine.
ReplyDeleteYour blocks look very nice. I found it took me a little while to figure out how to make mine well. I cheat though and use my hands to fill them up at the end. I find there is always one or two that didn't get enough dirt while the rest were filled perfectly. But as long as they stick together and don't fall apart they work.
Sowing season has started for you too…
ReplyDeleteSoil blocks do look nice; I’m looking forward to see how plants will grow in them.
How long it takes from sowing wild strawberry seeds to first fruits? Is it in the same year?
We have a small place under a pine tree where wild strawberries grow, but I have never thought that they can be sown just anywhere. I prefer wild strawberries to regular ones, the are much smaller but so much sweeter.
Good job! Can't wait to see the new little sproutlings...
ReplyDeleteVrtlarica- I don't know if wild strawsberries fruit the first season. If they do, I'm sure they won't until the late fall. I'm planning on remaining any flowers that might develop during the first couple of months to allow th plants to put all of their energy into formign strong crowns.
ReplyDeleteWonderful! I love this part of gardening, there's so much potential in those flats. Are those Yellow Wonder wild strawberries? That's what I've got started. I've grown them before and they are absolutely delicious. I can't wait to have them again.
ReplyDeleteThose are very nice soil blocks. I had no idea we could grow artichokes around here. Those may have to be added to next years list.
ReplyDeleteYour blocks look great ! Watching GrafixMuse and yourself forge such wonderful blocks has dispelled my fear of the crumble. :D
ReplyDeleteNice work !
Michelle - yesn they are yellow wonder strawberries. I'm glad you found them tasty. I can what to harvest some!
ReplyDeleteNice job! The soil blocks look good.
ReplyDeleteI sowed some alpine strawberries 3 days ago without cold treatment, some are pricking already.
Hi Mac, did you cover you seeds or just press them to ther surface of the potting mix. Just curious. I could not find any growing instructions for them at all!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blocks, Thomas! I do mine one at a time and fill it by hand, pressing it firmly into the blocker with my thumbs. That pushes out excess moisture and makes the blocks nice and tight. It goes surprisingly fast, even at one at a time. I use plain vermiculite to cover all my seeds, and I use two plain old heating pads (with moisture proof covers), the kind you use on aching muscles, as my heat source. I place a rack over them, and set my seed trays on it. Otherwise they get too warm. I only use the heating pads for heat loving crops like peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
ReplyDeleteWow. Those blocks look fantastic! I'm thinking that's got to be my next year's investment.
ReplyDeleteThere's always something, isn't there. ;)
Oh, how exciting to see those blocks all lined up! I think I will plant some onions this weekend.
ReplyDeleteThomas..nice going...looks like you are on your way...
ReplyDeletesoaking sweet pea seeds here..need to get them in before the rain...
i have sweet pea love.....
i'll be back soon
kary
I don't think I've ever seen soil blocks before. I'm so naive... They look good to me. Good luck with the seeds!
ReplyDeleteThomas..you should be able to find dried minced onion right in the spice section ...with all the salt and pepper and other spices..
ReplyDeleteit usually is next to the dried minced garlic..that i have bought by mistake..look carefully..they look the same....
let me know if you make it :-)
kary
They look great! Can't wait to see how the soil blocks do, it's one of those things I have been eyeing for next year possibly...
ReplyDeleteNice! I am itchin' to try mine out. Artichokes, I'm jealous. ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure soil blocks would be for me, I'm way to clumsy. Your looks really well made though, very neat. It would be nice to forgo storing all the pots.
ReplyDeleteI grew cardoon as an ornamental last year and I am trying to over winter them to bloom this year. Not sure if the cardoon flower is edible like the artichoke though. Both are striking plants even if you don't eat them. I must get my celery in too, thanks for the heads up.
Your blocks so neat and inviting all lined up in the tray! It will be fun to watch as the seedlings progress from unplanted soil block to a transplant going into the garden.
ReplyDeleteThomas,
ReplyDeleteI covered the seeds with potting mix and set the tray on heat mat because they were leftover seeds from last year, I didn't know they would germinate or not.
According to The Kitchen Garden Grower's Guide -- seed planting depth 1/8 -1/4", germination soil temperature 65-75F, days to germinate 7-14 days, growing soil temp 60-80F, space 12-14", full sun to partial shade, seed vitality 1 yr. incompatible with broccoli and cabbage family plants, prefers acid soil.
I think Coleman promotes small-scale organic farming practices and sustainable agriculture. One of his central principles is "small is better," advocating business growth through improved production and marketing, rather than physical expansion.
ReplyDelete