Anyone Use Johnny's Soil Block Makers

[Dutch]

Anyone use Johnny's soil block makers or similar product? Which ones work best?
Dutch

[FarmerShawn]

I've used the soil blockers for two years now, and I love 'em! I started the first year with the 2" blocks, and that was also the first year I had a small (12X12) greenhouse. The starts were so healthy, and transplanting was so easy (I use a bulb planter to dig the holes in the garden, dump in some water, and drop the blocks in as deep as I can and still show leaves) that I expanded to the mini blocks last year. That greatly increases the number of starts I can fit on my heat mats. This year I have ordered the 1.5" blocks, to get more starts in a flat, especially of smaller things like lettuce, and the 4" blocker, so I will never have to buy pots again. We'll see how the buying public takes to purchasing a chunk of bare unpotted soil with a plant sticking out of it - if I can convince them of the sustainability of the enterprise. Anyway, the cool thing is the ability to start seeds in the mini, drop the mini-block into the 2" block after germination, and then drop the 2" block right into the 4" block when it's time for that move.
The trick, of course, is getting the right potting mix for blocks. I haven't tried Johnny's offering, nor have I tried mixing my own. I've had great luck with Vermont Compost Company's Fort V http://www.vermontcompost.com/ . I see on the page where they list retailers that there are at least a couple listed in WI. I like their product because it has a lot of good, fertile stuff in the mix, so I don't need to fertilize the plants as long as they are in the block. Last year some of my leftover late transplants were 16-18 inches tall, with blossoms and fruit, still growing in the two-inch blocks. They looked strange, but they were healthy, sturdy, needed frequent watering, and took off like rockets when they finally got into the ground.

[Dutch]

Thanks Shawn.
Dutch

[fortyonenorth]

I agree with everything FarmerShawn stated. I've had very great luck with the 2" blocks and 4" blocks. I find the little mini-blocks to be challenging, but I they need a finer mix and I haven't gotten it right yet. The only other caveat with the 4" blocks is that the take a lot of soil and I find them time consuming to make. Last year I started all my tomatoes and peppers using the paper towel/baggie method. Moved the sprouted seed to the 2" blocks and then transplanted to 4" cow pots later. The seedlings weren't quite as vigorous as when I transplanted to 4" soil blocks, but the time and energy savings made it a worthwhile trade-off.

Johnny's is selling the real deal - made in England, I believe, and built to last forever. I've heard there are Chinese-manufactured knock-offs out there, but I haven't seen them. Spend the money and get the good ones. You won't regret it.

[Dutch]

Thanks for sharing your experience using these soil blocks. I value your input 41N.
Dutch

[Wi-sunflower]

Here is another site that has the same blockers but at a bit better price I think. http://www.pottingblocks.com/

[lurley]

I found a thread here at another site,
http://★★★★★★★★.★★★★★★★★★.com/index.cgi?board=tools&action=display&thread=1544
where the lady talks about using them and shows photos too. They look pretty cool. I would still have to grow everyone else's in pots but I might try the soil blocks for my own stuff next year.


Are we not able to link to other sites from here? It didn't come up in my post so guess not, sorry I tried to answer your question.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by Wi-sunflower

Here is another site that has the same blockers but at a bit better price I think. http://www.pottingblocks.com/

Thanks Carol, I'll check it out.
Dutch

[lurley]

Dutch,
Well, the jist of it was that she thinks they are fabulous, and all the large growers have gone to using them. She can make thousands in a day, filling mesh trays that then get set into solid trays. She starts with the tiny 20 block, and gradually plants up all the way to the large 4 inch block. The roots are healthy and get air pruned. The only drawback for me would be that they need to be watered every day since they dry out faster. I was concerned about the watering making the blocks disintegrate, but I read that once you make the block the fibers are locked together. The large blocker from Johnny's was $189 I think, that's a stumbler for me right now too, since at my current cost of 10 cents a pot for my 4 inch pots, that could buy a LOT of pots, although it is a one time cost. I should also mention that this lady gets bulk soil compost mix delivered and doesn't use Johnny's mix, and said that all peat is too light, and all compost is too heavy. I may ask santa for a set of blockers next year, but don't know how lucky I'll be with that request since I didn't get the Johnny's jab type transplanter I wanted this year... just slippers

[FarmerShawn]

Lurley, I just checked the Johnny's catalog, and the 4" blocker is $99, not $189, if that makes any difference. But last year I started in the 2" blocks, and potted up into 3.5" pots for plants I sold at market, and that worked just fine - quick, easy, and zero transplant shock.
I keep my blocks in the mesh trays, and only use the solid trays for watering - I filled one with water and set the mesh tray into it for a few minutes to soak up enough water. I found that they only need watering daily when they get pretty big - the blocks themselves retain water pretty well; it's just when the plants get quite big and start to use a lot of water themselves that more frequent watering is necessary.
I also tended to cram as many blocks into a tray as I could, which I found defeated the air pruning concept a bit, as many blocks were grown together by the time I transplanted, but a sharp knife separated them easily, and I noticed no harmful effects or setbacks due to the pruned roots.

[Dutch]

lurley,
BB code is a set of tags based on the HTML language. They allow you to add formatting and advanced functions to your messages in the same way as HTML does, but it does it in simpler syntax that allows you to view the message you are creating. The ability to use BB code is set on a forum-by-forum basis by the webmaster. Posting a link to another forum is a function of the BB code and is commonly not allowed. Thanks I know you meant well.
Dutch

[lurley]

Good advice about not packing them in too tight. If they are only $99 for the big ones I may get one after all and some mesh flats. I can probably cover those costs with my egg money

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