Adventures in Soil Blocking

[GottaGo]

I've been busy busy busy, between soil blocking more basil, just the Italian Large Leaf at the moment for the produce stand, and starting the Bush green beans, squash, zukes, cantaloupes and watermelons for the home garden, I just don't have many moments to myself. The seeds started in the 2" blocks have taken off like mad, EXCEPT for, again, parsley and sage. I don't have a clue what I'm doing wrong but it galls me that in order to have a supply I'm going to have to *gasp* buy some?

 

[Branching Out]

I've been busy busy busy, between soil blocking more basil, just the Italian Large Leaf at the moment for the produce stand, and starting the Bush green beans, squash, zukes, cantaloupes and watermelons for the home garden, I just don't have many moments to myself. The seeds started in the 2" blocks have taken off like mad, EXCEPT for, again, parsley and sage. I don't have a clue what I'm doing wrong but it galls me that in order to have a supply I'm going to have to *gasp* buy some?

April is kind of nuts with seed starting, planting out, weeding, and many other garden tasks. Fun, but exhausting. There are just not enough hours in the day! Today I planted out almost 200 blocks with bush and pole beans that were ready to take off. We just had many days of rain so I didn't even water them in; I figured they would be warmer overnight with just dry soil on top. If this works it will be amazing, and it the weather turns cold and wet it could be a bust. Two weeks should tell the story.

I wonder if you can start parsley on vermiculite. May have to give that a try. This is what I have in my notes regarding starting parsley:
Soak seeds overnight in very warm water (110F) and then place on moist paper towel in an airtight container, and plant when the radicals emerge (5 days or thereabouts). Then sow indoors ½ “deep in mid-February to mid-March; germination is 12-28 days, so be patient. Plant out or move to tall cell packs outdoors when very small (no more than 4 pairs of leaves) as they will quickly form a taproot. It is important that spring seedlings never experience temperatures at or near freezing, or they will think that they have gone through winter and will bolt by July. Sow outdoors 1 ½ “ deep mid-April through late August.

 

[flowerbug]

... The seeds started in the 2" blocks have taken off like mad, EXCEPT for, again, parsley and sage. I don't have a clue what I'm doing wrong

perhaps the pH is too low for the starter mix?

but it galls me that in order to have a supply I'm going to have to *gasp* buy some?

have you tried different varieties of parsley?

 

[GottaGo]

perhaps the pH is too low for the starter mix?




have you tried different varieties of parsley?

I have tried triple curled and flat leaf Italian.

And, I have germination on the triple curled! Even sage is popping a couple up.

And I think I may have found a clue... since herbs in general prefer slightly drier soil, maybe the seeds don't like to be fully wet... just moist, not wet. So I've been letting the blocks go to just shy of dry, and then spritz with a water bottle every day, and gave them a soak once a week. We will see how it goes, but so far so good.

 

[Branching Out]

I have tried triple curled and flat leaf Italian.

And, I have germination on the triple curled! Even sage is popping a couple up.

And I think I may have found a clue... since herbs in general prefer slightly drier soil, maybe the seeds don't like to be fully wet... just moist, not wet. So I've been letting the blocks go to just shy of dry, and then spritz with a water bottle every day, and gave them a soak once a week. We will see how it goes, but so far so good.

Yay-- progress!

 

[Celtic_Rumor]

perhaps the pH is too low for the starter mix?




have you tried different varieties of parsley?

How would you find out the pH of your soil? Like a tag on the bag, or is there a test you can do?

 

[flowerbug]

How would you find out the pH of your soil? Like a tag on the bag, or is there a test you can do?

if you want numbers you can get a pH probe.

or you can use any of various test kits that will have different methods.

and then there are such things as red cabbage juice. which will act as a pH indicator but without calibration you won't know any specific number. same with if you use vinegar or baking soda.

pretty much any seed starting product you buy should be an adjusted pH range that is ok for growing most vegetables but i was curious if perhaps those few in particular were more finicky and might want a higher pH.