I'll take good advice over click bait and flashy animations :) You have quickly become one of 3 gardening channels that I watch (and rewatch) constantly. It's not even like I'm searching for a certain topic; I am constantly inspired by everything you put out, even if it's in ways you maybe didn't intend!
Thank you for modelling making priorities decisions when things are busy - "I don't have time for fancy editing" is legit. I'm also constantly balancing "I want less plastic" with "what's realistically available in my life right now." Aluminum recycling is also a pretty intense process, and what reduces one problem can aggravate/create one we didn't know about before. I love hearing your process and learning about alternatives from you.
Good that you are bringing this topic up in your vids. A few additional things to mention. When plastic ages or is exposed to UV etc polymers break down. This is partly why plastic recycling doesn’t lead to same quality plastic and why plastic can’t be re-recycled over and over again. Some of these broken polymers are leading to a structurally weaker product and this is largely why recycled plastic leaches more than virgin plastic even if other contaminants could be removed. Another thing to mention is that products are never 100% recycled plastic. They always contain some amount of virgin plastic added in the mix to improve quality and durability. So recycled plastic is not the ecological option if there is a non-plastic option to use instead.
I watch your channel for your knowledge not for entertaining editing so please don't worry about your videos being "perfect". I agree with you regarding plastic. I'm now concerned about fabric bags, do they use plastic in them? Ugh, we always have to be vigilant. Happy seed sowing!
Woman, you are amazing. i am 70 yrs. young and I have learned so much from you. I just attended my local garden club meeting and I said let's have someone talk about soil blocking. The President had no clue what that was. Oh my. I have a local source for Coco Loco and I am leaning really hard to going with the wool pellets. Please make sure you take time for yourself and your family. One day I hope to make it over the hill and come see your garden tour. God bless you for all you do.
Thank you for keeping this issue front of mind. It is so easy to take for granted how much plastic waste is part of the gardening industry. I just got a soil blocker for Christmas and will love not using plastic this spring! And thanks for the heads up on peat too. You share great info!!
I could listen to you rant for hours! I truly appreciate all of the information that you take the time to share! And I think how you present it is perfect! You break it down into something that we can all digest and learn from. So girly, talk for as long as you want to! 😊💕
Thank you for speaking about these things and educating gardeners! I have learned so much from all of your videos, and it’s very encouraging to see that I’m not just a drop in an ocean but that many more people are also realizing and trying to step back from all the toxins we introduce just for convenience sake. I understand we can’t control everything around us but at least this way I can control what goes into mine and my families bodies, and hopefully teach others if they see and ask about it along the way. Your channel is such a valuable resource to me and no doubt countless others, so thank you.
I purchased silicone grow trays from Burpee about 3 years ago. I like them a lot and they are still going strong. I don't think they would work for commercial growers but they are really good for someone with a small garden like mine. What I like the best is that the soft silicone bottom is just pushed up and everything comes out with ease and little to no root disturbance. I'm hoping to use them for many more years.
Love this 🫶🏼! I lived in many countries that have strict recycling rules but also single use plastic bans. Even glitter is plastic ☹️ We will never be free of it
I am sooooo excited that I told my kids to get me two soil blockers for Christmas and they did and because I saw your vlog on soil blocking, now what can I do with my pots I hate to give them a way they say some are recyclable No such thing😢❤ Thank You sweet girl for your care and love of sustainable and regenerative gardening❤🎉
A lot of microplastics in water supplies also come from people washing their clothes that are not made from natural fibers and the clothes shed micro fibers/plastics each time they're washed. A lot of cities claim to have recycling just to make people pay for a separate bin but in a lot of cases it ends up in the same landfill as the regular trash. I've seen wood trays made from scrap wood on another channel. I recently replaced some fencing and plan on recycling some of the old, wood, fence panels that way. I recently decided to get rid of a large area of lawn but I know it will be probably a year before I'm ready to replant the area with other plants or natives. I put down huge sheets of burlap and covered thickly with mulch. By the time the burlap rots down I'll be ready to do something with the area. No plastics or chemicals needed. I love this content and how much you are here to educate.
My work made me aware of microplastics about 10 years ago,and we eliminated polyester fleece throws and clothing with polyester content then. It's getting harder and harder to find 100 percent cotton jersey and fleece (hoodies for my son and husband).
As always, very informative, thank you! 13% of plastic from a recycling plant becoming waste micro-plastic released into the water supply is indeed terrifying and completely unacceptable.
First, thank you for the valuable information for our consideration. Your deep convictions will make our world a better place. Secondly, I hope you will forego the need to qualify, apologize, or include a disclaimer of your video style. You bring so much value and beauty with each upload, I'm dumbfounded that you would even think it necessary. I'm amazed and grateful that even while in the midst of all the renovations you are still finding time to film 😳. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
While studying for my chemistry degree, we had to recycle a plastic water bottle for one of the labs. While some plastics are thermoplastic, meaning you can just melt them down and reshape them, many are thermoset, meaning they cannot be simply melted into a new shape without first chemically breaking it down. We had to grind up the bottle, then add solvents and catalysts to get the polymer bonds to break down. It was a very intensive process and I still remember that lab over a decade later. I always tell people that plastic recycling is not as easy as it sounds, and that you never get the same quality material from recycled plastic as you do virgin plastic. We cannot recycle our way out of plastic use. That being said, when it comes to plastic (or any other good), I always remember the classic reduce, reuse, recycle triangle. Those words are in a specific order for a reason! First, always try to reduce your plastic use! I got a soil blocker this year and will be soil blocking probably 90% of my seedlings. However, I still have a few hundred plastic seed starting pots that I just cant throw away (most of which were rescued from the trash to begin with), so I will continue to reuse them until they are no longer useable. Additionally, for my soil blocks, I have saved up all those flat plastic trays that produce/chicken breast comes packaged in for my blocks (unfortunately I don't have zero/low waste grocery stores near me and everything comes wrapped in plastic). I always say that if I have to buy something wrapped in plastic, I'm going to find a second use for that plastic before it goes to the landfill. Plastic produce trays become seed starting trays, yogurt containers become take home containers for guests after parties, bread bags become dog poop bags, etc. Thank you so much for these videos, because you got me on to soil blocking! Excited to be able to do better when it comes to my home garden.
Thanks so much for sharing your insights. I am 10 years behind you on this Green Revolution. Unbelievably eye-opening. I just started soil blocking for my gardens, but now I feel I erred in buying plastic trays to hold them. Plastic is so cheap, which is the root of the problem. Thanks, Brie.
Our "recycling center" was actually sending everything overseas. We found out from our mayor who put up a notice when the other country decided to stop accepting it, yet even now we're still required to have a recycle bin. 🤦 Thank you for the reminder to reduce plastic use/waste as much as possible.
Wow thank you for making this video!! I always buy things made of recycled plastic when possible to support companies who are trying to do better for the planet, I had no idea about how toxic the recycling process was!! I need to look into this further but I will no longer operate under that assumption! I'm also considering how I want to start seeds inside this year, so I'm glad I watched this before making any decisions. Really loved this video.
If you’re ever in the mood to share how you run your household in the most sustainable way I’d be interested in that as well! How to get away from plastic every where you turn in the grocery store and drug store. I have adopted many tactics but I know you’d have new ones I could try out! Thanks for all your gardening info - especially the cut flower variety!!
Thanks for making this video, definitely very eye-opening. I have some of those plastic trays thinking it'd at least be better than the more disposable ones so I'm a bit disappointed in myself to have spent money on them. While I'll probably still use them since I already have them, your argument is compelling and I won't be getting anymore. I did want to at least say that while I found your channel through Epic Gardening (and I do still follow them), I really respect your commitment to your values in not wanting to promote products you don't believe in, and have enjoyed learning from you! I haven't had the time to try soil blocking (and didn't want to spend additional money on supplies when I already had some stuff), but I'm definitely giving more serious thought to investing in those tools. Keep doing what you're doing! :D
When we are looking at sustainability it’s so easy for us to kick ourselves. It’s the same for me and the landscape fabric!! Like whyyyyy didn’t I think about this? But we also can’t beat ourselves up. It’s hard not to do that. But sustainability is also largely about using what we already have and realizing we won’t always be perfect! ❤️ Anyway I’m glad you’re here! It was definitely a disappointing experience but not something to get into on socials. ❤️
Great video highlighting so many topics about the plastic problem. I have been guilty of using them myself, along with cardboard. As I move forward on growing my farm, I choose to do it regeneratively. Your videos are very informative and a pleasure to watch edited or not. Keep up the hard work, and best of luck with your home improvements!
You never have to apologize for your videos. You are always full of healthy information. I’ve been aware of our plastics problem for years. I cringed when I saw all the beautiful young women wearing plastic pants! This information has to get to young people! Plastic doesn’t belong in mothers milk! I share your concerns. Thank you so much for helping to get this information out there.
Love this info! Thanks for sharing. For the wood seed starting trays, go look at the wooden one used at the TH-cam channel The Seasonal Homestead. She even uses a wicking cloth in them to provide moisture for the soil blocks. Very cool! I’d love to make some like this for myself.
I have to smile when you talk about wood trays. That’s all we had 25 years ago when I first started seeds in my basement. They worked OK but you have to watch the watering. Drainage is also dicey.
What are your thoughts on silicone seed trays? I was trying to find info on sustainability/leaching chemicals and they seem safer, but what I found was specifically looking at things like dishwasher/oven safe for food.
Now I know why you are no longer part of the Epic Team. Still glad Epic led me to you. I don't know the science but I doubt seed-starting lights emit enough heat to degrade these plastics.
I wondered too. Conflicting feelings because soil blocking is just challenging for some. Like I cant find coconut coir based product in my area that well so if I ordered it, I'm contributing to carbon emission. Lesser evil I guess
@@yasdiolola you can soil block with pretty much any peat-free potting soil (or even ones with peat if that's all you can find) so long as you sift it first to remove big chunks :)
I love this! I was just looking into composters as well, specifically the elevated, enclosed ones, because we have a massive rat problem and don't want to encourage pests, but you guessed it, all plastic! I guess steel garbage can it is!
I tried soil blocking last year and definitely liked it, but when it came time to harden off before planting out, we had a lot of rain and I ended up having to keep bringing them back inside because I don't have a greenhouse or anything, so it stretched out my hardening off process a couple extra weeks. I ended up getting some of the epic gardening plastic ones to use for some of them but still soil block when I can, and I intend to hopefully use these for as long as possible. Sometimes you do what you have to.
Definitely! For hardening off we usually open our garage door and put the seeds just inside the door so they still get sun but are somewhat sheltered. Or under our patio umbrella!
Human greed in many forms is driving culture today. While I agree with being as careful as possible, especially when it comes to soil, unless everyone subscribes to this it seems to me a losing battle. So much damage has already been done, it is so widespread, the pessimist in me thinks What's the point? All I can do is right here in my little acreage. . .My particular soapbox is herbicide use. In my county it is beyond rampant and so widely accepted that to speak against it is tantamount to treason. Incredibly sad when I look around at the beauty of creation we are blessed with here. Appreciate your videos and information. . .
I use the harder plastics because I have bad hands and they enable me with my disabilities to be able to do this without dropping things and destorying them constantly. I dropped at least 9 seed trays with soil blockers last year. But I still plan to do some this year. There is a balance between human capabilities and sustainability that we must consider when we talk about the future of society. Plastic offers flexibility and durability that is not available in other forms like metal and paper. We see that with the adcovoacy around bendy straws and those with motor related disabilties. I do my best on this front to balance what plastics I consume and what sustainable methods and materials I can use.
Yes, I agree that there are cases where accessibility considerations must be made. Good for you for keeping at it! Have you seen the aluminum seed trays?
Just seconding that balance and concern between accessibility and sustainability. It’s challenging, but I feel like it’s important to not let perfect be the enemy of the good. As a fellow disabled human that keeps a small scale patio garden for supplemental produce and as a mental health outlet, I honestly don’t think I could garden without plastics. Terracotta pots are way too heavy for me to maneuver, I rely on my extendable watering wand, and my greenstalks are what enables me to make the most of gardening in a small space from a wheelchair. I love the idea of soil blocking, but physically I have a connective tissue disorder and my hands dislocate before I can apply the grip strength needed to use them. Personally, I think it’s better to garden with lightweight, nonbreakable reusable plastics than not garden at all. I will look into the metal or silicone trays, but I’m worried about corrosion for the aluminum trays.
Plastic is a wonder material, but when it comes to consumer products and recycling, the best place for plastic is in a landfill. I remember questions about plastic recycling starting to show up 20 years ago (like on Penn and Teller's Showtime show "BS"), but due to social conditioning, very few people took them seriously. Well, look where we are now. I stopped putting anything but cardboard and metals in my recycling bin. Due to previous owners covering large sections of my property in landscape fabric, I'm sure there's a certain level of contamination, but I'm doing my best to clean things up.
Can you share your thoughts on the wood trays you mentioned for seeds? I like the idea, but have no idea where to start. Is there such a thing as organic wood?
Hello I was wondering if glass containers can somehow be converted into seed starters somehow? I wonder if there is a drill bit that can create holes for drainage? Thank you for the information!
There seems to be a little salt between them from what I pick up. I could be totally wrong but, from all the seed trays she could choose to discuss I feel she made this video with a sneaky intention to diss kevin and stir the pot lol
@@Raenbugnot at all. He may be salty at me if you’re picking that up (?) but I’m not, interested to hear why you think there’s salt between us-because I’m talking about recycled plastic? There are companies other than epic that make recycled seed starting trays such as bootstrap, neversink, greenhouse megastore, gardeners supply, charles dowding… I just held up the only recycled plastic seed tray that I had. 🤷🏼♀️ the facts are the facts here; I don’t get personal.
If you have a good solution to killing grassburs without herbicides and using plastic to shade out the soil that would be helpful! I know they grow in low fertility and we have so much sand… so I’m going to experiment with cover crops and nitrogen fixers (we got vetch naturally coming up last year) but we have used the black plastic to cover areas and landscape fabric because otherwise it’s awful. We also have crazy pasture grasses. I’m still hoping we can build our food forest but man sometimes it does get discouraging. There’s a cost with convenience so we just have to be wise and figure out what choices we make when we can where we can in each season. I refuse to use herbicides.
Hmm I think they are also known as sand burs or stickers. But they are the prickly things that get stuck in your feet and hurt like heck. They are really bad here in Texas. If you google that name they will come up. Sorry for the confusion.
I'm 36. When I was a kid, my grandparents were using wooden boxes. I remember the cat sleeping in them because they were so large and were standing on a sunny windowsill. I'm not from the US. Plastic came to other countries decades later. They just swip it under the carpet, and it comes out on the other side of the world. I'm afraid for future generations.
@@Blossomandbranch Thank you very much! I found the video on the cracking soil. I definitely don't want to do that to our soil and ground. We'll do the mulch method. I appreciate your perspective and opinion. The microbial environment in our yard appreciates you, too!
I’m going to copy and paste my reply to someone else to you-When we are looking at sustainability it’s so easy for us to kick ourselves. It’s the same for me and the landscape fabric!! Like whyyyyy didn’t I think about this? But we also can’t beat ourselves up. It’s hard not to do that. But sustainability is also largely about using what we already have and realizing we won’t always be perfect! ❤️
@@Blossomandbranch I’m too sick to even take a chance on bad junk going into me. I have soil block makers but I never have had your good recipe before, so I will try yours and surely do better than I did the first few times. I could have bought a lot of coco loco for what I spent on those trays!
Where do you buy fiberglass seed tray? I tried cafeteria plastic trays last year, didn't go well at all. It would be wonderful any good suggestion even tho on amazon.
Thanks for replying. There were some issues which one was the water didn't spread evenly. Two, seeds got washed out from the blocks. So I lost them plenty. I didn't make good, solid enough of blocks.
recycled plastic means it needed to be burnt down somewhere in a factory, leaking out into the environment and its prob shipped overseas to be remade and then shipped back to the US, which is basically sending our prob overseas, out of sight, out of mind right and not sustainable with the pollution factor, as well as the unnecessary shipment back and forth
I don’t understand, did Epic Gardening do something to you or your channel? I’ve always loved both of your channels, but this feels like such a pointed attack especially given that the vast majority of seed starting trays are mass produced thin plastic that lasts one season or less. Even if they aren’t perfect, at least they’re trying to be a more sustainable alternative. That’s not to say soil blocking isn’t wonderful. I feel like most gardening channels on here are just trying to help others learn and build a sustainable business at the same time. Why tear them down when they helped you grow? Both of your approaches are valuable.
When did I mention epic? Epic isn’t the only company that uses recycled plastic seed trays, it’s just the one I happened to have. They’re very popular and made by other companies including bootstrap, neversink, gardeners supply, charles dowding and more. This is about speaking against recycled plastic for gardening use and I never mw ruined any brand.
As someone who works in the medical field, I’m letting you know healthcare could not exist without plastic! From infection control to drug administration. Glass is impractical, steel and aluminium have their place in my field but if you can come up with a sustainable solution to single use plastic in this setting, you’d never want for money again as it’s the Unicorn in medicine!
Medical field never uses recycled plastic due to leaching and other quality issues. It is very important for that plastic to be virgin and the best possible grade to make sure it is pollutant free and sterile. I fully agree in using plastic in healthcare and we should reduce plastic virgin consumption in other unnecessary areas so we can continue making virgin plastic for actually important areas for decades to come.
I actually have a GREAT option for you!! I’ll be showing it soon-it’s called the swiftblocker and it’s great for arthritic hands! They’re making a small version for home gardeners this year ❤️
It's really important to note that none of the sources you posted back up your claims. I read through every single one. There are many different types of plastics and they are not all the same. Its important to read through your sources before spreading disinformation. Its also important to note that you sit in a plastic chair speaking into a camera, uploading to a computer. You're using a number of lithium batteries wrapped in plastic produced by China. You could've used a microphone that required way, way less plastic and no battery at all. Yet you chose not to. I wonder why. Is your phone or computer used or bought new?
Agree with all---BUT/AND, NEW INFO: one city in US (Tucson, AZ) has adopted the NEW-STYLE actual non-burning, non-grinding, non-micro-plastic-forming plastic recycling system called ByFusion (google it, not the usual process), which recycles EVERY SINGLE KIND of non-sorted plastic into stable building blocks without creating more problems and is using the blocks to make homeles housing. So, of course we don't want to use more plastic, but Tucson is hoping that this program can be extended to municipalities acoss the US so we can deal responsibly with all the plastic that already exists.Talk to your representative!
I found your channel from Epic and now I really understand why you're not working with them anymore 🫠 Seriously though, I love your message momma! You're a rockstar!
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When I know better, I do better. Thanks for the knowledge and the reminder to do better, especially as I plan for the 2024 season.
No fancy editing necessary, just all that juicy info!
Hot tea comin through!!
I'll take good advice over click bait and flashy animations :) You have quickly become one of 3 gardening channels that I watch (and rewatch) constantly. It's not even like I'm searching for a certain topic; I am constantly inspired by everything you put out, even if it's in ways you maybe didn't intend!
That means so so much. Thank you.
Recycling is good for things like glass and aluminium, but it is NOT the solution to plastic waste. Love your calm, sensible and informative approach!
Thank you for modelling making priorities decisions when things are busy - "I don't have time for fancy editing" is legit.
I'm also constantly balancing "I want less plastic" with "what's realistically available in my life right now." Aluminum recycling is also a pretty intense process, and what reduces one problem can aggravate/create one we didn't know about before. I love hearing your process and learning about alternatives from you.
Thanks for the input-and understanding! ❤
Good that you are bringing this topic up in your vids.
A few additional things to mention.
When plastic ages or is exposed to UV etc polymers break down.
This is partly why plastic recycling doesn’t lead to same quality plastic and why plastic can’t be re-recycled over and over again.
Some of these broken polymers are leading to a structurally weaker product and this is largely why recycled plastic leaches more than virgin plastic even if other contaminants could be removed.
Another thing to mention is that products are never 100% recycled plastic. They always contain some amount of virgin plastic added in the mix to improve quality and durability.
So recycled plastic is not the ecological option if there is a non-plastic option to use instead.
Thanks for adding this information!! ❤
I watch your channel for your knowledge not for entertaining editing so please don't worry about your videos being "perfect". I agree with you regarding plastic. I'm now concerned about fabric bags, do they use plastic in them? Ugh, we always have to be vigilant. Happy seed sowing!
It’s a great question and I’m not sure-I know the lined ones do, wonder if there’s a straight burlap option!
Woman, you are amazing. i am 70 yrs. young and I have learned so much from you. I just attended my local garden club meeting and I said let's have someone talk about soil blocking. The President had no clue what that was. Oh my. I have a local source for Coco Loco and I am leaning really hard to going with the wool pellets. Please make sure you take time for yourself and your family. One day I hope to make it over the hill and come see your garden tour. God bless you for all you do.
This is amazing to hear, thank you!
Thank you for keeping this issue front of mind. It is so easy to take for granted how much plastic waste is part of the gardening industry. I just got a soil blocker for Christmas and will love not using plastic this spring! And thanks for the heads up on peat too. You share great info!!
Thanks for being here with an open mind! ❤️
I could listen to you rant for hours! I truly appreciate all of the information that you take the time to share! And I think how you present it is perfect! You break it down into something that we can all digest and learn from. So girly, talk for as long as you want to! 😊💕
You are so welcome! Thank you for the feedback :) My style doesn't resonate with everyone but I'm glad it did with you!
Thank you for speaking about these things and educating gardeners! I have learned so much from all of your videos, and it’s very encouraging to see that I’m not just a drop in an ocean but that many more people are also realizing and trying to step back from all the toxins we introduce just for convenience sake. I understand we can’t control everything around us but at least this way I can control what goes into mine and my families bodies, and hopefully teach others if they see and ask about it along the way.
Your channel is such a valuable resource to me and no doubt countless others, so thank you.
Thanks for stopping in!! It’s encouraging to hear that others are thinking of these things as well!
I purchased silicone grow trays from Burpee about 3 years ago. I like them a lot and they are still going strong. I don't think they would work for commercial growers but they are really good for someone with a small garden like mine. What I like the best is that the soft silicone bottom is just pushed up and everything comes out with ease and little to no root disturbance. I'm hoping to use them for many more years.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
Love this 🫶🏼! I lived in many countries that have strict recycling rules but also single use plastic bans. Even glitter is plastic ☹️ We will never be free of it
I am sooooo excited that I told my kids to get me two soil blockers for Christmas and they did and because I saw your vlog on soil blocking,
now what can I do with my pots I hate to give them a way they say some are recyclable No such thing😢❤ Thank You sweet girl for your care and love of sustainable and regenerative gardening❤🎉
Give them to someone who doesn't have a soil blocker yet. At least they will get used again.
A lot of microplastics in water supplies also come from people washing their clothes that are not made from natural fibers and the clothes shed micro fibers/plastics each time they're washed. A lot of cities claim to have recycling just to make people pay for a separate bin but in a lot of cases it ends up in the same landfill as the regular trash.
I've seen wood trays made from scrap wood on another channel. I recently replaced some fencing and plan on recycling some of the old, wood, fence panels that way.
I recently decided to get rid of a large area of lawn but I know it will be probably a year before I'm ready to replant the area with other plants or natives. I put down huge sheets of burlap and covered thickly with mulch. By the time the burlap rots down I'll be ready to do something with the area. No plastics or chemicals needed.
I love this content and how much you are here to educate.
Yes, recycled plastic clothing is terrible--I seek out cotton/linen/wool/hemp now and am phasing out my plastic "athleisurewear."
My work made me aware of microplastics about 10 years ago,and we eliminated polyester fleece throws and clothing with polyester content then. It's getting harder and harder to find 100 percent cotton jersey and fleece (hoodies for my son and husband).
As always, very informative, thank you! 13% of plastic from a recycling plant becoming waste micro-plastic released into the water supply is indeed terrifying and completely unacceptable.
It really is shockingly unacceptable. 😢
First, thank you for the valuable information for our consideration. Your deep convictions will make our world a better place.
Secondly, I hope you will forego the need to qualify, apologize, or include a disclaimer of your video style. You bring so much value and beauty with each upload, I'm dumbfounded that you would even think it necessary.
I'm amazed and grateful that even while in the midst of all the renovations you are still finding time to film 😳.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Thank you so much for the kind words, I really truly appreciate it!
While studying for my chemistry degree, we had to recycle a plastic water bottle for one of the labs. While some plastics are thermoplastic, meaning you can just melt them down and reshape them, many are thermoset, meaning they cannot be simply melted into a new shape without first chemically breaking it down. We had to grind up the bottle, then add solvents and catalysts to get the polymer bonds to break down. It was a very intensive process and I still remember that lab over a decade later. I always tell people that plastic recycling is not as easy as it sounds, and that you never get the same quality material from recycled plastic as you do virgin plastic. We cannot recycle our way out of plastic use.
That being said, when it comes to plastic (or any other good), I always remember the classic reduce, reuse, recycle triangle. Those words are in a specific order for a reason! First, always try to reduce your plastic use! I got a soil blocker this year and will be soil blocking probably 90% of my seedlings. However, I still have a few hundred plastic seed starting pots that I just cant throw away (most of which were rescued from the trash to begin with), so I will continue to reuse them until they are no longer useable. Additionally, for my soil blocks, I have saved up all those flat plastic trays that produce/chicken breast comes packaged in for my blocks (unfortunately I don't have zero/low waste grocery stores near me and everything comes wrapped in plastic). I always say that if I have to buy something wrapped in plastic, I'm going to find a second use for that plastic before it goes to the landfill. Plastic produce trays become seed starting trays, yogurt containers become take home containers for guests after parties, bread bags become dog poop bags, etc.
Thank you so much for these videos, because you got me on to soil blocking! Excited to be able to do better when it comes to my home garden.
Thanks so much for sharing your insights. I am 10 years behind you on this Green Revolution. Unbelievably eye-opening. I just started soil blocking for my gardens, but now I feel I erred in buying plastic trays to hold them. Plastic is so cheap, which is the root of the problem. Thanks, Brie.
You're right, it's affordability makes it compelling.
Our "recycling center" was actually sending everything overseas. We found out from our mayor who put up a notice when the other country decided to stop accepting it, yet even now we're still required to have a recycle bin. 🤦 Thank you for the reminder to reduce plastic use/waste as much as possible.
Wow thank you for making this video!! I always buy things made of recycled plastic when possible to support companies who are trying to do better for the planet, I had no idea about how toxic the recycling process was!! I need to look into this further but I will no longer operate under that assumption! I'm also considering how I want to start seeds inside this year, so I'm glad I watched this before making any decisions. Really loved this video.
Appreciate the education on recycled plastics!
If you’re ever in the mood to share how you run your household in the most sustainable way I’d be interested in that as well! How to get away from plastic every where you turn in the grocery store and drug store. I have adopted many tactics but I know you’d have new ones I could try out! Thanks for all your gardening info - especially the cut flower variety!!
I have one I’m working on now showing what we use for cleaning/soap/paper towel alternatives that may be helpful!! ❤️
Thanks for making this video, definitely very eye-opening. I have some of those plastic trays thinking it'd at least be better than the more disposable ones so I'm a bit disappointed in myself to have spent money on them. While I'll probably still use them since I already have them, your argument is compelling and I won't be getting anymore.
I did want to at least say that while I found your channel through Epic Gardening (and I do still follow them), I really respect your commitment to your values in not wanting to promote products you don't believe in, and have enjoyed learning from you! I haven't had the time to try soil blocking (and didn't want to spend additional money on supplies when I already had some stuff), but I'm definitely giving more serious thought to investing in those tools. Keep doing what you're doing! :D
When we are looking at sustainability it’s so easy for us to kick ourselves. It’s the same for me and the landscape fabric!! Like whyyyyy didn’t I think about this? But we also can’t beat ourselves up. It’s hard not to do that. But sustainability is also largely about using what we already have and realizing we won’t always be perfect! ❤️
Anyway I’m glad you’re here! It was definitely a disappointing experience but not something to get into on socials. ❤️
I am completely of your opinion! We have to find ways out of the plastik trap! 👍🏽 🌿
Great video highlighting so many topics about the plastic problem. I have been guilty of using them myself, along with cardboard. As I move forward on growing my farm, I choose to do it regeneratively. Your videos are very informative and a pleasure to watch edited or not. Keep up the hard work, and best of luck with your home improvements!
You never have to apologize for your videos. You are always full of healthy information. I’ve been aware of our plastics problem for years. I cringed when I saw all the beautiful young women wearing plastic pants! This information has to get to young people! Plastic doesn’t belong in mothers milk! I share your concerns. Thank you so much for helping to get this information out there.
Thanks so much. I wish I'd known this information when I was starting out!
Preaching to the 'coir'❤😂❤
😂😂😂
Very informative as usual! I follow you because you’re amazingly organized!
And I learn!!!
Awesome! Thank you!🙏
Love this info! Thanks for sharing. For the wood seed starting trays, go look at the wooden one used at the TH-cam channel The Seasonal Homestead. She even uses a wicking cloth in them to provide moisture for the soil blocks. Very cool! I’d love to make some like this for myself.
Thanks for the tip!
A study was done here in Australia recently and it showed the microplastics are showing up in fertiliser even organic ones! I was shocked!
Yes, I wonder how much of that is because much of it is transported and stored in plastic containers!
I have to smile when you talk about wood trays. That’s all we had 25 years ago when I first started seeds in my basement. They worked OK but you have to watch the watering. Drainage is also dicey.
What are your thoughts on silicone seed trays? I was trying to find info on sustainability/leaching chemicals and they seem safer, but what I found was specifically looking at things like dishwasher/oven safe for food.
I haven’t done much research into the silicone ones yet!!
Now I know why you are no longer part of the Epic Team. Still glad Epic led me to you.
I don't know the science but I doubt seed-starting lights emit enough heat to degrade these plastics.
I wondered too. Conflicting feelings because soil blocking is just challenging for some. Like I cant find coconut coir based product in my area that well so if I ordered it, I'm contributing to carbon emission. Lesser evil I guess
It’s a long story but basically they had few products I felt comfortable selling at the time! Just different styles of gardening :)
@@yasdiolola you can soil block with pretty much any peat-free potting soil (or even ones with peat if that's all you can find) so long as you sift it first to remove big chunks :)
I love this! I was just looking into composters as well, specifically the elevated, enclosed ones, because we have a massive rat problem and don't want to encourage pests, but you guessed it, all plastic! I guess steel garbage can it is!
I tried soil blocking last year and definitely liked it, but when it came time to harden off before planting out, we had a lot of rain and I ended up having to keep bringing them back inside because I don't have a greenhouse or anything, so it stretched out my hardening off process a couple extra weeks. I ended up getting some of the epic gardening plastic ones to use for some of them but still soil block when I can, and I intend to hopefully use these for as long as possible. Sometimes you do what you have to.
Definitely! For hardening off we usually open our garage door and put the seeds just inside the door so they still get sun but are somewhat sheltered. Or under our patio umbrella!
@@Blossomandbranch I'm in urban Chicago, so my options are more limited 😛 the patio umbrella is a good idea though, thanks!
Im good to use large metal kitchen sheet trays for my soil blocking. Use what you have ❤. Your videos are great no need for fancy editing
Using what you have is a great option! ❤
Thank you for your input on this scary subject, much appreciated.
Human greed in many forms is driving culture today. While I agree with being as careful as possible, especially when it comes to soil, unless everyone subscribes to this it seems to me a losing battle. So much damage has already been done, it is so widespread, the pessimist in me thinks What's the point? All I can do is right here in my little acreage. . .My particular soapbox is herbicide use. In my county it is beyond rampant and so widely accepted that to speak against it is tantamount to treason. Incredibly sad when I look around at the beauty of creation we are blessed with here. Appreciate your videos and information. . .
I use the harder plastics because I have bad hands and they enable me with my disabilities to be able to do this without dropping things and destorying them constantly. I dropped at least 9 seed trays with soil blockers last year. But I still plan to do some this year. There is a balance between human capabilities and sustainability that we must consider when we talk about the future of society. Plastic offers flexibility and durability that is not available in other forms like metal and paper. We see that with the adcovoacy around bendy straws and those with motor related disabilties. I do my best on this front to balance what plastics I consume and what sustainable methods and materials I can use.
Yes, I agree that there are cases where accessibility considerations must be made. Good for you for keeping at it! Have you seen the aluminum seed trays?
Just seconding that balance and concern between accessibility and sustainability. It’s challenging, but I feel like it’s important to not let perfect be the enemy of the good.
As a fellow disabled human that keeps a small scale patio garden for supplemental produce and as a mental health outlet, I honestly don’t think I could garden without plastics. Terracotta pots are way too heavy for me to maneuver, I rely on my extendable watering wand, and my greenstalks are what enables me to make the most of gardening in a small space from a wheelchair.
I love the idea of soil blocking, but physically I have a connective tissue disorder and my hands dislocate before I can apply the grip strength needed to use them. Personally, I think it’s better to garden with lightweight, nonbreakable reusable plastics than not garden at all. I will look into the metal or silicone trays, but I’m worried about corrosion for the aluminum trays.
Appreciate the eye opener! ❤
Plastic is a wonder material, but when it comes to consumer products and recycling, the best place for plastic is in a landfill. I remember questions about plastic recycling starting to show up 20 years ago (like on Penn and Teller's Showtime show "BS"), but due to social conditioning, very few people took them seriously. Well, look where we are now. I stopped putting anything but cardboard and metals in my recycling bin. Due to previous owners covering large sections of my property in landscape fabric, I'm sure there's a certain level of contamination, but I'm doing my best to clean things up.
I like your videos, and I'm glad to know that you understand not everyone is going to agree with you.
Always prepared for that :)
Can you share your thoughts on the wood trays you mentioned for seeds? I like the idea, but have no idea where to start. Is there such a thing as organic wood?
Video incoming this week!! Just get untreated lumber (I’m using cedar)!
Thank you Brie. Do you have any knowledge about (more) sustainable options of holding solution/flowerfood, if you do... could you do a video about it?
Hello I was wondering if glass containers can somehow be converted into seed starters somehow? I wonder if there is a drill bit that can create holes for drainage? Thank you for the information!
I’ve never tried but such an interesting idea and a million times more sustainable ;)
“Recycling” to make us feel better about using plastic, it’s terrible and scary
As always, thank you!
It’s great to see you plugging Epic Gardening! I love Kevin, it’s how I found your channel!
I’m not plugging them at all. Watch the video. ;) I’m glad you found me though.
Dude I think maybe you only saw the first few mins of the video and saw the trays. Be better! You missed out on some good info.
There seems to be a little salt between them from what I pick up. I could be totally wrong but, from all the seed trays she could choose to discuss I feel she made this video with a sneaky intention to diss kevin and stir the pot lol
@@Raenbugnot at all. He may be salty at me if you’re picking that up (?) but I’m not, interested to hear why you think there’s salt between us-because I’m talking about recycled plastic? There are companies other than epic that make recycled seed starting trays such as bootstrap, neversink, greenhouse megastore, gardeners supply, charles dowding… I just held up the only recycled plastic seed tray that I had. 🤷🏼♀️ the facts are the facts here; I don’t get personal.
@@Raenbuglol she salty as hell
Hello, I saw a 2 inch soil blocker that has 8 blockers rather than 4. How do you think that will work?
If you have a good solution to killing grassburs without herbicides and using plastic to shade out the soil that would be helpful! I know they grow in low fertility and we have so much sand… so I’m going to experiment with cover crops and nitrogen fixers (we got vetch naturally coming up last year) but we have used the black plastic to cover areas and landscape fabric because otherwise it’s awful. We also have crazy pasture grasses. I’m still hoping we can build our food forest but man sometimes it does get discouraging. There’s a cost with convenience so we just have to be wise and figure out what choices we make when we can where we can in each season. I refuse to use herbicides.
Hi! What do you mean by grassburs? There are different nicknames for various weeds depending on region 🙃
Hmm I think they are also known as sand burs or stickers. But they are the prickly things that get stuck in your feet and hurt like heck. They are really bad here in Texas. If you google that name they will come up. Sorry for the confusion.
I'm 36. When I was a kid, my grandparents were using wooden boxes. I remember the cat sleeping in them because they were so large and were standing on a sunny windowsill. I'm not from the US. Plastic came to other countries decades later. They just swip it under the carpet, and it comes out on the other side of the world.
I'm afraid for future generations.
Do you use mulch and leaves instead of the landscape fabric? I haven't seen that video yet, but will look for it.
Yes, deep mulch!!
@@Blossomandbranch Thank you very much! I found the video on the cracking soil. I definitely don't want to do that to our soil and ground. We'll do the mulch method. I appreciate your perspective and opinion. The microbial environment in our yard appreciates you, too!
Thanks so much @@earthzeroapothecary !
For me, it's more like informed regret. Why do I always find out better after I made the purchase?
I’m going to copy and paste my reply to someone else to you-When we are looking at sustainability it’s so easy for us to kick ourselves. It’s the same for me and the landscape fabric!! Like whyyyyy didn’t I think about this? But we also can’t beat ourselves up. It’s hard not to do that. But sustainability is also largely about using what we already have and realizing we won’t always be perfect! ❤️
@@Blossomandbranch I’m too sick to even take a chance on bad junk going into me. I have soil block makers but I never have had your good recipe before, so I will try yours and surely do better than I did the first few times. I could have bought a lot of coco loco for what I spent on those trays!
Please feel free to reach out if you need help or troubleshooting with it @@harrymyhero
Have you tried soil blocking with a wicking mat? I can’t water every day (not always home). May have to experiment
Bare mountain farms does it with great success! Or use larger blocks and leave a little water in the bottom of the tray :)
Where do you buy fiberglass seed tray? I tried cafeteria plastic trays last year, didn't go well at all. It would be wonderful any good suggestion even tho on amazon.
Can you explain how they didn’t go well? Did they break?
Thanks for replying. There were some issues which one was the water didn't spread evenly. Two, seeds got washed out from the blocks. So I lost them plenty. I didn't make good, solid enough of blocks.
Where do you get fiberglass trays?
Cafeteria supply stores or even ikea I believe! They are cafeteria trays. Or save old meat trays and wash them well and reuse those :)
@@Blossomandbranchmaybe old cookie sheets?
recycled plastic means it needed to be burnt down somewhere in a factory, leaking out into the environment
and its prob shipped overseas to be remade and then shipped back to the US, which is basically sending our prob overseas, out of sight, out of mind right
and not sustainable with the pollution factor, as well as the unnecessary shipment back and forth
Exactly. Best to avoid it as much as possible!
I don’t understand, did Epic Gardening do something to you or your channel? I’ve always loved both of your channels, but this feels like such a pointed attack especially given that the vast majority of seed starting trays are mass produced thin plastic that lasts one season or less. Even if they aren’t perfect, at least they’re trying to be a more sustainable alternative. That’s not to say soil blocking isn’t wonderful.
I feel like most gardening channels on here are just trying to help others learn and build a sustainable business at the same time. Why tear them down when they helped you grow? Both of your approaches are valuable.
I thought the same thing!
This video feels super passive.
When did I mention epic? Epic isn’t the only company that uses recycled plastic seed trays, it’s just the one I happened to have. They’re very popular and made by other companies including bootstrap, neversink, gardeners supply, charles dowding and more.
This is about speaking against recycled plastic for gardening use and I never mw ruined any brand.
yip
As someone who works in the medical field, I’m letting you know healthcare could not exist without plastic! From infection control to drug administration. Glass is impractical, steel and aluminium have their place in my field but if you can come up with a sustainable solution to single use plastic in this setting, you’d never want for money again as it’s the Unicorn in medicine!
Sure. My husband works in the medical field too so I know quite well. But this channel is about gardening, which CAN exist quite well without plastic.
Medical field never uses recycled plastic due to leaching and other quality issues.
It is very important for that plastic to be virgin and the best possible grade to make sure it is pollutant free and sterile.
I fully agree in using plastic in healthcare and we should reduce plastic virgin consumption in other unnecessary areas so we can continue making virgin plastic for actually important areas for decades to come.
lol I’m so old that I remember IV solution in glass bottles. What a disaster when one fell and broke.
Keep ranting! Arthritis in my hands prevents me from soil blocking, so I’m doing the best I can. All tips welcomed, like fiberglass trays.
I actually have a GREAT option for you!! I’ll be showing it soon-it’s called the swiftblocker and it’s great for arthritic hands! They’re making a small version for home gardeners this year ❤️
You cannot avoid all plastics. It's everywhere and for our own safety and better sanitation. All "recycled" products have additional chemicals.
Of course you can’t, I never said you could.
This is quite the shock, but humans and every other species on Earth has existed for centuries without the use of plastics.
The veggie boys on here use recycle plastic.its not made out of plastic.
Sorry, I’m not clear on what you’re trying to say here
It's really important to note that none of the sources you posted back up your claims. I read through every single one. There are many different types of plastics and they are not all the same. Its important to read through your sources before spreading disinformation. Its also important to note that you sit in a plastic chair speaking into a camera, uploading to a computer. You're using a number of lithium batteries wrapped in plastic produced by China. You could've used a microphone that required way, way less plastic and no battery at all. Yet you chose not to. I wonder why. Is your phone or computer used or bought new?
Agree with all---BUT/AND, NEW INFO: one city in US (Tucson, AZ) has adopted the NEW-STYLE actual non-burning, non-grinding, non-micro-plastic-forming plastic recycling system called ByFusion (google it, not the usual process), which recycles EVERY SINGLE KIND of non-sorted plastic into stable building blocks without creating more problems and is using the blocks to make homeles housing. So, of course we don't want to use more plastic, but Tucson is hoping that this program can be extended to municipalities acoss the US so we can deal responsibly with all the plastic that already exists.Talk to your representative!
Would love to hear more!!
I found your channel from Epic and now I really understand why you're not working with them anymore 🫠
Seriously though, I love your message momma! You're a rockstar!
Just different styles of gardening and they weren’t into mine, nothing personal ( I hope! )