Friday Favorite: Soil Blocks
This is the first year I’ve used lots of soil blocks in my seed starting and I LOVE them. The seedlings definitely grow better and have much less transplants shock. There is a bit of a learning curve to making and managing them, but one you get it they’re perfect. Yesterday, I got four more flats of summer lettuce and other fall crops going in soil blocks.
I’ll definitely do a long article or a series about them here when I have time to sit down and write it. They are well worth the investment in time and money.
Have you ever used soil blocks?
Filed under Friday Favorites, Seed Sowing | Comments (5)
I’m really looking forward to your full post on this topic. I own two different size soil blockers that I bought from Johnny’s and I’ve never been able to get them to work right.
For one, I think the soil mix has to be just the right consistency and I’m too cheap to mail-order bags of the Johnny’s mix, so I keep trying variations on your vermiculite-based mix (when I can actually find vermiculite locally). I’ve also tried some store-bought starter mix. Then, getting it just wet enough but not so wet that it sticks to the blockers is also difficult. Then, I always have problems keeping the moisture even and watering and I’m never quite sure how to space the blocks. Half the time, I go to water the tray and the blocks disintegrate. I also find that it uses 3x as much soil mix as plastic cell trays, which can get pretty pricey when you do a lot of trays.
So yeah…I’m looking forward to your post. :-)
to Justin's comment
I’m with Justin, can’t wait for your detailed post.
to Melanie Allen's comment
Never have used soil blocks. Would love to give them a try; looking, very much so, forward to your further posts on the topic!
to Louise's comment
I have never used soil blocks but I remember my dad using them. I have seen a few articles on them recently and have been considering picking up a blocker to try.
to Ian Baker's comment
Susy, yup, I’m with everyone else. I didn’t get them to hold together and found them disintegrating when watering time came. I just use the small fiber square pots to start plants and then pot them into plastic drinking cups with holes drilled in the bottom. I know the instructions for the fiber pots say that you can just plant the whole thing in the ground but I pull it off when I re pot into the bigger plastic cups. It works for me. The potting soil and the moisture content is not a worry when I do it that way.
Have a great soil block day.
to Nebraska Dave's comment