SOIL BLOCKERS

OUR PROMISE IS "IF WE SELL IT, WE USE IT ON THE FARM OURSELVES"

Growing the best quality seedlings is of the utmost importance to organic vegetable growers. Soil Blocking is a technique that is quicker, simpler, cheaper and produces higher quality seedlings than other methods of seedling production. Growing seedlings in soil blocks (without using plastic pots) prevents transplant shock at any stage, allows seedlings to grow steadily and saves up to three weeks growing time.

Soil blocks are made by punching a block former into a pile of very moist potting mix.

RECIPE
FOR THE BLOCKING MIX THAT WE USE

• 2.5 parts cocopeat or peat moss
• 0.5 part river sand
• 2 parts worm castings or well rotted compost
• 1 handful of sieved wood ash or lime if
• peat moss was used

The handle is spring loaded and a gentle squeeze pushes the blocks of soil onto a board.
"Won't the blocks fall apart?".
No, the secret is in the potting mix which needs to be quite fibrous and very wet when you make the blocks.

Gentle watering with a fine rose will not affect the blocks at all.

There is a choice of inserts which leave different imprints on the top of the soil block.

Choose a dimple to drop a seed into or a larger cubic hole tailor-made to take a smaller soil block.
Some seeds do not mind germinating in sunlight and can simply be dropped onto the top of the block, however in order to ensure good germination most seeds are best covered with a light sprinkling of sand or compost.

The blocks simply sit on a tray or piece of wood, each one is separated by a small air gap which stops the roots growing from one block into another.
When the seedlings are moved up into larger blocks or out into the garden the roots will move immediately into the new soil and the plant will keep growing without the usual ten day delay and associated stress caused by the transplant.

Soil block formers come in several different sizes.
Heat loving plants such as tomatoes, capsicums, and egg plants are usually started in10 mm MINI CUBES (see photos above) which can conveniently be brought inside or put on a heated germination pad.

However most vegetables can be grown from seed to final transplant in 50 mm blocks.
The HAND BLOCKER (left) punches out 4 of these 50 mm blocks at a time.
This is the most popular model for home gardeners

If larger numbers of seedlings are needed a
FLOOR BLOCKER makes the job much quicker and easier.

Floor blockers come in 2 models

• 12 blocks at a time - 2 x 2 x 2 inches
• 20 blocks at a time - 1.5 x 1.5 x 2 inches

There are three different types of inserts available:

• Seed Dimple - makes a shallow hole to drop a seed into
• Cutting Pin - makes a deeper hole
• Cubic Insert - same size as a mini block

CONTACT INFORMATION