Soil Blocking
Soil blocking is an ingenious seed-starting method that uses cubes of compressed soil for starting seeds. Soil-blocking improves seedling health and vigor while reducing the expense, waste, and storage issues of using plastic pots.
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Standard Dibbles
Soil Blocker Accessory
Use with soil blockers to create dibbled holes for smaller seeds.
Soil Block Propagation Trays – 50 Count
These wide-mesh bottom trays are ideal for soil block propagation.
Advantages of Soil Blocking
Growing seedlings in soil blocks instead of plastic pots or cell trays offers several advantages:
- Increased seedling vigor: Because the roots of seedlings grown in soil blocks are air-pruned, they are less likely to become rootbound. The oxygenated roots also result in healthier, more vigorous seedlings.
- Reduced transplant shock: Plants with air-pruned roots quickly re-establish growth upon transplanting and are less prone to transplant shock than plants grown in plastic pots.
- Less waste (eco-friendly): Soil blocks reduce the waste, expense, and storage concerns associated with use of plastic pots.
Choosing the Right Soil Blocker for Your Needs
There are quite a few soil blockers to choose from. What you choose will depend on what you are seeding and the scale at which you are seeding. Here are some resources to help you in selecting a soil blocker:
- Soil Blocking: A Better Way to Start Seedlings reviews our full soil blocker lineup: how to choose a soil blocker; recommended soil blocking mediums; and how to use soil blockers step-by-step. If you are new to soil blocking, this is a great place to start.
- How to Make Soil Blocks + The Advantages of Soil Blocking With Niki Jabbour • Video
Choosing a Growing Medium for Soil Blocks
Johnny’s 512 Mix and Johnny’s Germination Mix: both the Johnny’s 512 Mix and Johnny’s Germination Mix are approved by MOFGA for use on certified-organic farms and are excellent for making professional quality soil blocks right out of the bag. This is what we use on our Research Farm when trialing our soil blockers.
How to Use Soil Blockers
Here are some helpful resources on how to use soil blockers.
Instruction Manuals:
- Johnny's Hand-held 10 Soil Blocker • Use & Maintenance • Tech Sheet (PDF)
- Johnny's Hand-held 12 Soil Blocker • Use & Maintenance • Tech Sheet (PDF)
- Johnny's 50-Cell Commercial Soil Blocker • Instructions • Tech Sheet (PDF)
- Johnny's 72-Cell Commercial Soil Blocker • Instructions • Tech Sheet (PDF)