seed blocking - GARDENING
A technique lets seeds grow freely and cuts down on the pileup of leftover plastic cell packs. Ron DiGravio of Johnny’s Selected Seeds came to soil blocking when he began farming about 15 years ago, ... Soil blocking is an ingenious seed-starting method that uses cubes of compressed soil for starting seeds.
Context Explanation
Soil-blocking improves seedling health and vigor while reducing the expense, waste, and storage issues of using plastic pots. What is Soil Blocking? Soil-blocking is an ingenious seed-starting method that uses cubes of compressed soil for starting seeds. Growing seedlings in soil blocks instead of plastic pots or cell trays offers several advantages: Increased Seedling Vigor: As seedlings grow in soil blocks, their roots reach the edges of the soil block and are “air pruned.” In other words, when the roots reach ...
Image Collection
Insight Material
Soil Blocking: A Better Way to Start Seedlings - Johnny's Selected Seeds Growing Medium for Soil Blocking Okay, now that we've learned more about the various sized molds, let's look closer at the ideal growing medium when soil blocking. You can use a high quality seed starting mix or make your own through ingredients like coconut coir, perlite, compost and organic fertilizers. Soil-blocking is an ingenious seed-starting method that allows the grower to produce vigorous seedlings with roots that quickly reestablish growth upon transplanting. Soil-blocking further eliminates the expense, waste, and storage issues associated with plastic pots. Read Eliot Coleman's account of how he came to develop and perfect this system for the small commercial grower.
Related Articles You Might Like:
growing strawberries for beginners what is best fertilizer for roses how and when to prune rose bushesFinal Conclusion
The New York Times: Soil Blocking: Good for Your Plants and the Environment As we head into spring, the most common way to start off new seedlings is in a classic plastic seed tray. However, there's a plastic-free alternative that could make for much stronger plants. Soil ...