More experiments in seed starting

Remember when I couldn't find my seed box, but eventually did? Well, not only did I misplace my seed box, but I also seem to have misplaced the trays of small starter cells that I start the seedlings in before I transplant them. The difference is that we can't find the cells anywhere. Trays, domes, larger cells and containers are all together, but not those smaller ones. 

This is why when a friend texted me about her new way of starting seeds I paid attention. I was going to have to replace those lost cells with something. My friend was telling me about the soil blocker she bought and how much she loved it. I knew about soil blockers, those devices which create formed blocks of soil that don't require any type of container, but they seemed to be one of those advanced gardening tools and since I was still at the 'happy when things grow and I can keep them alive long enough to go outside' stage, I hadn't really paid them much attention.

It turns out they weren't quite as expensive as I had thought, and because they were made to last, I would only have to buy it once. Plus, it wasn't plastic, and I hate buying plastic. So I took a chance and bought one. This afternoon was free, so it seemed a good time to give it a try.

The soil blocker is that metal contraption behind the little blocks of soil. It was pretty easy to use and didn't use as much soil as I had thought it would.

Here's the whole tray filled before I started planting seeds. Because of the little divot in the top, it was very fast and easy to get the seeds planted. The whole thing took a lot less time than with the plastic cells.

I still have a few more seeds to start, but here is my grow table so far. What you can't see are all the pepper and leek seeds that have sprouted.

In theory, buy doing it this way, I won't have to transplant seedlings into larger containers. The prospect of not having this job to do majes me very happy. The soil blocks are supposed to be better for the plants' root systems as well because the naturally prune themselves at the edges of each block and because the block gets set in the soil without disturbing the roots at all because there is nothing to take the plant out of.

We'll see. I don't quite believe the cute little cubes of soil are going to stay together or that the plants will be happy there until it's time to move them outside.