Ladbrooke Authentic Soil Block Maker Mini 4 Hand Held - Most Popular Soil Blocking Tool, Made in England

I like to start seeds for my vegetable garden in the Winter, so they are ready to plant out in the Spring. Got tired of all the plastic pots and trays, so I thought I would give this a try. I love it. You have to plan ahead a bit to get the soil mixed just right, but once you do it's easy to make these soil blocks. I think the mix is about 50/50 ratio of water to seed starting soil, and you let it sit awhile until the water is soaked in pretty good. I put the blocks on a grid tray and they are ready for seeds. The cool thing, is when you are ready to plant outside, you just plant the whole block. Worked out well in my garden.

I have this large, 2”, 4-block soil maker and also a smaller, 1/2”, 16-block soil maker and this larger version is my favorite for 80% of my indoor seed starting. Last season I made hundreds of soil blocks and found the process to be efficient, easy and effective for all but the tiniest of seeds. I do take care to clean it well after use. When making soil blocks, there is a sweet spot with the moisture level of your soil mix. If its too wet or too dry, the soil blocks could either stick to the block maker or the blocks could crumble/not hold their shape. I also sift my soil after mixing as large chunks in the soil don’t make for the best, sturdiest blocks and can inhibit seed germination. I’ve had excellent success with a sifted recipe combing coco coir, sand, perlite, worm castings and compost. The only hiccup I’ve encountered is that I’ve lost 3 of the 4 small plastic divets and haven’t yet figured out a solution for replacing them.

Great soil blocker. Strong stainless steel. Love that it makes a small hole in the block for the seeds. No more pots.

Works really well- you just really have to get the right soil at the right consistency. I feel like this will last me years and years. It’s very sturdy and easy to use. The biggest con is that it sounds awful. I’m not sure if you can really do anything about that- I have seen reviews from other soil blockers that said the same thing. I looked at a few different brands but ultimately I decided on this one since it seemed like the sturdiest one- even though it’s pricey.

The product functions as advertised. However, it arrived with the plastic bag opened and was missing four plastic inserts designed to create dimples on the top of the blocks for seed placement. I contacted the vendor and left a message. Within five minutes, Linda, the owner of Patches of Green, returned my call. She was polite and promptly sent replacement inserts, which I received within four days.

quality product. Get away from the plastic and use this soil blocker. You won't regret it.

Soil blocks are amazing, and I wish I'd just pulled the trigger on this device when I first heard of them. Last year, I made a cheap "soil blocker" out of an old Crystal Light container. I didn't want to spend money on this contraption before I was sure soil blocks would work. Well heck yes they work! My seedlings love them. I'm not sure if it's the dense soil (recipe below) or the even moisture or what, but my plants consistently grow better in blocks than inserts. Plus transplanting is simplified (just put it straight in the ground) and easier on the plants roots. You do need to use special soil to get the blocks to stay together, but it's easy to make: Soil Recipe: - 1 part peat moss or coco coir - 1 part pearlite or vermiculite - 1 part finished compost Mix it all up dry, then put on some rubber gloves (the kind you'd wash dishes in) and start mixing in water. Better too much water then too little, but ideally you want to be able to squeeze a handful, open your hand, and have it hold its shape. It's a messy affair, like making mud pies. Don't make my mistake of running straight to the garden after work without changing into grungy clothes - apparently mud stains :/ I can fit 50 of these 2-inch blocks in a standard 1020 tray, and it makes bottom-watering easy. I can get away without humidity domes because these hold so much water. These are more work upfront than inserts or pots, but less work at transplant time, and less seedlings lost to shock. I also bought the "micro" blocker (the one with 20 tiny blocks) and I would say don't bother with it. It's too hard to keep the tiny blocks moist. They are really only good for germination, and it is way easier to just germinate in a tray of soil and prick out the baby seedlings than go thru the hassle of the itsy bitsy blocks.

Don't skimp on anything less if you are looking for a well made, sturdy, and easy to use block maker. You will be glad you did.

great quality and durability

Works well, fast delivery

Received faulty soil block. Looking to report to seller. Seller link not working. 2nd time to report this. How do I reach seller?