QuickGrow™ Soil Block Maker

I did some research before making my soil blocks and I used 4 parts seed starting mix, 1 part peat (I know, not the best no coco coir available), and 1 part worm castings. I added water and mixed until the consistency was like a sand castle (best description I could think of). I filled the soil block maker and packed it tight before I pushed it out with the plunger. Take your time and experiment, I made my first set and let them sit and they were too crumbly because they needed more water. I remixed them with more water and made more. I have been very happy with the results. Great product but there is a learning curve; be patient and your seedlings will be happier!

Tried out the soil block maker for the first time yesterday. As long as you don't mind getting your hands dirty, and what gardener could possibly mind a little dirt, you should be able to have a lot of fun and hopefully some success with this item. I used it to make two sets of small blocks and two large blocks. Here's what I've learned so far: #1 use a mixture of fine medium along with some long grain medium (such as ground coconut shells) to hold the block together. Do not use anything that looks like mulch, it's too coarse and lets the block fall apart too easily. #2 Make sure your mixture is good and wet. There shouldn't be any standing water in the mixture but it definitely needs to be very wet. #3 The more pressure you put on the mixture while it's in the block maker, the better. In the photos of the large blocks, I used more pressure on the one on the left and it's holding together much better. #4 It works better if you place the "blocks" in a container partially filled with water as opposed to watering them after placing them in a container. It's too easy to damage the blocks when pouring water in the container for the first time. The block maker is extremely well built (it better be, it has a lifetime guarantee and Fiskars is known for honoring their guarantees - do hold on to any receipt) so you can feel comfortable putting as much pressure on the dirt blocks as you can. The block maker cleans easily just running it under some tap water. All heavy duty plastic except for some metal parts that shouldn't be a problem as long as you don't let is stay wet for an extended period. I planted impatiens seeds in all of the blocks. I'd expect them to take 7-10 days to germinate. I'll post updated photos to show their progress and report on any issues I run in to. For now this get a stellar 5-star recommendation. Should be fun!

Does a great job at making soil blocks, it does take a little experimenting to figure out the right consistency to make the soil, but once you get that figured out it works amazingly well! I currently have several pans full of vegetable starts that were planted in soil blocks made with these. It also seems very durable and likely will last me many years. I am considering ordering 2 more so that my family can help with the making of pots to make things go quicker.

I purchased this after researching for many weeks; ultimately I chose it because it seemed easy and less expensive than other blocking systems. Im homesteading and I didnt want to waste money or time on expensive/difficult soil blockers. I used a homemade soil mix with lots of water; flat tray with no holes and thats it. It was quick and easy. Packed the soil in tight then pressed to release! Pushed a seed in the little depression covered lightly and placed under a light on heat. They stayed together and I have no complaints.

Great tool for the price. One tool makes two different size blocks, four 1-in. blocks or one 3½ in. block for small or large seeds. This is different than the more "professional/traditional" soil block makers. This maker does not create a small block that fits into a larger block. The professional makers are made to nest inside each other and fit concisely in a 10x20 tray. While the blocks will not nest inside each other, and the round plugs will not fit nicely onto the square tray, this tool fits its purpose. It makes two different size blocks for different seeds, and it works wonderfully. I created blocks for about 200 plants in just a couple of hours. This tools was a great investment and I look forward to using for years to come.