Seed Starting with Soil Blocking
Read:
- FAQ: Seed Starting with Soil Blocking
- Low-budget Plants
- Seed Starting Troubles
- Seed Starting: The Pain and the Triumph
- Caring for Seedlings
- In the presence of seedlings….
- Seed Starting, When should you start anyway?
How-to-use it
Videos: How-to use TGW Product
Read:
Becoming a Farmer
So, you want to be a flower farmer?
Tips
- One Container, Three Seasons!
- Growing Cut Flowers Like the Pros!
- Amaryllis Make Fabulous Cut Flowers too!
- Getting More from your Cut Flowers!
- Cut Flower Harvest Guide
- The Gardener’s Workshop Bloom Guide
Marcia Burchby
Hi Lisa,
I’m enjoying your book and website but haven’t found a clear guide on how large the seedlings should be before planting them out this Spring, what the temperature guidelines are, and if they should go under remay. I have feverfew, snaps, dianthus, bells, rudbeckia, centaurea and scabiosa in soil blocks. I’ve also direct seeded buplerum, dill, larkspur, nigella and centaurea under row cover. I am in zone 6a, southeastern Ohio.
Thanks for any advice and for new horizons with my flower business!
Lisa
Hi Marcia, My book Cool Flowers has planting timeline for the cool season hardy annuals mentioned based on where you are. My guide for seedlings are 3-5 inches tall to plant out-
Happy spring,
LZ
Sue
Lisa, I’ve had my soil & blockers for a number of years. Last year I lost a lot of seedlings to what I would assume was like dampening off. I’m wondering if it would be advisable to sterilize the soil before I plan this year. Thank you!
Lisa
We only use compost based soil. Are you using a seedling heat mat?
Lisa
Maureen
Hi Lisa,
Thank you for your books and website. I read and reread them both!
When counting back seed starting and growing times, are the two weeks of hardening off included in the growing time, or should they be an additional two weeks?
I can’t wait to get started!
Thanks! Maureen
Lisa
Hi Maureen, hardening off is a part of the growing time. Good question.
LZ
Trish
Hi Lisa,
Thanks for the great information! Where can I buy the 5”x7” trays shown for soil blocking? I haven’t been able to find a source.
Thanks, Trish
Lisa
We sell them: https://www.thegardenersworkshop.com/product/soil-blocking-blocking-trays/
Nancy
Not sure if this is the right place to post this question, but I couldn’t find another option. I’ve followed all your suggestions for seed starting for the “Easy Cut Flower Garden.” So far, everything thing has gone well (first seedlings went in the ground just an hour ago!). The only problem is that the celosia simply never germinated despite the fact that I treated it the same as the other seeds–and I started it earlier. My question is twofold: 1) What might I have done wrong? and 2) Could I buy celosia bedding plants from the garden center to get a similar effect? I’m hoping to have these flowers for a wedding in mid-July, so I don’t have time to start again from seed. Am I correct that I should clip any blooms off bedding plants before planting them? Thanks for any helpful hints.
Lisa Ziegler
Hi Nancy, Celosia seeds unlike the others in the book need light to sprout. That means the seed should not be covered with soil. Zinnias and sunflowers need darkness to sprout so they do get covered. They maybe what happen. Unfortunately the plants at the nursery will be short bedding plants- not tall enough to cut. I would retry starting seeds.
Doreen
Lisa, what was that “small white moth” you mentioned one time? It flutters up when you shake a branch. Seems like there are hundreds that flit around and land on everything? I would like to know the name of it so I can be ready to spray it this spring/summer.