Authentic Ladbrooke Mini 4 Soil Blocker — Four 2" Blocks Per Press, Made in England

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.

I cannot tell you how pleased I am with this product. It is made in England and is very durable. I was very impressed with the construction of the tool. I give it 4 stars for ease of use, because it took me several attempts before I was able to get the results that I wanted. I watched several videos on how to use, but none seem to explain it well enough for me. My biggest issue was having the tops of the soil blocks come off when I removed the tool. I ended up throwing several soil blocks back into my bin because of this (which is actually a nice thing to be able to reuse any blocks that do not turn out correctly). Once I figured out a technique that seemed to work for me, I was getting consistent results and everything was great. I ended up making over 100 blocks in one sitting (I would advise against this, as I was actually feeling a bit worn out toward the end). Another piece of advice I would give is to measure your trays that you are putting the blocks in so that you can get the most blocks into the trays as possible. Overall, very good product and I am sorry that I hesitated to buy it all these years.

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.

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.

This makes great soil blocks. I’m using this size to start pepper and tomato seedlings. Pack them nice and tight and it has the right size dimple for small seeds. I’m using these with tin roasting pans with clear lids to start my seeds.

This worked really well. It did take some effort, but it was well worth the money. So happy I took the leap and purchased. Getting the dirty water ratio is key.

This is the coolest and easiest way to make soil blocks for starting your seeds. No more buying a bunch of Red solo cups. This made starting our seeds a breeze!

Starting seeds in soil blocks is the best method for the majority of what I grow and this soil block maker is the one to get for the job. The 2x2" blocks are the perfect size for starting indoors in trays and can easily be planted up into pots or directly transplanted into the ground outdoors. This block maker is built solidly making it easy to use, easy to maintain and the ideal size for home gardeners. I've been using mine for 9 years and it works as well as the day that I got it. Also makes a great gift for the gardeners you have in your life!

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?