Soil Cube Tool
What are Soil Cubes
A Soil cube is a cube of growing medium that has been lightly compressed
and shaped by a form. A soil cube serves as both a container and the
soil for starting and growing seedlings, eliminating the need for
plastic pots and trays for transplanted seedlings. Seedlings grown in
soil cubes form stronger root systems than those grown in containers due
to increased oxygen to the roots and the soil cube’s natural
tendency to “prune” roots. This creates a substantial
advantage when seedlings are transplanted into the field, because plants
establish themselves more quickly and, because of lessened root
disruption, they are less prone to transplant shock. The key to making
good soil cubes is to use a mix containing the correct proportions of
peat, compost, soil, and sand or perlite.
WHY SOIL CUBES?
• Save Money! The soil cube system is less expensive. Soil cubes are
made with a small hand tool that will quickly pay for itself.
When compared to purchasing peat pellets, peat pots, or other small
plastic pots that will deteriorate over time, the small expense
of a SOIL3 tool will be immediately offset in the first few flats of
seedlings. Many gardeners will employ coffee cans, yoghurt
containers, and other cast off containers to start their seedlings in.
Having tried this, I have found the time wasted in preparation
and storage is enormous. Soil cubes streamline the process.
• A few plants at a time or many can be started. When using flats to
start your seedlings you must fill the entire flat with soil, even
if you only want to start a few plants at a time. Using soil cubes
allows you to sow a few at a time for succession planting. If you
want to have continuous lettuce for example, you can sow eight to ten
cubes with lettuce every week. By the fourth week, you will
have 32 cube set with lettuce and the first batch will be ready to set
out into the garden. In a couple weeks, you will be set with
lettuce as long as you keep up the sowing of lettuce every week.
• More kinds of vegetables can be grown in soil cubes. Basically, since
there is no root shock when the cubes are moved to the
growing beds, some plants, usually not recommended for transplantation
can be raised successfully in cubes like sweet corn,
beets, and cucumbers. Space is used more efficiently.
• Soil cubes permit more plants per square foot than round pots. There
is more soil for the seedling to take advantage of and
there is no problem with becoming root-bound as in a round pot. A four
inch cube has the same amount of soil as a six inch round pot.
Watch an Online Video demonstrating the Soil Cube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOqc5DCYgUc&feature=player_embedded#!
List Price: $24.95 + S&H
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