Place the bottom tray on a smooth worktable and fill it with your favorite soil blocking mix. We’ve found no need to sift as the block size allows for larger imperfections in soil consistency. Make sure to pack each corner and side for blocks to be consistent.

Place the filled bottom tray in a 1020 or other growing tray. You can either proceed to Step 3 or place your seeds in the cells prior. We’ve found luck in seeding Zinnias, Marigolds, and even Sunflowers while the soil is in the bottom tray. Placing seeds prior to ejecting the blocks ensures solid seed to soil contact. Hint: A sheet of newspaper placed in the bottom of the tray prior to ejecting the blocks will give a flat surface for blocks to lay and also serve as a great wicking agent for watering.

Place the top fixture on the bottom tray and give it a slight push down with both hands to make the dibbles contact the soil blocks. Grab both sides of the handles and squeeze the bottom tray upwards while holding the top fixture in place. We like to start with the end furthest from us and continue to squeeze until we feel the bottom tray move completely upward.

Remove the top tray slowly and set aside.

Remove the bottom tray and set aside. If the blocks are sticking, either add water to your soil mix or make sure to completely separate the top fixture before pulling bottom tray off the blocks.

Seed the blocks and set aside for germination. Add vermiculite or cover in your favorite soil for seeds that need darkness to germinate.