How to Use a Soil Blocker

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If you’re an avid gardener who prefers to start your plants from seeds, you may have heard of a handy item called a soil blocker. Pros use these gadgets to quickly create uniform blocks of soil with divets at the right depth for each type of seed. The blocks can go directly into the garden, without having to buy peat pots every year or save egg cartons or create waste from plastic trays. Jason Beam’s Soil Blocker Blog offers a great list of tips for beginners, outlining common mistakes you’ll want to avoid. Here are a few particularly useful tips:

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Wild New England Bounty

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When my husband and I bought our house last fall, we had no idea what bounty our yard had in store for us. As we’ve watched the mystery sticks of November bud and bloom and put on fruit, it’s been a pleasure to discover the wealth of food resources our plot has in store. Many of these foods can be found in the wild elsewhere in New England–maybe along the side of the road, or maybe even in your backyard!

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Companion Planting in a Salad Garden

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Even in the northern climates, the ground is starting to warm up enough to plant those tender little seedlings you’ve been nursing in your sunniest window for the past few weeks. Have you thought of where you’re going to put them in your garden? Plants interact with one another, sometimes in helpful and sometimes in detrimental ways. Take our advice and spending a little time thinking about companion planting before you go down on your hands and knees to play in the dirt.

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