I use solo cups because I don't have to up-pot and there is room for a great root system. Cheap. I wash and use again. I just have a pretty small garden with only 16 tomatoes, 8 peppers, 9 cucumbers that I seed start inside. The rest is direct sow. So that makes a big difference. If I had a big garden I would certainly use ... No, No, NO! I'm upgrading now. Just veered off and ordered 36 - 3.3" green pots from Bootstrap Farmer. I know their quality because I have their trays. Thank you to whoever decided to include 3.3" pots as that made all the difference to me.

Right away, I am blown away by that single soil blocker! Whaaaaat!!! 🤯 never knew that existed!!

The zip ties for the grow lights honestly seems pretty genius

I also highly recommend the trays and pots you showed from Bootstrap Farmer! I am a backyard gardener, and even when you have to harden off your seedlings, the trays are sturdy enough to carry in and out of your house! I still use the red cups,too, though, because I like to grow seedlings for friends, and using the cups means I don't have to worry about getting quality seedling cups back.

Thank you Jill! Love all the advice and have always shown up for the positive attitude, I love it!

Always Valuable Content 💰

I was going to splurge on the bootstrap pots and trays, and I was so excited because everyone raves about them. They were expensive, especially translated into Canadian dollars, but I had my budget in order. THEN I remembered I had duties and shipping to pay and it was the same price as all my products. So, as one does when they can’t afford the good stuff, I went to Amazon and found some pots that are actually really nice!

It's exciting that you can afford to be more efficient now. I hope I get there soon!

I❤️ my bootstrap farmer trays and starter pots I’ve had mine for about 4 years and they don’t warp, crack, fade from UV etc. Awesome 😎

The "cheap" trays aren't even that cheap anymore. Its not even that much more for the bootstrap ones but sooooo much better.

Another benefit with the good tray systems like bootstrap farmers is everything fits together well. These days tray sizes can after be different which can be different sizes and cause frustration when pots won't fit the tray etc. Buy the best you can afford.

Have you done a video showing how to use the soil block-maker thingies, and how to use those items for up-potting?

I love bootstrap products and your special fall and spring color collections. And your book is awesome. Very good read. Nice job.

Great video. I appreciate you giving this information to help me be successful this growing season!

I am 71 and the worst seed starter ever! I melt the trays (it is really hot here) drown them and fry the seeds…this is such a help to me and perhaps I will try seeding yet again 😊 some day God willing, I will save me a bit and actually have seeds sprout now 😁 love your teaching and I thank you!

I’ve been growing for a decade and we’ve gone from buying plants to starting seeds and the best and my most favorite way to start seeds is my soil blocker!! ♥️

I got a very similar shelving unit (SIX shelves!) at Costco. I haven't seen the in-store brand on their site, tho. I LOVE my Mico-20 and Mini-4 soil-blockers. I'm a urban home gardener, not starting bajillions of seeds... but I also don't have acres of shelf space in my pantry (also currently no pantry), so the micro-20 blocks are great for seed-starting. I have long advocated for the use of "miniature greenhouses" obtained from chinese food delivery (and similar) containers. Some restaurants use to-go containers that work nicely too. Basically the container is a plastic tray (usually black) with a mostly-clear snap-on dome lid. In the most-commonly-used local chinese restaurant container, I can bust out two sets of micro-20s (40 soil blocks), seed them, cover them and put them in a window. One nice small detail is they stack conveniently. FYI, Dear Reader, SEEDS DO NOT NEED LIGHT to germinate. You can stack them in a warm place and wait a few days, then come back. They DO need light right away once they've sprouted. So go ahead 'n stack them. Wait a few days, then check them daily and when they sprout, you can place them in sunlight to grow. (Just DON'T forget about them.) (Like I've done.) Other such containers can hold a grid of perhaps 16 of the Mini-4 (2" cube) soil blocks. Good for starting pumpkins and zukes. Here in So CA I don't really need to do a lot of up-potting, so what I usually do is use the micro-20 blocks for small seeds like tomatoes, radishes, beets, carrots and lettuces, etc. and I reserve the Mini-4 blocks for bigger seeds, like pink banana squash and sunflowers and maxima pumpkins for Halloween (that's SO much fun!), or watermelon. I'm thinking about trying to start corn in my soil blocks. If I'm not disturbing the roots, then what could go wrong? (I'll find out with my glass gem corn.) Would you like a tip for planting large seeds in 2" blocks? Go ahead 'n make those Mini-4 blocks with the square and then make a bunch of micro-20 blocks. Plant the seeds into the 2" blocks, then stuff the micro-20 block in on top of the seed. Easy-peasy that block is whole and solid. The micro-20 block 3/4" cube, which means your zucchini seed is buried 3/4" deep. Just about the perfect planting depth, right? Go on.... try it. I know you want to try it. If you do, make me a Short video. And then maybe you can make a follow-up when they all sprout perfectly. LOL If you like that, ask me someday about my corn-blocking trick. (It involves nerdy farm math.)

Jill - You know once the hired help starts making demands, it eventually leads to a strike and then leads to unions. You need to stop this in its tracks. 😂

I like the boot strap farmer trays. Last year I had ordered already when your cool color ones came out.

Wow those drop seeders are genius.

excellent idea on the grow light set up. I like the ziplock idea

This video is such a blessing for us, thank you for this. 🙂

Bootstrap Farmer is the BEST! Love the sturdiness of their products!

Good video Jill, we are starting our seeds now. 😊

Thank you for sharing 😊 efficient ways🌿I'm growing on the balcony looking forward to a great harvest

Those air pruning trays are amazing. I used the 72 cell and 6 cell ones last year. The plants were so happy.

I was critical and I am sorry. Blessings to your family.

Great video! Lots of helpful info!

Seeding tools can be great for people who have mobility problems with their hands. I have one with a spring you push down that I've been using when my arthritis is flaring, but I'm definitely going to look into the green one you used since that looks like it may be even easier to use.

I have been tempted to use those new air pruning cell trays. I would love to see a product review on those this year please!

Hi Jill! Im in love with the pink bootstrap gear. I think I’m going with all pink and touch of white. Small backyard urban gardener here in the Little Rock metro 😅

Great post Jill!

I have my book in hand💚 Thank you so much for all you do for your community. I don’t know if you realize the reach you have. You are shining your light and it’s such an inspiration to so many. Flipping through this book brought tears to my eyes both because it made me so happy for you. And also because while following you I seen your dreams coming true but also made me have more faith mine can to. I can’t wait to dive into the book.😇I’m literally diving in and not coming up till I’m done I’ve been needing inspiration and I know this book will bring me so much joy. Thank you so much! 😇

New subscriber. Thank you for sharing this valuable information. Happy Gardening. 🥕 🌶️ 🥔

I have the soil blockers someone else gave me and I have the bootstrap cups and trays already so I was in the mood to look at the seeders, namely the little 20 acrylic, and they want $25 for that one item? And your 5% off price only discounts by $1.75? Um, no. I have a tiny backyard that is fenced-in and I am still in my classroom learning. I've been growing since 2019 and by the middle of 2024 I hope to have my first homestead down in South Carolina where my family is. My first year of sales last year at least made me break even with all my supplies. *Right under $1,000 in sales, but I did buy some things for the garden. So being someone only selling my second year and only having 6 shelves of lights a 120 square foot pop-up Greenhouse and my driveway to sell my seedlings, I don't think I will go for it at at this point, but maybe next year. This year should be mostly profit!!🙂 I have to watch what I'm buying right now, too, because I will just end up having to move with it. 😆 Luckily, since I didn't know it was a thing that I could have bought, I've created my own seeder, anyway, I Jill, I just received your book last week and I'm working my way through that, but this is a great video, too!

Jill, do you know what I would love, if you could have a must have starter pack from Bootstrap farmer named whispering Willow recommended “get started” pack for the home gardener. Then I could click on it and it would save me sooooo much time. Maybe you could have one that’s a starter pack for the market gardener ect. Perfect. Ok let me know when that’s done and I can go to bootstrap and get what I need 😊. Thanks 🙏 your the best.

IMO there's not enough slits in that oddball tray. Just one, and it's very narrow. I also wish they made half-flat sizes at least. I guess it's fine for 1 plant of similar type but no option to take 'trays' out to shift around etc.

Lot of great INFORMATION!! Still have questions on the soil… Soil is #1 as you mentioned… what do you used and what’s the ingredients of the seedling soil you mix..? Thank You Jill!! You’re AWESOME!! 🌱

Great recommendations! Will bootstrap be getting more of your summer solstice collection? They are pretty well sold out.

Thank you for sharing

The little seeding tool you bought for $10 is available through Temu for.$2

I ordered from bootstrap farmer for the first time the other day.

For the up potting, it’s okay to use potting soil at that point right? And when do you usually up pot? When they get their true leaves or when the roots are growing out of the bottom?

I would love to try bootstrap farmer trays, but they are expensive. They may last longer but the upfront costs aren't really affordable for a lot of people.

So far the only ones making money on my farm is bootstrap farmer 🤣

Do you have a new discount code because the one you have listed does not work. Thank you for your time and sharing your knowledge.

It was my take that Jill has production in mind. Which is not the largest of audiences. So I respect her input, but it loses most people who are trying to garden for the first time. The comment about Solo cups and yogurt cups was based on her experience as a commercial grow. She is growing for profit and it’s not like a major channel that is about encouraging first time gardeners. This channel has had a very significant push into partnering/selling products trying to do what they can to make their farm profitable to support their family. I certainly am not in a position nor should I be to fault them. Many things recommended are certainly out of most peoples budget these days. I read some comments of people who are becoming discouraged with the price of these products. Please don’t become discouraged! Use whatever you can, put dirt and seed into it, and let God do the rest.

On the air pruning trays, is it better to bottom water from the deep or shallow tray?

❤️🌱🌱🌱🌱

Sometimes I wish international options were even half as good as what America gets.

how many beautiful transplants have been ruined trying to get them out of plastic seedling trays. Soil blocks are the way to go.

I have your summer solstice collection and I am so excited to start planting in them!!! Do you think you'll ever try to do a winter or fall collection?

What color of the grow lights do you have or recommend? On the link there is 3 options for the light color.

Hey Jill at 11:40, what did you say you mix in with your seed starting soil?

When soil blocking how do you water them without the soil breaking down?

Will the drop seeders only work with soil blocks or can they be used with a 72 or 30-plug tray?

I have those inlay trays too. I have a hard time bottom watering with those in there. Any suggestions?? I’m not sure if I’m not putting enough water in the tray or what. 🤦‍♀️

How do you clean or sanitize your pots?

Did I miss the link for the shelving unit?