Compost bags can be an absolute slog to transport and store, but I think I’ve found the perfect solution: compost blocks.
After trying Fothergill’s Enriched Seed Compost blocks from Amazon recently, I’m convinced that they’re the answer to us gardeners who don’t have a lot of storage space and prefer fuss-free gardening. They’re perfect for sowing seeds, and they’re also really satisfying to use (more on that shortly).
If you hate dragging heavy compost bags through the house like I do, you’ll want to give compost blocks a whirl. Here’s why.
I sowed peas and tomatoes into this seed compost a few weeks ago, and it was so easy to use.
In a nutshell (pardon the pun), compost blocks are condensed bricks of coco coir (fibres of the husk of a coconut) which expand when you add water to them. Coco coir is really good at retaining moisture, which means you won’t have to water your seedlings as often as you would with regular compost, either.
I’m a huge advocate for the benefits of peat-free compost, so I was sold as soon as I realised that Fothergill’s seed compost block is peat-free. It’s specially formulated to support seed germination, with added slow-release nutrients and seaweed powder to help seeds through germination into the seedling stage.
The block arrived wrapped in a biodegradable plastic bag, surrounded by a cardboard sleeve. It weighs just over half a kilogram, so it’s super light – totally different to the heavy ready-to-use bags of compost you’d usually hoist onto trolleys at the garden centre.
For reference, this 40-litre bag of Levington Peat-Free Multipurpose Compost from Amazon weighs 12 kilograms, and four blocks of the Fothergill’s seed compost (they make 10 litres of compost each) would weigh under three kilograms – so it’s a smart move if you want to save yourself the strenuous task of dragging larger bags through the house.
The Elixir Gardens Organic Coco Coir Block makes a whopping 75 litres of compost, and it weighs just 5kg. It's brilliant at improving soil aeration, too.
After removing the Fothergill's cardboard sleeve and unwrapping the plastic bag, it was simply a case of opening the bag, leaving the compost block at the bottom, and adding four litres of lukewarm water. I left it to expand for five minutes, and then returned to mix it up, breaking up any lumps. The instructions say you can add some more water if you need to, but I didn’t – and I was impressed by how easy the compost was to stir. It was light, airy and ready to use.
It was a joy to work with, actually, and so easy to fill my small pots and sow my May vegetable and flower seeds into them.
I kept the leftover compost in its original plastic bag, and it’s still sitting happily on my patio until I sow my next batch of seeds. All in all, it was completely hassle-free, less messy than regular compost bags, and lovely to handle, too.
More compost blocks to try
These peat-free blocks are sustainably produced, and you can buy them as blocks that make 3, 9 or 11.5 litres.
This coco coir block produces loads of compost (75 litres of it!). It's brilliant at improving soil drainage, too.
Coco Coir is the most well-known compact block brand. It's Amazon's Choice for a reason!
Compost blocks are the ultimate space and back-savers. I'll be using them a lot more going forward!
