Seed Snails

I never thought anything with the word snail in it could excite me, until I encountered recent horticultural posts about Seed Snails. Game to

experiment? This method of seed-starting has the potential to reduce the number of seed-starting pots, trays, and the space requirements you need, along with interim potting up. This method also has the added benefit of encouraging vertical root growth.

A simple picture or quick Google search would tell it all better than the following description, but here goes: Visualize wrapping material (often recycled weed barrier or packing materials) trimmed to a length and width to suit you; perhaps a ribbon of material 3 feet long by 8 inches or so wide. Soil is layered about one inch deep on top of the material, covering it end to end, but leaving an inch or so at each end clear. This is then rolled up from short end to short end, like a snail shell or jelly roll. You would stand the roll on one end and plant seeds into the top exposed end at a closer spacing than normal. The roll can be secured closed with a landscape staple or some type of tie or tape.

As the seedlings grow, the roll can easily be unrolled to add soil, eliminating the need to pot-up. When it’s time to plant out, just unroll. The roots will have grown vertically instead of horizontally and should easily separate for planting. A roll can be planted with a single crop or multiple crops and multiple rolls can be housed together in a container with drainage.

Is this genius?  Am I the last to know about this method? I’d love to know if you decide to try it and the results you experience. Happy gardening!