All about homemade and store-bought seedling cups

Homemade seedling cups are a budget and convenient option for planting seeds. The beginning of the summer cottage season is expensive, so any way to save money is welcome. Traditionally, wooden and plastic pots, disposable cups, and cut cans are used as containers for seedlings. You can make convenient and economical cups for seedlings with your own hands.

Each type of pot has a number of advantages and disadvantages. To make the right choice, you need to consider all the options in more detail.

As a container for seedlings use:

• wooden boxes;
• plastic cassettes;
• peat cups;
• peat tablets;
• plastic disposable glasses or containers for sour cream, yoghurts and instant noodles;
• buckets from Korean carrots or sauerkraut;
• paper cups for hot drinks;
• cut packages "tetra-pack" for juices and dairy products;
• homemade cups made from newsprint.

Let's talk about each type separately.

Wooden boxes

A large box is used for sowing seeds of tomatoes, peppers, flowers. In a common box, seedlings grow until they reach 10-15 cm. After that, a pick is necessary: ​​planting seedlings in individual containers. Before disembarking, the box is covered inside with cling film (or ordinary polyethylene). There are small holes at the bottom of the box through which water can flow, so the box must be placed on a pallet.

The advantage of such a container is its low cost. You can make a box yourself by cutting and putting together unnecessary boards. You can adjust the size yourself (considering the length and width of the window sill). The main disadvantage is heaviness. The wooden box itself weighs a lot, and after filling with earth it can become overwhelming. The need for a pick is another drawback. When dividing seedlings, there is a high risk of damaging the undeveloped root system.

Plastic cassettes

Plastic cassettes are a very convenient device for growing seedlings. It has a similar structure with a mold for freezing ice, although the volumes of the containers are much larger. A drainage hole is punctured at the bottom of each groove. Simply fill the cassettes with special soil. Each cup is designed for one plant.

The cost of the cassettes is modest. The seedling cups are not very tightly fastened together, they can be easily cut with scissors. They are lightweight and compact. When transporting, you need to be careful: some cassettes are made of fragile material, and the glass may crack. Peppers and eggplants are best placed in deeper containers.

Peat glasses

Peat containers are an innovation for gardeners. The main advantage of the product is planting directly into the ground with the shape. Peat decomposes in the ground, so seedlings do not need to be removed from the container, risking damage to the roots. In addition, the cup itself is a ready-made fertilizer for the soil. However, some gardeners advise against sowing seeds in them. In their opinion, it is better to use peat glasses for picking.

The advantage of the product is the minimum of required machinations: picking, transplanting. There is no risk of "injuring" the roots. There is only one drawback - the probability of buying a low-quality product. In some cases, seedling containers begin to fall apart, crumble, and mold may appear on them. You can buy such pots only in trusted stores.

Peat tablets

Compressed peat buns are a more expensive analogue of cups.They differ in that the seedling potting soil does not need to be poured into the tablet. Dry tablets are placed in a tray with water. They swell over time. Seeds are planted inside. Planting is as easy as shelling pears: a tablet with a germinated plant is buried in the ground.

The advantage is the minimum expenditure of energy. The disadvantage is the high cost. Tablets cost 5 times more than regular cups. However, you don't need to spend money on potting mix. Some gardeners use tablets only at the first stage of growing seedlings. After the plant has grown, they bury the pill in a glass with soil.

Plastic cups

These can be disposable plastic cups or cups of yogurt, processed cheese, or sauerkraut. You can use cardboard disposable cups for hot drinks left over after visiting the coffee shop. The main thing is to choose containers of different sizes. If you buy disposable tableware, you need to purchase two sets: shot glasses (100 ml each) and beer glasses (500 ml each). The first set is convenient for sowing seeds. Large containers are used for picking.

The advantage is cheapness and convenience. Such "pots" can be used for more than one year. An earthen lump along with the root system is easily removed from them. Disadvantages: inconvenience during transportation due to instability and lack of drainage. Make small holes in the bottom before filling them with potting soil. It is convenient to do this with a hot awl.

Milk and juice boxes

It is convenient to use cardboard packaging from juice or dairy products for planting seedlings. To do this, they must be cut off. The height of the glass depends on the crop being planted. Eggplant and pepper need more soil for the full development of the root system. Despite the fact that the cups are made of paper, they should never be buried. They do not dissolve in soil. Drainage holes must be made in the bottom.

You can make seedling pots with your own hands. The height can be adjusted independently. These containers can be easily transported: they are light and stable. It is very easy to remove the earthen lump. To do this, you just need to break the glasses.

Homemade paper containers

Homemade paper cups are completely free, non-toxic and easy to use. True, you will need to spend about half an hour making a batch of containers. The old newspaper is folded in half, wrapped around a glass or bottle. Part of the sheet of the newspaper must be tucked inward, forming the bottom. No holes are required.

Such molds can be safely buried in holes in the open field. It is advisable to use paper without printing ink, but old newspapers will also work for this purpose. The height of the container for seedlings of peppers or eggplants should be about 12 cm, diameter - 8-9 cm. For seedlings of tomatoes and cabbage, smaller glasses are suitable: 10 cm in height and 6-7 cm in diameter.

DIY seedling cups can be made from eggshells. Such small "pots" are suitable for planting small ornamental plants. Before planting, you need to lightly squeeze the shell in your hand so that it crumbles.

Any version of the product has disadvantages and advantages. Each gardener must take into account the specifics of the planted crop and financial capabilities. If you are going to be transported for a long time, you need to choose denser pots. The main thing is to plant plants with love so that they will thank you with a healthy harvest.