What to make cups for seedlings. Do-it-yourself seedling cups: the most economical options. Paper cups - an improved version
Nowadays, it is not difficult to buy special containers for seedlings. But are modern plastic cassettes so good, peat pots or tablets for growing quality planting material as their manufacturers claim? Isn't it better to use boxes, cups, kefir boxes or other improvised containers in the old fashioned way?
Today we will try to find the pros and cons of the most popular containers for growing seedlings and choose the best option.
Perhaps the most ancient way of growing seedlings is to plant seeds in a common box, followed by picking. This is how our grandmothers grew seedlings. The box can be wooden, plastic or foam. As a rule, the box is placed on a pallet, and the inside is lined with plastic wrap and fill with earth.
Pros: More seedlings can be grown in a box than in individual glasses; it is convenient to turn it over; no box required accessories during transportation; it is easy to put together by yourself and save money.
Minuses: In the process of picking or planting seedlings in the beds, there is a high probability of damage to the roots (and this means a delay in growth and fruiting); wooden box, filled with earth, quite heavy.
Plastic cassettes
Plastic cassettes are small containers fastened together with drainage holes various lengths and widths. If desired, there will surely be a cassette for the entire width of your window sill.
In Russian stores, plastic cassettes are usually sold without pallets. In this case, the pallet will have to do it yourself. Otherwise, they are very easy to use: you just need to fill in each cell soil mixture and boldly plant the seeds.
Pros: Easy to fit right size, cutting with scissors; they are inexpensive and last a long time; cassettes are light and compact; already have holes for good drainage; seedlings are easily removed from the cells.
Minuses: Cassettes of "large format" are inconvenient for transportation, because they are very flimsy and can crack under the weight of the earth and plants; due to the fact that the cells are fastened together, when extracting one seedling, you can inadvertently break the earthen ball of another; not free; not every culture will have enough space in a small cell (for example, the roots of peppers and eggplants may not have enough “depth” of the cassette).
Peat cups
Peat cups are very popular among gardeners, especially among supporters organic farming, because they are made from environmentally friendly materials and easily decompose in the ground. It is often recommended to use peat pots and glasses in the second stage - for transplanting (picking) seedlings, and not for sowing seeds.
Pros: Durable and safe, do not contain toxic substances; the walls of the cups are porous, they allow air and water to pass through, preventing the roots from “turning sour”; seedlings are planted in a permanent place directly in the pot, which means that the root system is not injured at all; seedlings take root almost 100%; decaying peat serves as additional fertilizer.
Minuses: Not all available for sale peat cups different good quality; have a tendency to get wet; not cheap; can “bloom”, that is, become moldy; in peat containers, the soil loses moisture faster, which means that you need to closely monitor the seedlings and prevent drying out.
Peat tablets
IN last years gaining popularity special peat tablets- pressed fine peat with nutritional additives in a sheath made of a durable mesh. They are placed in a pan and filled with water. The tablets swell and increase in height several times, after which seeds are planted in the recesses from above.
Pros: Picking without unnecessary gestures: the tablet is simply buried in the ground; excellent air and moisture permeability, which is important for the development of a powerful root system; no need to prepare or buy seedling soil, at least in the first stage of growing seedlings.
Minuses: Expensive pleasure; as in the case with peat pots needed constant control for moisture - it is very easy to dry the roots of seedlings.
However, resourceful gardeners will always find a way out. For example, to solve a moisture problem, peat tablets with seedlings are placed in Plastic container from under sushi, pastries or cake. The container is filled with water to the brim, and the tablets themselves take as much moisture as needed.
Plastic cups
One of the best options containers for seedlings - these are plastic cups of various capacities. They can be either specially “sharpened” for growing seedlings, or ordinary transparent ones from sets of disposable tableware. Moreover, you will need two sets of such glasses: one with a volume of 100-150 milliliters for the initial planting of seeds, and the second with a volume of 500 milliliters for the subsequent transplantation of young plants (picks).
Pros: Cups are cheap, but will last more than one year; plants are easily removed without damaging the earthen coma.
Minuses: Still worth the money; if you use transparent disposable cups, you need to remember to make drainage holes (for example, with a hot nail); difficulties may arise during transportation (usually cups are placed in shoe boxes so as not to tip over).
Homemade containers for seedlings
And yet, the optimal containers for seedlings are those that do not need to be bought. Because we always have them at hand! And instead of encouraging the production of excess plastic with your hard-earned money, you should pay attention to the recycling of all kinds of packaging materials. Abroad, this practice is flourishing, and we, I must say, are not far behind.
Dairy boxes
By cutting off the bottom of the dairy box, it's easy to get a wonderful seedling container. It remains only to pierce the bottom in several places for drainage, put the boxes in a pallet, fill with soil - and sow.
Pros: Free; lungs; may be of different heights; the finished seedlings are perfectly removed along with the earthy clod (just tear the box apart).
Minuses: It's easy to forget and throw the box in the trash instead of cutting it off; a pan is needed, because they let water through.
Cups of yogurt, sour cream, instant vermicelli, etc.
Free replacement for special plastic cups. With the role of a glass of 100 milliliters, yogurt packaging does an excellent job, and in large glasses of 500 milliliters of sour cream, seedlings will feel no worse than in purchased nurseries.
Pros: The same as store-bought plastic cups, plus freebies and a small contribution to a big environmental cause.
Minuses: The same as purchased plastic cups.
Buckets of sauerkraut, cucumbers, etc.
Liter plastic buckets will cope with the role of a container for seedlings no worse than others. They are especially suitable for large seedlings. The good thing is that you can safely fill half the tank with drainage, and only then with soil.
Pros: free, large, easy to carry, because each bucket has a handle, durable.
Cons: transparent; need to be improved (it is necessary to pierce holes for drain excess water)
Paper cups from newspapers
For those who do not eat sour cream or drink milk, but read newspapers, this interesting and extremely fashionable in the West method of making containers for seedlings will come in handy.
The old newspaper is folded in half lengthwise, and wrapped around a 1.5-liter bottle or can in several layers. The main thing is not to forget to leave an allowance for the bottom at the bottom. The edges are fastened with a stapler, the bottom is simply bent inward. Ready! You can fill the cups with earth, lightly tamping it, and plant it.
For tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and cucumbers, paper cups are made with a diameter of about 8 centimeters and a height of 10-14 centimeters. Cups about 7 centimeters in height and 5 centimeters in diameter are suitable for cabbage seedlings.
Pros: Free, lightweight, non-toxic; you don’t have to take the seedlings out of the glass, just put it in the hole and cover it with earth.
Minuses: It is necessary to find time and work with your hands, which is not always possible; a pallet or box is required where to put these cups (tight to each other).
What else can be adapted for growing seedlings? There are a lot of variations here! For example, cardboard sleeves from rolls toilet paper can easily play the role of a glass.
Opaque cropped plastic bottles with drainage holes in a circle (2-3 centimeters from the bottom) work great. Even "one and a half", cut into two or three parts, turn into hotbeds without a bottom. But this “problem” is easily solved with the help of a pallet or a low box, where you need to install home-made containers filled with soil. Some gardeners cut out rectangles from plastic bottles, roll them into cylinders of the desired diameter and fasten the edges with a regular paper clip. From such a container, the plant does not even have to be shaken out: he removed the paper clip, the cylinder fell apart.
For growing seedlings at home, containers are first of all needed. Seedlings feel best in cups, in which the roots of plants are not intertwined as in plants planted together in one box. When planting seedlings from cups in the ground, the roots of the plants are not damaged, since the plant extracted from a separate container with a clod of earth is transferred to the hole without damage, so seedlings from cups take root faster. Crops such as peppers, eggplants do not like transplants and get sick for a long time if the root system is damaged, it is recommended to grow their seedlings only in cups.
There are many types of glasses on the market. different sizes and from various materials. The most popular cassettes or cups are made of dark plastic. However, for the purchase of containers for seedlings, many do not have the opportunity to spend additional funds. Therefore, they collect tetra packs from juice, plastic bottles, then cut them at the right height for planting.
The simplest and cheap way make your own paper cups . Best to use glossy magazines. You can use newspapers, but they need to be folded in several layers, because after heavy watering, newspaper cups get soaked and may tear. Glossy magazines have thick glossy paper, besides, the size of the pages of magazines printed in A4 format is perfect for twisting cups - this is an ordinary landscape sheet.
How to make seedling cups:
To work, you will need a couple of magazines, wide tape and a glass or tin can of the desired diameter. According to the size of the glass, you will twist the cups, for example, for tomato seedlings we use containers up to 400 ml, for this we take a glass with a diameter of 8-10 cm, for seedlings of pepper and eggplant, the diameter of the cups should be about 6 cm. the process of twisting them.
From the center of the magazine, tear out the sheets in pairs, so you get paper in two additions.
Put the glass to the bottom edge and wrap it in paper.
Seal the edge with tape, in several pieces, starting from the top.
Move the cup in the paper to the desired height of the seedling cup. Crumple the remaining free edges of the paper tube along the bottom of the glass inward and seal with a piece of adhesive tape.
Place a paper cup and use the glass inside to press down on the bottom to make it stable.
The seedling cup is ready, place it in a box or box. It is better to place paper cups tightly together in a box or box with high sides so that they do not lose balance.
Do-it-yourself cups are covered with earth, then you can proceed to transplanting or sowing seedlings.
Seedling cups from magazines are well preserved until disembarkation, do not soak, do not tear even when moved. There are holes in the bottom between the leaves through which excess water flows after watering to prevent waterlogging of the seedlings and rotting of the roots.
All gardeners know that holiday season requires financial investments. Here you need to buy seeds and seedlings. Let's say you can grow seedlings yourself. But, again, the question arises - in what to grow? Buying special cups for seedlings is also expensive, especially when it is planned to grow on a large scale. So, at this stage, you can save a lot - with your own hands. And you don’t need to buy material - there will always be old newspapers, cans, bottles, packaging, film at home. Yes, and in the winter there will be something to do with yourself.
Material for cups for seedlings
As a feedstock, there can be both ready-made containers and improvised means, namely:
- Cardboard boxes for juices or milk, both small (for one seedling) and large (cut lengthwise and planted seedlings in groups).
- Large plastic glasses from dairy products (in small cups from yogurt there will not be enough space for a seedling).
- Disposable tableware (glasses).
- Used water bottles or bottles (they are treated in the same way as with cardboard boxes).
- Tin cans that contained canned food or beer.
- Cardboard boxes (for example, shoe boxes) serve both for cultivation and as a pallet.
- A cylinder from a toilet paper roll (you can leave it round or make it square for convenience).
- Paper cups (newsprint or toilet paper).
- Film cups.
Since the finished container can already be used, let's dwell on the last two points that require human participation.
Paper cups for seedlings
In order to make paper cups, you will need paper (newspapers, magazines) and a blank (base) of a glass. As a blank use:
- circumcised plastic bottle with a loop on the bottom (in order to make it more convenient to pull the workpiece out of the made glass);
- tin can cut off at the top.
Cut paper into strips up to 40 cm long and 20 cm wide. Wrap them around the base for the glass so that the paper protrudes 5 centimeters beyond the edge. Then tuck this protruding edge and make the bottom of the glass. Now the base can be carefully pulled out, and the cup itself can be fastened with paper clips or glued with glue for strength. Ready! It remains only to pour the prepared soil and you can plant seedlings. If you use toilet paper, then it is pre-moistened abundantly, and then dried well.
The advantage of paper cups is that they can be planted in the ground along with the seedling, during the growth process the paper will decompose and will not interfere with the growth of the root system.
Cellophane cups
Such cups are made using the same technology as paper cups, but with careful use they will serve more than once. To do this, twist the strips of film into a cylinder and secure the bottom and walls with a stapler.
You can do it even easier and buy wholesale plastic bags for packaging. Immediately fill them with earth and put them in a box for stability. Such packages are pre-pierced from the bottom so that moisture does not stagnate.
For more information on how to make cups for seedlings with your own hands, watch the video:
Can be used as planting cups food waste, unnecessary plastic container and much more. This will not only save money, but also significantly reduce the amount of garbage thrown out. Here are some options:
The peel of an orange
As a cup for seedlings, you can use the peel from an orange or lemon, grapefruit, in general, any citrus. In the lower part of the half of the peel, a hole should be made for drainage, and the peel itself should be filled with soil. The advantage of such a pot is that the plant can be planted in the soil with it.
Eggshell
Another eco-friendly option that is well suited for growing small seedlings- eggshell. Just like citrus peel, it can be placed in the ground along with seedlings. For stability, pots made of eggshell put in a container.
egg tray
Another option for making cups for seedlings with your own hands is to use plastic tray for eggs. In its lower part, it is necessary to make holes for the drainage of water. Such a tray is thrown away after use, and not buried in the soil. The use of cardboard trays is not recommended, as they can get wet when watering.
ice tray
The ice tray is used for small plants on the same principle as the egg tray.
Plastic bottle
Consider several design options. The first is to simply cut off half of the bottle and fill it with soil. In the second case, the cap is not removed from the upper half of the cut bottle, a hole is made in it and a cord of synthetic material is inserted.
Seedlings are planted in the half with a lid, and water is poured into the lower half, after which the upper part is inserted into the lower one. Thus, you get not just a cup for seedlings, but a whole automatic watering system.
Disposable plastic cup
A disposable plastic cup can easily be turned into a container for growing seedlings. To do this, it must be thoroughly washed if before that it contained coffee or, for example, yogurt, and then make a hole in the lower part to drain the water.
Filter for coffee machine
A filter for a coffee machine, not surprisingly, can also be a good cup for seedlings. By itself, it cannot boast of stability, so several of these filters should be placed in a box or pallet with high sides, so the filters with seedlings will support each other and not fall.
tea bags
Another option for planting plants with a small root system is to use tea bags. When planting seedlings in the ground, the bag does not need to be removed, it easily disintegrates in the soil.
Toilet paper or paper towel roll
The same scheme is used as with a newspaper or paper cylinder, the lower part is bent so that the bottom is obtained.
Newspaper or any old papers
A newspaper rolled into a cylinder or any old paper will serve as a good glass for germinating seeds, but in the soil this decomposes in a maximum of a couple of months.
Milk or juice cartons
Seedling cups can also be made from empty milk or juice cartons. Moreover, they can not only be used as is, but improved by pre-cutting the package at all four corners and wrapping the sides of the package halfway down. Then the usual "money" elastic band is put on the bag - it holds the wrapped walls well. And as the seedlings grow, the walls of the package unfold to the height necessary for adding soil.
An easier way to use cardboard bags is to simply cut them in half, after which you can plant seedlings in them. The main thing is to wash them thoroughly before use.
If you do not want to spend time making cups with your own hands, use traditional seedling or peat cassettes, which are convenient because each of their cells can be broken off and planted in the ground along with the seedlings grown in it.
Of course, you do not have to use only the methods and materials described above, you can safely improvise and use any unnecessary containers and food waste if they are suitable for planting seedlings.
The use of special cups for seedlings makes it easy to sort young plants as they develop and not damage their tender tissue during transplantation. Every summer resident would like to reduce the cost of this first stage of growing vegetables as much as possible. The article will show you how to make almost free individual seedling containers from materials such as film, laminate substrate, and even newspaper. And so that the process of creating cups with your own hands becomes absolutely clear, photos and videos are attached to the article.
The first dwelling for seedlings - what should it be?
The use of the seedling method is due to the peculiarities of the climate in the temperate zone. When the February blizzards are still howling through the streets of the city, shoots of future garden residents are already touchingly green on the window. They will have to survive a long journey to the country house and transplant into the ground, without breaking their fragile stems and keeping them intact. root system. That's what seedling cups are for.
Seedling cups can be purchased ready-made or do-it-yourself
The correct glass must meet the basic requirements:
- "excellent" to protect the roots of seedlings in the process of their growth and during transplantation;
- it is easy to release the earthen ball when it needs to be removed;
- do not fall apart in the hands when moving;
- ideally decompose, turning into humus;
- not to burden the vegetable grower's budget, already thrown on seed, covering film and plant protection products.
It is this last property - the cheapness of home-made cups - that makes them so attractive to lovers of greenhouses and garden beds. They can be made from any waste materials: film scraps, waste paper deposits, laminate substrates.
Important! When working with transparent materials you need to think about how to close the roots from the light so that the plants do not lag behind in growth.
What to prepare for work
To create cups for seedlings with our own hands, we will need absolutely simple materials and tools:
- The shape around which we will wrap the cup. This can be a can of stew, a wooden or metal bar of a suitable diameter, a glass cup from a set of dishes. It is very convenient to prepare a plastic bottle: you need to cut it to the height of the future glass, and punch two holes in the bottom through which to pass a rope loop. By catching this loop, you can effortlessly remove the mold from the finished product.
- Stapler or tape to secure the seams and bottoms.
- Scissors.
A blank for a cup can be made from a plastic bottle
A glass of pieces of greenhouse film: two minutes and you're done
Since special beauty and even contours are not required here, the film can be cut "by eye". It can be folded in half to increase rigidity. Each piece should be of such a size as to wrap a bar or jar with a margin and form a bottom.
The easiest option is to make seedling cups from greenhouse film
slicing right amount pieces, wrap the workpieces around the mold and make a strong seam in the place of overlap using a stapler.
We fold the film that goes beyond the form with an “envelope” and also fix it with brackets. Since the edges of the film do not converge tightly, additional holes for draining excess water do not need to be made.
Tip: a container for seedlings of increased strength is obtained if the film is not chopped off with a stapler, but sealed with an electric soldering iron. These cups can be used more than once.
Laminate lined cups: strong and stable
The substrate for the laminate is the same polyethylene, only foamed. Therefore, the method of making cups from it is the same: wrap around the mold, chop off the seam with a stapler, form the bottom and fix it. The substrate for the laminate is also used for growing.
Seedling cups made of laminate substrate - stable and strong
If the piece of backing is large enough, you can roll it all up into a cylinder and fasten it along its entire length. Cut the resulting tube into identical pieces and then work on the bottoms.
Newspaper cup: minimum costs, maximum environmental friendliness
Use of free newspapers extracted from mailbox, is a way to wind up a battery of cups without spending a dime.
Option 1. We wrap a piece of newspaper folded in half around the form so that the paper is left with a margin on both sides. We fold the bottom and seal it with tape. We take out the form and bend the top edge of the newspaper inward to strengthen the walls.
Newspaper seedling cups - an economical option
Option 2. You will need a special form, but the process itself will go much faster and at the same time the issue of quickly filling a paper cup with soil mixture will be resolved.
- Preparing the form. To do this, we take a bar or cylinder and wrap a strip of tin around it, which can be cut, for example, from a large tin can. We solder. The bar should move easily, but with a minimum gap, inside the metal mold.
- We insert the bar into the mold by about 1 cm and fill the resulting container with pre-prepared soil. Press down with fingers or a spoon.
- We wrap a piece of newspaper folded in half around the form and fold the bottom. Holding it firmly with one hand, we tamp the soil (you can also use it) in the form with a bar.
- We take out the bar. We have in our hands an even cup already filled with soil.
Important! Since the paper cup quickly and without residue decomposes in the ground, seedlings can not be removed from it when planting. Such care will be appreciated by cucumbers and eggplants, which react extremely painfully to injury to the root system.
The housekeeping and frugality of a person working on his land has no boundaries. Much-needed cups for young and future tight heads of cabbage in the early spring can be made from literally anything, including even bushings from. This old peasant principle - everything in the house, everything in business - still works to this day, significantly saving money on caring for the household plot.
Do-it-yourself seedling cups - photo
