Sowing seeds for seedlings is a matter that requires preparation, but it is not at all necessary to go to a store or market and spend money on special containers. All you have to do is use our tips and make your own cups for seedlings.
Most of the homemade pots for seedlings described below can be made from natural materials, which means they are useful for the development of plants. The undoubted advantage of each of these methods is the opportunity to save money once again.
1. Citrus peel
If you like to squeeze juice from citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit, lemon, pomelo, etc.) using a juicer, then you probably have a lot of halves of the peel of these fruits left over. Why not use them as seedling cups?
Make a small hole in half of the fruit, peeled from pulp (in the bottom), to allow moisture to drain out, then fill the peel with soil for seedlings and sow 1-2 seeds per “pot”, depending on the “dimensions” of the future plant and the size of the citrus peel. Subsequently, the seedling can be planted with open ground right with the "pot".
2. Eggshells
Egg shells - great option a homemade container for small seedlings or for growing seedlings before transferring them to larger containers.
Take the shell and make a hole at the bottom. To do this, you can use a pushpin or a thick needle. Fill each shell halfway with soil and sow the seeds. Place the egg “pots” with seedlings in a plastic egg container. To create a greenhouse effect, close the lid of the container. When the time comes for transplanting or transshipment, plant the grown seedlings along with the shells.
3. Egg trays
The egg tray is also used as a container for seedlings. It is convenient to place such containers on windowsills. To begin with, make a hole in the bottom of each container cell (if the tray is plastic, you can heat an awl and use it to pierce it). Then the cells are filled with soil and the seeds are sown.
After some time, the roots of the plant will entwine the earthen lump, and for further picking it will be enough to carefully remove the seedling with the lump with a fork.
4. Newspaper pots
Old newspapers can be an excellent material for making a container for seedlings. To do this, you will need newspaper sheets (it is better to give preference to black and white pages), a cylindrical object (a bottle, a narrow tin), flour and water.
We invite you to visit the page with our master class on making cups for seedlings from old newspapers or paper.
You can plant seedlings in a greenhouse or open ground directly in cups, but if you wish, you can cut or tear the “pot”.
5. Plastic bottles
From a plastic bottle you can make not just a container for seedlings, but functional potty with automatic watering system and greenhouse effect. Cut a clean plastic bottle in half, do not remove the cap, but make several holes in it using the same heated awl, needle or nail. Pull a synthetic cord through the bottom hole (this will be the wick).
Turn the top part with the neck over and insert it into the second half of the bottle. Add soil and sow seeds. Remove half of the bottle with soil from the tray, pour water into the bottom of the “pot”, then insert the half with the plant back into the tray. Take another bottle of the same size, cut half of it and use it as a lid for such a seedling “pot”.
You can do it another way: from a bottle (a plastic bottle is perfect square shape with a capacity of 5 liters, for example, from drinking water), cut off the side part, and use the remaining large part as a container for seedlings.
6. Plastic cups
Excellent containers for seedlings are made from yogurt or sour cream cups, disposable plastic and paper coffee cups. To make pots, first wash the containers thoroughly and then cut a hole in the bottom to drain excess water. If the hole is too large diameter, place a cardboard circle at the bottom of the glass. For convenience, you can write on the cup with a felt-tip pen or marker the name of the crop and variety that you are going to grow.
Place containers with seeds sown in them in a box or on a tray - it’s more convenient to store them this way. The advantage of such homemade pots is that they are easy to remove earthen coma when planting seedlings in open ground, just lightly press on the bottom of the cup and the lump can be easily removed, remaining intact.
7. Filter bags for coffee machines
If you brew coffee in a coffee maker, don't throw away the used paper filters - they make great cups for seedlings.
Fill each filter bag halfway with soil and place it in plastic box or a tray with high sides to give the “cups” stability. They will stand close to each other, which means they will not fall. Sow the seeds and place a box of coffee “pots” on the windowsill.
8. Toilet paper rolls
Cardboard tubes left over from rolls toilet paper, easily transform into biodegradable seedling cups. You can also use paper towel rolls.
If you need a short glass, cut the sleeve crosswise into two parts. Next, do the following with each part: fold it lengthwise and use scissors to make cuts approximately 1/3 of the height of the tube so that you get 4 blades. Then straighten the workpiece and fold the blades one on top of the other, bending them, as is done with cardboard boxes to make the bottom.
Seedlings can be planted in a permanent place without removing them from the cups, since paper and cardboard are biodegradable materials.
9. Waste paper and cardboard
To make such pots, you need to mentally return to your school years and remember the familiar, but slightly forgotten papier-mâché technology. So, you will need paper or cardboard, water and a mold. You can use glass glasses as a mold, but it’s most convenient if you have a metal muffin tin with several cells.
Tear the paper into small pieces and place in a container with water, leave to soak. Then stick the resulting mixture onto the mold: if you have glasses, then on the outside, if you have a baking dish, on the inside. The workpiece should be left to dry for a day, after which it should be used as a regular glass for seedlings.
10. Ice containers
An unnecessary tray (mold) for ice can become an excellent container for growing seedlings before picking and serve in this role for more than one year. In each cell, do drainage hole(if the plastic is strong, use a drill), take a suitable tray and place the container in it.
Next, fill the cells with soil and sow the seeds. After some time, plant the seedlings in a larger container. The same as in the case with eggshell, in such a container it is better to grow plants with a small root system, since they may become cramped in small cells.
11. Tetra Pak bags
Probably one of the most popular options among hand-made containers for seedlings is Tetra Pak bags. This multi-component material is distinguished from paper and cardboard bags by its increased strength and durability.
Tetra Pak is used for packaging juice and dairy products; in addition to cardboard, it contains foil and polyethylene. It is very simple to prepare such bags for sowing seedlings - cut them into 2 parts and the cups are ready! You can also make a tray for seedlings by cutting the bag lengthwise rather than crosswise.
Be sure to wash containers thoroughly before use.
12. Tea bags
The original method of growing seedlings in used tea bags can compete in efficiency with growing in peat tablets, since tea has a beneficial effect on the development of the plant.
The top part of each bag is cut off, then seedling soil is placed inside with a spoon and the seeds are sown. It is better to place such “pots” in a tray, for example, a container with low sides. When planting in open ground, the bag is not removed.
For information on how else you can use sleeping tea in your household, read our material:
With a little ingenuity, you can adapt almost anything to seedling pots. The main thing is to ensure the drainage of excess water when watering seedlings in cups and to use a tray to collect the liquid.
The use of peat cups in gardening is still considered new technology. Some gardeners enthusiastically use them, others resolutely reject them. Everything new and progressive is always introduced into life with difficulty. There are advantages to using peat cups. There are also disadvantages, but they cause problems only for inexperienced gardeners.
What are peat cups and why are they used?
Gardeners relatively recently began to use peat cups for growing seedlings. Just 20–25 years ago they were very rare. IN last years went on sale peat cups different sizes and forms. They are small containers, most often in the shape of a truncated cone, but can be in the form of a cube or trapezoid, or connected into blocks of several pieces. Their sizes vary between 5–10 cm in diameter with a wall thickness of 1–1.5 mm.
The material from which the cups are made is a mixture: 50–70% peat, the rest is humus and cellulose. A thick aqueous solution of this composition is pressed in special molds to produce containers of various sizes and designs.
The seedlings grown in them no longer need to be removed, disturbing root system tender young plant. It is planted in the ground directly in a cup, placing it in the prepared hole. Then sprinkle with soil and water. The seedlings are planted!
While in the soil, the peat cup gets wet from the irrigation water and dissolves in the ground, while fertilizing the soil around the roots of the plant. The roots easily penetrate through the porous thin walls and occupy the entire surrounding space. The plant begins to develop fully, in contrast to planting with a damaged root.
How to use peat pots for seedlings - video
https://youtube.com/watch?v=I7OQ4-DMj10Advantages and disadvantages
U experienced gardeners who are not afraid to experiment, no consensus about peat cups. To appreciate the advantages of this method of planting, the products must be used correctly. The advantages are as follows:
- Peat cups are environmentally friendly because they are made from natural materials.
- They have sufficient mechanical strength and do not fall apart during the period of seedling growth.
- The walls are porous, which ensures free penetration of air and water to the roots of young plants.
- When transplanting to a garden bed, there is no need to remove the plant from the container. The roots are not damaged, which is very important for plants such as cucumbers and eggplants that do not like transplanting.
- Seedlings easily take root in a new place because the peat soaks and decomposes, enriching the soil useful substances, which are needed to feed the plant.
There are also disadvantages:
- Manufacturers do not always make high-quality products. Sometimes the cups are too dense. For this reason, they do not soak in the soil, and roots cannot grow through the walls.
- Excessive watering leads to moldy cups.
- The porous material does not retain moisture, which causes the soil to dry out quickly. It is necessary to provide very precise, dosed watering.
To avoid drying out, it is recommended to cover the tray with seedlings in peat cups with film and remove the cover from time to time to remove excess moisture and fumes.
Which cups to choose: peat, paper or plastic
Vegetable growers often use homemade plastic and paper cups. Peat ones have several advantages over them:
- Plastic cups need to be cut before planting in the garden. With this action, the lump of earth with roots can crumble; there is no need to remove the seedlings from the peat pot.
- Plastic walls do not allow air and moisture to pass through, while peat walls provide aeration and moisture to the roots.
- Homemade paper cups tear and get wet. They do not guarantee the safety of seedling roots. It takes time to prepare them for planting.
- Neither plastic nor paper cups provide additional nutrition to the plant's roots.
How to plant seeds in cups correctly: instructions
Planting seeds in cups is a simple process.
If the peat cups become moldy, it means they are over-moistened. At the bottom of the pan in which they stand there is water that needs to be drained. Wipe the surface of the glass with alcohol, vinegar or soda solution. If the mold damage is significant, such containers should be disposed of. For prevention, regularly ventilate the room in which the seedlings are located, reduce the dose of watering, and carefully loosen upper layer soil in cups.
Mold should be removed and the glass should be wiped with alcohol, vinegar or soda solution.
Where to buy and how to choose
To obtain good result, must be used quality materials. Beginners and inexperienced vegetable growers complain that seedlings often dry out, and plants planted in cups in the garden do not develop and die. This comes from the use of low-quality products. There should be at least 50–70% peat in them.
When choosing peat cups, give preference to dark, porous and soft to the touch, with a wall thickness of no more than 1.5 mm. Light, dense glasses are fake, with more cellulose than peat.
Peat cups should be purchased in specialized stores and only in branded packaging; it is advisable to require a quality certificate. Buying them at bazaars is fraught with undesirable consequences.
There is no need to be seduced by the miniature and original shape of some cups. Whether they are round or square, this does not affect the development of seedlings at all.. In small cups (5 cm across) the roots will be cramped. It is better to purchase large, 8–10 cm tall, pots. In such a root system of any seedling will grow fully functional.
Making your own peat cups
Some craftsmen make peat cups with their own hands. Such a simple production can be organized in any rural yard or on summer cottage. The main thing in this matter is to prepare the mixture correctly:
- Collect everything necessary materials V required quantities: peat - 7 parts, humus - 2 parts, mullein - 1 part, a little slaked lime.
- Carefully sift the peat and humus. There should be no large solid particles in the mixture.
- Dilute mullein in hot water. The amount of water is determined experimentally in each specific case.
- Add the diluted mullein to a container with peat and humus and mix thoroughly with a shovel until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
- You can add a little lime to the resulting solution. If necessary, fill hot water. The moisture content of the mass is determined by test molding of cups.
- At home, you can form pots with two durable plastic glasses that have the shape of a truncated cone.
Production of peat pots for seedlings - video
With the onset of the new calendar year, every lover of growing vegetables in their own garden bed is again concerned about searching for containers for sowing. Almost all gardeners have given up the habit of growing seedlings on the windowsill in bulky containers. wooden boxes- they are too inconvenient when transporting to the dacha. In addition, tender young seedlings have time to grow into the roots of neighboring plants. The optimal solution When choosing a container for sowing, use a seedling cup.
Should I buy it in a store or make it myself?
Of course production technologies do not stand still, and every hypermarket that respects its customers keeps in its assortment convenient containers for seedlings made of peat, which not only will not damage the root system of the young plant, but will simply dissolve in the soil. Why build your own cups when you can buy ready-made ones? The answer to this question is extremely simple. Experienced gardeners are accustomed to planting dozens or even hundreds of seeds of various vegetables and flower crops. Can you imagine how much money you will need to invest to stock up on containers for all the seeds? Therefore, we will save money and make peat cups for seedlings ourselves. In the meantime, let’s determine if there are any available materials that could become a container for seedlings.
Simple solutions from scrap materials
Even during the winter, those who like to cultivate garden beds collect plastic cylinders, juice boxes, milk cartons, and sour cream containers. Literally everything is used: from paper to thick greenhouse film. And the imagination of gardeners knows no bounds. The film is stitched with thread, cleaved with a stapler, and wound in several layers. There is another simplest way to design containers. Two-liter beverage cylinders are cut at the desired height and converted into a container for planting. Plastic cups for seedlings, made like this in a simple way, have one small minus. However, when replanting, the root system will have to be disturbed a little. Only the removal of those plants that, during the time spent on the windowsill, did not have time to acquire long and strong roots, occurs painlessly.
Making paper cups for seedlings
Some plants are so capricious that they cannot withstand transplantation, get sick for a long time and do not take root well. As a result, while the seedling is acclimatizing in a new place, the precious time allotted for growth will be lost. Therefore, we will make paper cups for seedlings. During the winter, you can collect unwanted newspapers. Pressed cellulose obtained from recycled materials is used to print publications. It will easily rot in the garden, serving as food for omnivores.
We cut the newspapers into pieces of 10x30 cm. The newspaper sheets are quite thin, and in order for the process to go faster, you can fold them in half or three. We take an ordinary glass and wrap it with the resulting blanks in several layers. We leave a small protrusion, which will later be needed to form the bottom. Now dip the bottom edge of the paper in a large number of glue and crush it thoroughly, forming a bottom and tightly fixing it at the bottom of the glass. Press down the newspaper blank with a glass and let the glue dry. We repeat this simple manipulation as many times as we plan to receive blanks. Paper cups for seedlings are ready! Now they can be put away in the pantry until the sowing time.
Peat container for planting
If we are not sure about the density of the newspaper sheets, then we can use a more complex technology for manufacturing the landing container. A peat cup will bring even more benefits to the painlessly transplanted plant. After all, when it dissolves in the soil, it actually becomes good fertilizer. You can make peat containers using own order. We will determine it ourselves required sizes cups and fit a conical steel blank under them. We take into account the fact that in order to obtain more early harvest It is necessary to sow the seeds in a large, spacious container. The root system in it will develop well, the transplant will be painless, and the plant will immediately be able to begin bearing fruit.
To make a peat cup for seedlings, we will need:
- steel conical shape of the required size;
- blank for forming cups;
- circle with a rod.
Composition of the nutritional mixture
Having found all the components of the mold for constructing future cups, we move on to making the peat base. We will need following proportions: 50% peat, 40% cow dung and 10% black soil. Instead of black soil, you can use any other rich soil. Mix well and add azotobacterin, phosphorobacterin and water. The mixture should be quite thick in consistency.
Responsible stage of production
To begin, lower a circle with a pin to the bottom of a steel glass and fill it with the prepared peat mixture to a thickness of 2 cm. We thoroughly compact the future bottom with a blank. Now, without removing it, we will pour the solution along the edges, filling the entire gap between the steel glass and the blank. The seedling cup will not dry out if the mixture is immediately compacted when pouring. The blank can be immediately removed as soon as the peat composition fills the voids right up to the very top. It’s okay if the liner is difficult to remove; you can slightly rock it from side to side. Now all that remains is to carefully pull the rod and remove the finished glass.
Time to experiment
Not everyone can make peat cups for seedlings perfect quality the first time. Sometimes homemade containers can disintegrate and dry out - perhaps this is because the mixture is not thick enough. Sometimes they turn out too dense and solid products, which are difficult to dissolve in the ground when planting. The necessary skill and instinct will definitely come, even if it takes multiple repetitions.
A glass for seedlings made of polyethylene
To make a container 10 cm high and 7 cm in diameter, you will need a piece of thick film measuring 33x15 cm. Find it or cut it out rectangular block to the size of the future cup. In the two edges of the block responsible for the bottom, we make grooves in such a way that a stapler can be placed in them. We cut the polyethylene blanks and begin to design the planting containers. Then we wrap the film blank around and secure it with a stapler and 5 staples. Using two of them, top and bottom, we fix the side edge, and with the rest we form the bottom, folding the ends of the film into an envelope. It's okay if more staples go on the bottom. This way you can model cups of various sizes.
Conclusion
We learned a lot about how to make seedling cups. Of course, peat or paper containers are seen the best solution compared to homemade polyethylene glasses. The idea of planting plants in the ground along with a natural glass that dissolves with water in the soil was revolutionary at one time. But only gardeners can decide which of the presented methods for making containers for seedlings is most acceptable for them. After all, not everyone will be able to find steel blanks for peat glasses, and not everyone will have the time and patience for painstaking work with glue and paper. Therefore, making cups for seedlings is a purely individual matter.
Perhaps you will use a proven method and sow the seeds in disposable plastic containers, besides, they clearly show the condition of the root system and the degree of soil spillage. And such containers can be reused many times. Whatever container you choose for sowing seeds, we wish you a rich harvest!
Subsistence farming in a broad sense is one of the oldest, and perhaps the most ancient occupation person. Over such a long history, it has gone through many stages of development and public perception. From urgent need, when growing plant food with your own hands was the main condition for survival, to neglect, when digging in the ground began to be considered the prerogative of exclusively financially insecure people and the elderly, who seem to have nothing else to do. But today, crop production, growing vegetables, fruits, and any other greenery through its own efforts is experiencing a new round of popularity. The basis for it was the fashion for organic products and public protest against artificial ingredients, which are increasingly used in Food Industry. Then mass fear of the notorious GMOs “connected”. The financial crisis also played a role, significantly reducing the ability of many of our fellow citizens to load the supermarket cart to the top with ready-made products in colorful packaging. And finally, over time (for some - with age, for others - under the influence of media propaganda), an understanding comes that simple fact that there is no better food than the simplest and most natural.
Once you take this path, fresh vegetables grown in the garden begin to seem a hundred times tastier than complex restaurant dishes, and there is no point in dwelling on the benefits of such nutrition: it is already obvious. Especially in the summer, when the body itself strives to cleanse itself and get as many natural vitamins, plant fibers and juices as possible. In such circumstances, even those who have never picked up a rake before in their lives, and learned about the ripening of tomatoes only by their appearance on the shelves, take up gardening. But for such novice gardeners modern industry created many aids. All kinds of devices, tools and chemicals make planting, growing, and caring for crops so much easier that their functionality is appreciated by experienced plant growers. And their special attention was given to peat pots, which now rarely do at least one fan of gardening. That essentially simple idea turned out to be so useful that now few people grow seedlings without them. Want to try it too? There is nothing simpler: handling peat pots is not difficult, they are not expensive and do not take up much space either in the house or on the site. And yet, for the best result, it is better to learn in advance all the nuances of how to use peat pots.
Peat pots: properties and features
Peat pots are relatively small (the size may vary depending on your tasks) cups or boxes designed for growing seedlings in them. main feature peat pots and their main difference from other containers for similar purposes is the material from which the pots are made. It is not difficult to guess about it by its name itself, but in fact it is not 100% pure peat, but a mixture of peat with wood pulp or humus, dried, tightly compacted and shaped into a round or square container. This composition of the material for manufacturing was chosen because it is the lightest, most durable and effective in terms of the functions that are assigned to it. Every gardener knows about them first-hand, and for everyone else, we will once again remind you that the majority of both fruit and ornamental crops begin their life cycle with seedlings. This is a kind of “childhood” of the plant, and it, just like in humans, has a decisive influence on the entire subsequent life of the plant: its development, growth, fruitful indicators, etc. Therefore, it is so important to grow seedlings correctly and provide them with the necessary care. All this is provided for by the composition and design of peat pots:
- The root system is well supplied with oxygen and water thanks to the porous walls of the pot. Neither the nutrition nor the respiration of the developing plant is disturbed.
- After planting in the ground, the roots grow freely through the pliable and soft walls of the peat pot without encountering resistance.
- The base of the pot is strong enough to withstand the load of soil and seedlings as long as it is needed.
- When a peat pot gets into the soil, it gradually decomposes and becomes a natural fertilizer for the plant, which provides its nutrition and improves its growth performance.
- The peat pot is made entirely of natural ingredients that do not harm either the seedlings or the soil, and do not poison the harvest.
- The shape of peat pots can be round or square in diameter. This is not of fundamental importance for the success of growing seedlings, but it can save space or otherwise affect ease of use.
- Peat pots also differ in size, so do not rush to buy the first one you come across if their volume does not seem entirely convenient to you. Look for those that best suit your needs and provide your seedlings with maximum comfort and growth.
- Peat pots can be separate or joined into horizontal blocks of several pieces. It is more convenient to store and use piece peat pots. If you expect to simply break the block into separate parts, then do it carefully so as not to damage the integrity of the walls of the adjacent pot; for all their strength, they are quite susceptible to mechanical damage.
- Try to choose walls of peat pots from one to one and a half millimeters thick - experience shows that it is optimal for most types of seedlings.
- Do not confuse a peat pot with a cardboard one. They look very similar, especially if the cardboard is painted, and unscrupulous manufacturers take advantage of this. Cardboard pots, unlike peat pots, do not dissolve in the soil, do not nourish the plant and do not allow its roots to develop freely in the soil.
Having mentioned counterfeits of peat pots, we have come close to the pressing topic of their shortcomings. Indeed, it cannot be that anyone, even the most convenient and simple device, there were no cons. There are also shortcomings regarding the use of peat pots, and they have long been noticed by gardeners. How to treat them - everyone decides for himself, depending on his capabilities, character and preferences among garden crops. We invite you to learn about the difficulties that other gardeners have encountered and decide for yourself how critical they are for you personally: are they worth giving up peat pots altogether, or simply take some measures to overcome these difficulties:
- Due to the looseness of their walls, peat pots cannot be dry when filled with moist soil. And if so, the moisture continuously evaporates, and the soil inside the peat pot dries out, causing the seedlings to suffer from “thirst.”
- On the other hand, since it is very difficult to control the degree of moisture and evaporation, there is always a risk of watering seedlings in a peat pot too much. As a result, the pot becomes covered with mold, which spreads to both the substrate and the seedlings themselves.
- Evaporation of moisture inevitably leads to cooling, that is, the fragile root system, which needs warmth, in practice begins to freeze, grows slowly and develops poorly.
- Some peat pots do not decompose in the soil as quickly as necessary and remain in the soil in clumps, littering the soil and interfering with other plants. Most often this is a sign of low-quality pots made not from peat, but from cardboard and other materials.
- Sometimes the walls of a peat pot are too strong for weak roots that simply cannot break through. For example, pumpkin copes with this task, but pepper gets stuck and withers.
If the above side effects you haven’t been pushed away, and you haven’t given up on the idea of growing seedlings in a peat pot, then it would be best to follow standard instructions on the use of peat pots. And as complications arise, apply a few tricks, which we will discuss later. One way or another, not all gardeners have complaints about peat pots, so it is possible that in your case everything will turn out well. And the probability of a successful result using peat pots will be higher, the more accurately you follow the following sequence of actions:
- Make sure that you are going to use peat-humus pots - and it is better to do this at the time of purchase, carefully studying the composition of the product in the packaging and asking the seller in detail.
- Fill peat pots with soil suitable for each specific type of seedling, pre-moistened and nutritious.
- Compact the soil slightly, but not too much, so that the seedlings can break through the soil and receive enough oxygen.
- Sow the seeds in the soil directly in the pot, bury the bulbs in the ground up to their shoulders, plant cuttings and seedlings depending on their size.
- Place the pots of seedlings in a wide tray. You can push them close together at first, and move them further apart as the root system grows to provide adequate space, light, and aeration.
- Make sure the ground is in peat pots was always hydrated. Water it directly or through a drip tray.
- Do not allow the soil in peat pots to dry out: this is fraught not only with drying out of the plants, but also with crystallization of salts, which further damage fragile seedlings.
- Water the seedlings in peat pots generously about a day before planting them in open ground.
- Do not remove seedlings ready for planting in the ground from peat pots, but bury them in the ground along with them. The depth of immersion of a peat pot into the soil depends on its size.
- Make sure that the top edge of the peat pot is level with the ground or not much deeper (no more than 1-2 cm in depth).
Secrets of using peat pots
Each gardener chooses for himself what devices to use in his work - fortunately, today you can find, choose and buy literally any tools. Listening to the opinions of others, you should try growing seedlings in a peat pot at least once yourself to form your own opinion. But if you didn’t like using peat pots, and you bought them in advance and with a reserve, don’t rush to get upset and count the “wasted” money. There are no unnecessary things in the household, and now we will prove this to you again using the example of peat pots:
- Using a hole punch, awl or other sharp object, immediately make several holes in the bottom and walls of the peat pot. Subsequently, this will make it easier for the plant’s roots to emerge.
- To prevent moisture from evaporating through the walls of the peat pot and cooling the seedlings, wrap each pot plastic film or by package. Before planting in open ground, do not forget to remove this polyethylene.
- Before putting soil for seedlings in peat pots, saturate them with the solution. mineral fertilizers. This will help the walls of the pots dissolve in the soil faster and provide the plants with additional nutrition.
- To prevent the peat pot from becoming moldy, spray it with a special preparation, for example, foundationol. This will not have a detrimental effect on the seedlings.
- And finally, you can use peat pots not for all seedlings, but only for the strongest and strongest ones - for example, the same pumpkin, whose roots easily penetrate the walls of the peat molds.
Peat pots - required element organic farming. They greatly facilitate the work of growing seedlings. They are easy to use, they quickly decompose in the soil, they do not contain harmful polymers, but they contain a real storehouse of microelements. Peat containers for seedlings have become an indispensable aid in obtaining the future harvest.
The benefits of peat pots
A peat pot is a universal type of planting container made from a pressed mixture of peat, humus, wood pulp and rich earth; it serves as a kind of “kindergarten” for the plant, facilitating growth in the initial stages. Having started their “path” in a peat container, the seedlings receive an excellent boost, which, with the proper efforts of the gardener, will contribute to an excellent harvest.
Composition of peat pots:
- peat is a substance formed in low, marshy areas from moss, fallen leaves and other organic components as a result of incomplete decomposition. It is a universal fertilizer containing a large amount of carbon, which accelerates plant growth;
- humus is obtained from manure or compost that has been decomposing for more than two years. Being a loose mass, it serves as an excellent source of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and other trace elements;
- Wood pulp is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria, which, multiplying on the remains of wood, quickly process the organic components of the cup. It also binds moisture: retaining water, it prevents it from evaporating. Has no nutritional value for the plant;
- fatty soil acts as a component that binds the components of the pot.
Evolution of seedling containers
Over time, like everything else in the world, even containers for planting seedlings undergo changes. After all, there was a time when gardeners heard nothing about either plastic or peat containers for plants.
Wooden boxes
Many gardeners and gardeners still use wooden boxes for sowing seedlings, which are very durable, can withstand transportation and any other movements, and serve faithfully for up to ten years.
Most often, seeds are placed in them by continuous sowing, so that in the future the seedlings will need to be planted. Every season, such boxes must be thoroughly disinfected with fungicides before new crops, and this is a big disadvantage of this type of seedling containers.
Plastic containers
Plastic products for growing seedlings are much lighter than wooden ones. They are produced from plastic of various thicknesses and densities.
The thicker the walls and harder the plastic, the longer the seedling pots last. In addition, many options are available in both volume and shape, which allows you to choose the appropriate shape and volume for any type of seedling. A significant disadvantage can be the use of unsafe plastic.
Handy containers for seedlings
Many summer residents use cups of yoghurts, juices, plastic bottles from milk and other drinks. The advantage is their zero cost, and the disadvantage is the impossibility of complete disinfection after food products.
Peat and cardboard cups and pots
The seedling grows in such cups throughout the entire period and is planted together with it in the ground without damaging the earthen ball and root system, which is very important for plants with a vulnerable root system.
Each plant grows individually in them, they are lightweight, and if you install them in a special plastic tray, they are easy to maintain.
The disadvantage is that the walls are breathable and the soil dries out very quickly. If you delay watering, the seedlings may die. In addition, sometimes when transplanting into the ground, a cup of peat or cardboard does not dissolve in time and inhibits the growth of the root system.
Table: disadvantages of peat containers
| Danger | Causes | Consequences | Fighting method | Result |
| Drying out of the soil mixture | The loose walls of the pot pump out moisture from the soil, constantly remaining wet. | The plant dries up. | Do not water the seedlings from above, but add water to the bottom of the container where the pot is installed. | Water entering through the lower holes evenly saturates the walls and soil. The plant receives complete nutrition. |
| Mold formation | It is difficult to control the amount of water. | Mold appears on the walls. | Wall treatment grated garlic, Fitosporin-M. | Quick elimination of mold will protect the plant from infection with fungal diseases. |
| Rapid evaporation of moisture | Loose walls do not retain moisture. | Rapid cooling of the filler leads to hypothermia of the roots. The plant grows slowly. | Wrap the walls of the pot with film. | Moisture evaporation will decrease. |
| Do not decompose in soil | Low-quality, cheap fakes made of cardboard. Not to be confused with paper cups, which are sold as a separate product and are positioned as such | Without decomposing, they become a source of fungal diseases in the soil. | Buy one pot and soak it in water. | The paper swells, the peat tears. |
| The walls of the pot are too thick | At the roots different types Plants have different abilities to overcome obstacles. | The roots of the seedlings cannot penetrate the wall; the plant does not have enough space. | For plants with weak roots, use thin-walled pots. This primarily applies to cucumbers. | The plant does not fully develop and withers away. |
Advice. When purchasing, you should carefully consider the product. Cardboard is lighter than peat. It feels dense and pressed to the touch. Peat feels porous and brittle to the touch.
Photo gallery: the main disadvantages of peat containers
Mold from the walls of the pot transferred to the soil mixture. The seedlings died due to the rapid drying out of the soil in the pot. The walls of the peat pot became covered with mold.
Video: a prerequisite is not to overdry
Each gardener decides for himself how to treat peat pots. When growing heat-loving plants, peat containers should be replaced with plastic containers.
Planting seedlings
You can buy peat pots in specialized gardening stores, on the market, or you can make them yourself. To get a good result, follow the following recommendations:
- When purchasing, carefully read what is included in the pot. Such devices are made from peat, to which cardboard or wood is added. Most of all, gardeners praise cups with a ratio of the main substance of 70% and additives of 30%. If the composition is not indicated, you should ask the seller about it. Any doubts left? Buy one pot, soak it in water: if it swells and the walls increase in volume, it is not peat, but cardboard.
- If the roots of the plant are fragile, then you should not use cups with thick walls. For example, the roots of pumpkin and watermelon will freely pass through a wall 3–4 mm thick; for a cucumber, a pot with a wall thickness of 1–2 mm is better suited.
- Moisten the soil before filling the pots with substrate.
- After filling the cup with soil, lightly compact it. You shouldn’t do this too hard, otherwise it will be difficult for the seedlings to push through the soil. In addition, little oxygen will reach the roots.
The soil in the cups should remain loose after sowing to make it easier for the seeds to germinate
- The seeds are sown to a depth of 2–3 cm, the bulbs are planted “up to their shoulders.”
- The pots are placed in a tray with high walls. For greater convenience and to prevent the walls of the pots from touching, it is better to use a tray with a lid in the form of cup holders.
- The soil inside the pot should be moist. It is better to water through a tray. If the soil dries out, a salt coating will form on the surface of the soil and the walls of the cup, damaging the young shoots.
- Before planting in the beds, seedlings are watered abundantly.
- The plant is planted together with a pot, which is buried so that the upper edge does not protrude above the ground.
Video: checking what the pot is made of
The depth and diameter of peat cups and pots are selected based on the size of the future plant. Usually the packaging indicates for which crops this or that type of universal container can be used.
Growing seedlings using peat pots is easy. Many summer residents love them because they allow them to preserve the root system of the plant when planting. And this is very important when planting cucumbers and, especially, flowers, which thrive in them from the appearance of cotyledon leaves to mature seedlings. The main thing is to stick simple rules their use.
Even such spoiled beauties as the miniature snapdragon or streptocarpus take root well in peat pots and produce excellent growth.
Video: how to plant strawberry seedlings in peat cups
How to use peat pots
When setting the goal of getting a good harvest, get ready for experiments, one of which may be the use of peat planting containers. If you decide, then follow the advice of experienced people.
Fluconazole is a broad-spectrum antifungal drug that works especially well against yeasts and molds that cause “blooming” of peat walls.
Pots are not a guarantee of getting good seedlings. They have great advantages, but there are also significant disadvantages, so to avoid mistakes, analyze the situation and listen to the advice of experienced gardeners.
How to make peat cups at home
The great popularity of peat containers has led to the emergence of a lot of fakes. Some craftsmen have adapted to making peat planting containers with their own hands.
For home production required:
- sawdust;
- rich earth;
- azotobacterin;
- phosphobacterin;
- mullein;
- water;
- peat.
To 5 kg of peat add 4 kg of mullein and 1 kg of fatty soil, Azotobacterin and Phosphobacterin. Gradually add water and mix a thick solution.
To form pots, we make a simple device consisting of:
- pallet;
- steel glass;
- a pin with an iron circle attached to the end and blanks.
The diameter of the blank and circle should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the glass.
We place the glass on the pallet, lower the pin with the iron circle into it from above. Pour the solution onto the circle, no more than 15–20 mm, and compact it using a blank. Thus, gradually adding and pressing the mixture, fill the glass to the top. Then we take out the blank, and with the help of a pin - the finished glass.
Your first products will turn out, as they say, lumpy. Don't despair. With a little experimentation, you will find the optimal ratio of ingredients, the required viscosity of the solution, and the required pressure force when tamping.