Pots for seedlings from the newspaper: how to do it yourself? Pots and seedling boxes: my experience in choosing containers for growing seedlings How to make peat pots yourself.

Peat pots - required element organic farming. They make it very easy to grow seedlings. They are easy to use, they quickly decompose in the soil, they do not contain harmful polymers, but there is a real storehouse of trace elements. Peat containers for seedlings have become an indispensable tool in obtaining a future harvest.

The benefits of peat pots

peat pot - universal view planting containers made from a pressed mixture of peat, humus, wood pulp and greasy earth; it serves as a kind of "kindergarten" for the plant, facilitating growth in the initial stages. Having started its “path” in a peat container, the seedlings receive an excellent impetus, which, with due diligence of the gardener, will contribute to an excellent harvest.

Composition of peat pots:

• peat - a substance formed in low, wetlands from moss, fallen leaves and other organic components as a result of incomplete decomposition. Is universal fertilizer containing a large number of carbon, which accelerates plant growth;
• humus is obtained from manure or compost that has been decomposing for more than two years. Representing 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 organic components cup. It also binds moisture: by retaining water, it does not allow it to evaporate. It has no nutritional value for the plant;
• fatty soil acts as a component that binds the components of the pot.

The evolution of seedling containers

Over time, like everything in the world, even containers for planting seedlings undergo changes. After all, there was a time when gardeners did not hear anything about either plastic or peat dishes for plants.

Wooden boxes

Many gardeners and gardeners still use wooden boxes for sowing seedlings, which are very durable, withstand transportation and any other movements, and serve faithfully for up to ten years.

Most often, the seeds are placed in them by continuous sowing, so that in the future the seedlings will need to be planted. Each season, such boxes must be carefully disinfected with fungicides before new crops, and this is a big minus 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 the harder the plastic, the longer the seedling pots last. In addition, many options are available both in terms of volume and shape, which allows you to choose the right shape and volume for any type of seedlings. A significant disadvantage may be the use of unsafe plastic.

Improvised containers for seedlings

Many summer residents use cups for yogurt, juice, plastic bottles for 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 for the entire period and, together with it, is planted in the ground without damaging the earthen coma and root system, which is very important for plants with a vulnerable root system.

Each plant grows individually in them, they are light, 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, seedlings may die. In addition, sometimes when transplanted 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 tanks

Danger	The reasons	Effects	Fight method	Result
Drying out the soil mixture	The loose walls of the pot pump out moisture from the soil, constantly remaining wet.	The plant dries up.	Water the seedlings not from above, but add water to the bottom of the container where the pot is installed.	Water, getting through the lower holes, evenly impregnates the walls and soil. The plant receives adequate nutrition.
mold formation	It is difficult to control the amount of water.	There is mold on the walls.	Wall processing grated garlic, Fitosporin-M.	The rapid elimination of the source of mold will save the plant from infection with fungal diseases.
Rapid evaporation of moisture	Loose walls do not retain moisture.	Rapid cooling of the filler leads to supercooling of the roots. The plant grows slowly.	Wrap the sides of the pot with cling film.	Moisture evaporation will decrease.
Does not decompose in soil	Poor quality, cheap fakes made of cardboard. Not to be confused with paper cups sold as separate item, which is positioned exactly like this	Without decomposing, in the soil they become a source of fungal diseases.	Buy one pot and soak in water.	The paper swells, the peat breaks.
Pot walls too thick	At the roots different types plants have different ability to overcome obstacles.	The roots of seedlings cannot penetrate the wall, the plant does not have enough space.	For plants with weak roots, use thin-walled pots. First of all, this applies to cucumbers.	The plant does not fully develop, withers.

Advice. When buying, you should carefully consider the product. Cardboard is lighter than peat. To the touch it is dense, pressed. Peat is porous and brittle to the touch.

Photo gallery: the main disadvantages of peat containers

Mold from the walls of the pot passed to the soil mixture Seedlings died due to the rapid drying of the earth in the pot The walls of the peat pot were covered with mold

Video: a prerequisite - do not overdry

How to treat peat pots, each gardener decides for himself. When growing heat-loving plants, peat containers should be replaced with plastic containers.

Planting seedlings

Buy peat pots you can in specialized gardening stores, on the market, or you can make it yourself. To get a good result, follow these recommendations:

1. At the time of purchase, 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 this. Any doubts left? Buy one pot, soak in water: if it swells, and the walls increase in volume, it is not peat, but cardboard.
2. If the roots of the plant are fragile, then do 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.
3. Moisten the soil before filling the pots with substrate.
4. After filling the cup with soil, lightly tamp it. You should not do this too much, otherwise it will be difficult for the seedlings to push through the ground. In addition, little oxygen will flow to the roots.

   The soil in the cups after sowing should remain loose to make it easier for the seeds to germinate.

5. Seeds are sown to a depth of 2-3 cm, the bulbs are planted "shoulder-deep".
6. Pots are placed in a pallet with high walls. For greater convenience and to prevent contact between the walls of the pots, it is better to use a tray with a lid in the form of glass holders.
7. The soil inside the pot should be moist. It is better to water through the pan. If the earth dries up, then a salt coating forms on the surface of the soil and the walls of the glass, damaging the young growth.
8. Before planting on the beds, seedlings are watered abundantly with water.
9. The plant is planted together with a pot, which is dug in so that the upper edge does not protrude above the ground.

Video: check what the pot is made of

The depth and diameter of peat cups and pots is selected based on the size of the future plant. Usually, the packaging indicates for which crops one or another type of universal container can be used.

Growing seedlings with peat pots is easy. Many summer residents fell in love with them because they allow you to save the root system of the plant when planting. And this is very important when planting cucumbers and, especially, flowers that feel great in them from the appearance of cotyledon leaves to mature seedlings. Most importantly, stick to simple rules their use.

Even such spoiled beauties as a miniature snapdragon or streptocarpus take root well in peat pots and give excellent growth.

Video: how to plant strawberry seedlings in peat cups

How to use peat pots

Aiming to get 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 - antifungal drug broad spectrum of activity, especially effective 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 drawbacks, so to avoid mistakes, analyze the situation, listen to the advice of experienced gardeners.

How to make peat cups at home

The great popularity of peat containers led to the appearance of a mass of fakes. Some craftsmen have adapted to make peat planting containers with their own hands.

For home production needed:

• sawdust;
• oily land;
• azotobacterin;
• phosphobacterin;
• mullein;
• water;
• peat.

To 5 kg of peat we add 4 kg of mullein and 1 kg of fatty earth, Azotobacterin and Phosphobacterin. Gradually add water and knead a thick solution.

To form pots, we make a simple device consisting of:

• pallet;
• steel glass;
• a pin with an iron circle fixed at the end and a blank.

The diameter of the blank and the circle should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the glass.

We install the glass on the pallet, lower the pin with the iron circle into it from above. We pour a solution on the circle, no more than 15–20 mm, and tamp it with a blank. Thus, gradually pouring and pressing the mixture, fill the glass to the top. Then we take out the blank, and with the help of the pin - the finished glass.

The first products you will get, as they say, lumpy. Do not despair. With a little experimentation, you will find the optimal ratio of ingredients, the required viscosity of the solution, the desired pressing force when tamping.

Subsistence farming in a broad sense is one of the oldest, and perhaps the most ancient human occupation. For such a long history, it has gone through many stages of development and public perception. From urgent need when self-cultivation plant food was the main condition for survival, to the point of neglect, when digging in the ground began to be considered the prerogative of exclusively financially insecure people and the elderly, who seemed to have nothing else to do. But today, crop production, the cultivation of vegetables, fruits, any other greens, is experiencing through its own efforts new round popularity. The basis for it was the fashion for organic products and public outcry against artificial ingredients increasingly used in Food Industry. Then the massive 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 cart in the supermarket to the top with ready-made products in colorful packages. And, finally, over time (for someone - with age, for someone - under the influence of media propaganda), an understanding comes of the simple fact that there is no the best food than the most simple and natural.

One has only to step on this path - and fresh vegetables grown in the garden, begin to seem a hundred times tastier than compound restaurant dishes, and there is no point in spreading thoughts about the benefits of such nutrition at all: it is already obvious. Especially in the summer, when the body itself seeks to cleanse itself, to get as much natural vitamins, vegetable fibers and juices as possible. In such circumstances, even those who have never picked up a rake in their lives before, and learned about the ripening of tomatoes only by their appearance on the shelves, are accepted for gardening. But for such novice gardeners, modern industry has created many aids. All sorts of devices, tools and chemicals make planting, growing, and caring for crops so easy that even experienced growers appreciate their functionality. And their special attention was given to peat pots, without which at least one fan of gardening rarely does now. That simple, in fact, idea turned out to be so handy that now few people grow seedlings without them. Want to try too? There is nothing easier: handling peat pots is easy, 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 know 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 of a similar purpose lies in the material from which the pots are made. It is not difficult to guess about it by the name itself, but in fact it is not 100% pure peat, but a mixture of peat with wood pulp or humus, dried, tightly packed and shaped into a round or square container. Such a composition of the material for manufacturing was chosen because it is the lightest, most durable and efficient in terms of the functions that are assigned to it. Every gardener knows about them firsthand, but for everyone else we will remind you once again that most of both fruit and ornamental crops start their life cycle from seedlings. This is a kind of “childhood” of a plant, and, just like in humans, it has a decisive influence on the entire subsequent life of the plant: its development, growth, fruitful indicators, etc. Therefore, it is so important to properly grow seedlings and provide them with necessary care. All this is provided for by the composition and design of peat pots:

1. The root system is well supplied with oxygen and water due to the porous walls of the pot. Neither nutrition nor respiration of a developing plant is disturbed.
   
2. After planting in the ground, the roots freely grow through the pliable and soft walls of the peat pot, without encountering resistance.
   
3. The base of the pot is strong enough to support the load of earth and seedlings for as long as it is needed.
   
4. The peat pot, getting into the ground, gradually decomposes and becomes a natural fertilizer for the plant, which provides its nutrition and improves growth rates.
   
5. The peat pot is completely made from natural ingredients that do not harm either seedlings or soil, and do not poison the crop.
   

It follows from this that peat pots are a really useful invention and a necessary purchase for growing seedlings. But did they manage without them before? Of course, you can grow seedlings in other containers. Our mothers and grandmothers used boxes, bags, jars and cups from yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream for this purpose ... Nobody bothers you to follow their example, but you need to take into account certain features and difficulties that those who use for growing seedlings "improvised materials". Firstly, some crops with a naturally weak root system (for example, cucumbers, pumpkins, peppers, eggplants, etc.) cannot be planted and then swooped down in boxes: they simply cannot withstand such tests. Secondly, the container from under fermented milk products often contains their residues, and lactic acid bacteria very aggressively affect the roots, causing damage and disease. And, finally, the roots of seedlings grown in solid containers are inevitably damaged, which subsequently cannot but affect the development of the plant. All these dangers can be avoided by using peat pots. And in order to choose them correctly at the first purchase, keep in mind that:

1. The shape of peat pots are round and square in diameter. This is not fundamental to the success of growing seedlings, but it can save space or otherwise affect ease of use.
   
2. Peat pots also differ in size, so do not rush to buy the first one that comes across if their volume seems to you not very convenient. Look for the ones that best fit your needs and give your seedlings maximum comfort and growth.
   
3. Peat pots can be separate or fastened 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 violate the integrity of the walls of the neighboring pot, for all their strength, they are quite susceptible to mechanical damage.
   
4. Try to choose the walls of peat pots from one to one and a half millimeters thick - experience shows that it is optimal for most types of seedlings.
   
5. 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 ground, do not nourish the plant and do not allow its roots to develop freely in the soil.
   

Advantages and disadvantages of peat pots
By mentioning fake peat pots, we come close to hot topic their shortcomings. Indeed, it cannot be that any, even the most convenient and simple device, does not have disadvantages. With regard to the use of peat pots, there are also shortcomings, and they have long been noticed by gardeners. How to relate to them - everyone decides for himself, depending on his capabilities, temperament 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 it to abandon peat pots altogether, or just take some measures to overcome these difficulties:

1. Peat pots, due to the friability of their walls, cannot be dry when filled with moist soil. And if so, then the moisture continuously evaporates, and the earth inside the peat pot dries up, causing the seedlings to suffer from “thirst”.
   
2. 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 is covered with mold, which spreads both to the substrate and to the seedlings themselves.
   
3. Evaporation of moisture inevitably leads to cooling, that is, weak root system, which needs warmth, in practice begins to freeze, grows slowly and develops poorly.
   
4. Some peat pots do not break down in the soil as quickly as they should, and remain in the soil in clumps that litter the soil and interfere with other plants. Most often, this is a sign of low-quality pots made not from peat, but from cardboard and other materials.
   
5. 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, and pepper gets stuck and withers.
   

How to grow seedlings in a peat pot
If the above side effects If you haven't been repulsed or given up on the idea of ​​growing your seedlings in a peat pot, it's best to follow the standard instructions for using peat pots. And as complications arise, apply a few tricks, which we will discuss next. One way or another, not all gardeners complain about peat pots, so it is possible that in your case everything will turn out well. And the probability of a successful result of using peat pots will be the higher, the more accurately you follow the following sequence of actions:

1. Make sure that you are going to use peat-humus pots - and do it better even at the time of purchase, carefully studying the composition of the product in the package and asking the seller in detail.
   
2. Fill the peat pots with the right one for everyone specific type seedlings with soil, previously moistened and nutritious.
   
3. Lightly compact the soil, but not much, so that the seedlings can break through the ground and receive enough oxygen.
   
4. Sow the seeds in the ground right in the pot, drown the bulbs in the ground “up to the shoulders”, plant the cuttings and seedlings depending on their size.
   
5. Place potted seedlings in a wide tray. You can push them in tightly at first, and as the root system grows, move them away from each other to provide enough space, light and aeration.
   
6. Make sure that the soil in the peat pots is always moist. Water it directly or through a drip tray.
   
7. Do not allow the earth to dry out in peat pots: this is fraught not only with the drying of plants, but also with the crystallization of salts, which further damage fragile seedlings.
   
8. Plentifully water the seedlings in peat pots about a day before planting them in open ground.
   
9. Do not remove seedlings ready for planting in the ground from peat pots, but bury them in the ground with them. The depth of immersion of a peat pot in the soil depends on its size.
   
10. 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 deep).
    

As you can see, the technology of growing seedlings in peat pots is really simple and logical, both in theory and in practice. Its main advantage is that there is no need to remove seedlings from solid containers when planting in a garden bed and thereby injure thin roots. Flowers take root especially well in peat pots, and even such capricious ones as a miniature Snapdragon. But to ignore the shortcomings of peat pots is also impossible. Therefore, we suggest that you do not close your eyes to them, but rather, look around in search of a way out of the situation and take advantage of some of the subtleties discovered by enterprising gardeners in the process of using peat pots.

Secrets of using peat pots
Each gardener himself chooses what devices to use in his work - fortunately, you can find, choose and buy literally any tools today. Listening to the opinions of others, it is worth at least once to try growing seedlings in a peat pot yourself in order to compose personal opinion. But if you didn’t like using peat pots, but you bought them in advance and with a margin, do not rush to get upset and count the “thrown” money. There are no superfluous things on the farm, and now we will prove this again to you using the example of peat pots:

1. With 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 roots of the plant to come out.
   
2. To prevent moisture from evaporating through the walls of the peat pot and cooling the seedlings, wrap each pot plastic wrap or package. Before planting in open ground, do not forget to remove this polyethylene.
   
3. Before putting soil for seedlings in peat pots, soak them with a solution mineral fertilizers. This will help the walls of the pots to dissolve faster in the soil and provide the plants with additional nutrition.
   
4. To prevent the peat pot from becoming moldy, spray it with a special preparation, for example, foundationol. It will not have a detrimental effect on seedlings.
   
5. And finally, you can use peat pots not for all seedlings, but only for the strongest and strongest - for example, the same pumpkin, whose roots easily penetrate the walls of peat moulds.
   

The excitement around peat pots, as is often the case, is greatly exaggerated. For all their benefits, they also have disadvantages, which, however, are not at all difficult to cope with with a small share of a rational attitude. But they are light, safe for the environment and look much better than variegated plastic packages from cottage cheese desserts. You can start and continue to grow seedlings in peat pots for any agricultural, ornamental, horticultural crops, or abandon them forever by finding more suitable way. In other words, both the garden season and a good harvest depend not on peat pots, but on your skill and attitude. It is no secret that plants, as living organisms and part of nature, are sensitive to the psychological atmosphere around. Therefore, use peat pots and other garden tools easily, with a smile good mood, then the seedlings will be a joy!

Gardeners prefer to use peat pots. The main element in the composition peat pots is peat, auxiliary elements are cardboard, wood.

The highest quality pots are those that are at least 70% peat. Correct pots very loose, therefore they perfectly pass air to the root system of plants, which contributes to the active growth of strong seedlings.

The loose structure of the products allows the roots to break through their walls with minimal effort. After planting the seedlings in the ground, the pots dissolve quite quickly - 33-38 days.

The density of cups, in which a lot of cellulose (cardboard) is added, does not have such advantages, so there is a big risk that the plants will develop poorly, and after planting in the soil they may even die.

A quality peat pot should contain at least 70% peat

Before as buy peat pots Be sure to familiarize yourself with their composition, so as not to spend money on low-quality goods.

Advantages of peat pots

Absolute environmental friendliness of products - they do not contain toxic substances harmful to humans and the environment.

The composition of the material used for the manufacture of cups does not contain pathogenic microflora that contributes to the development of various diseases. Also in the mixture for the manufacture of peat products there are no weed seeds.

Seedlings planted in this way are more likely to quickly take root in a new place.

accelerated process survival guarantees early and high yield. Harvest dates come earlier by 14-21 days, and the amount of the crop increases by about a third.

When the pot is completely dissolved in the ground, it turns out to be beautiful, which feeds the plants for less than three months.

Disadvantages of peat pots

Despite a significant number of advantages, peat products have some disadvantages.

The soil often dries out due to the fact that the loose structure of the cup absorbs all the water and it quickly evaporates from it. The plant "freezes" due to the fact that, during evaporation, the soil cools. If you do not make timely watering, the seedlings will grow poorly or may even die.

To prevent the soil from drying out, the pot is watered excessively, which provokes the development of mold.

There are frequent cases when, after the pot is planted in the ground, it does not dissolve, thereby capturing the roots - later they cannot get all the necessary substances from the soil and slowly die.

Excessive watering can lead to the formation of mold on pots

How to use peat pots?

A gardener who first decided to try a similar container for growing seedlings has a very obvious question - how to plant in peat pots?

Peat cups must first be soaked in a mixture of organic and mineral dressings and then dry well. In order for the roots to surely be able to break through the walls of the container, it is recommended to make small holes over the entire surface of the pot. An ordinary clerical hole punch will do an excellent job with this task.

Purchased soil or soil mixture made by yourself, you need to fall asleep in cups. Please note that the soil should be loose and airy, so you can not carefully compact it.

Seeds are planted in pots according to the required timing, as well as the depth recommended for planting the selected plant. Watering is best done with a spray bottle or a small watering can.

In order for the plants to enter quickly and amicably, the container is covered with a polyethylene film and placed in warm place The temperature ranges from 20 to 25C. Two days before planting the seedlings on the site, the pots should be watered abundantly in order to speed up the process of their dissolution in the soil.

Before moving young plants to the site, they must certainly be hardened, otherwise they will react painfully to sudden changes in environment. Five days before planting, the seedlings are taken out into the street and gradually increase the time they are in the fresh air.

Most gardeners grow in peat pots tomatoes and pepper. In cups, you can grow chestnut crops, or even bushes (raspberries, gooseberries, roses).

In the photo, tomato seedlings in peat pots

According to peat pot reviews in order to successfully grow seedlings in such a container, you need to get used to it a little: often, but in small quantities.

Most amateur gardeners praise the cultivation of seedlings cucumbers in peat pots, because in this way it is possible to sow seeds earlier than usual and as a result to get a harvest in the shortest possible time.

Types of peat pots

peat pots may be square or round. Pots are made individually or in the form of sections (a certain number of cups interconnected).

In diameter, the pots can have various sizes: 5cm, 6cm, 7cm, 8cm, 9cm,10cm. The height of the container coincides with its diameter - for example, 5 cm wide and 5 cm high.

The photo shows a variety of peat pots

The size peat pots is selected depending on which plants are planned to be planted. The wall thickness varies in the range of 1.5-2.5 mm. Packed peat containers must have a label with the composition.

peat pots it is advisable to buy in specialized stores in order to secure yourself from the purchase of low-quality goods. Price of peat pots depends on the size and on their type (pieces, blocks). The minimum cost is from 10-15 rubles apiece.

How to make a peat pot?

For creating peat pots for seedlings First of all, you need to prepare a solution with the correct consistency. Here are a few recipes for the mixture: mix peat, sod land and mullein in a ratio of 7: 2: 1, combine 60 peat and 20% humus soil, 15% sod land and 5% mullein. The components are diluted with water to a relatively thick state.

After preparing the mixture, it is best to use a stainless steel container, which will not corrode during repeated use.

You need to take a glass with a removable bottom and pour a little mixture there, then with the help of the second part of the equipment - a pusher of a slightly smaller diameter than the container, displace the excess mixture from the mold.

The contents are carefully rammed with a pusher, after which it is removed, and the glass is left for a while so that the contents dry out a little. At the end of production peat cups dried outside under the sun or in a heated oven.

To do good pots, it may take some time to correct errors: add certain components, increase the drying time of finished products.

Containers intended for growing seedlings are presented by manufacturers in a huge assortment. But why spend money if you can use the containers that we usually throw away. Today we’ll talk about how to make cups for seedlings yourself.

Disposable plastic cups

They are ideal for growing seedlings. The main thing is to provide drainage so that the water does not stagnate. To do this, it is enough to make several punctures in the bottom of the container with a thick needle. It is also important to consider the needs of the plant's root system.

Cans

Cans of beer and lemonade - another good option. Just carefully cut off the top and make drainage holes in the bottom. In order not to cut yourself during transplantation, process the edges with sandpaper.

Milk or juice bags

Containers lined with foil are best.

- Take the box and cut it around the perimeter on three sides. Fold back the top. In this case, a kind of box with a reflective surface will turn out. The foil will reflect the sun's rays, transferring heat to young plants.
- You will need two-liter bags. Cut off about ¼ of the entire height. In such a container, the plant will develop very quickly.
- Take a milk or juice carton. The volume does not matter (small ones will not work) and again make a “box” out of it. Pour, and with the help of the side part cut into strips, divide it into small squares. Plant one plant in each, deepening them into the ground. Later, as it develops, the root system will braid the earth. And the plant is very easy to transplant without damaging the fragile roots.

Soda bottles


Plastic bottles from under any drinks should also not be thrown away.
- In small containers, a little more than 1/4 of the entire height is cut off, and drainage holes are made in the bottom. So excess water can flow into the pan. When it's time to plant the plant on permanent place, the glass is simply carefully removed.
- But 6 - liter bottles cut lengthwise. It is best to use rectangular canisters. The resulting containers can be used both for growing seedlings and for transplanting plants that already need picking.

Next consumable- plastic containers. Here you can use cake lids, ice cream cups or sour cream. They are used as separate containers for plants.

- Small containers can be used for planting small seeds, or growing seedlings until picking.
- In deep, if you follow the recommendations, you can grow plants until planting in a permanent place.

The cake lid can be used as a cover. So you get a homemade mini greenhouse.

Cups from toilet paper

Enough interesting solution. You will need:
- toilet paper roll;
- plastic cup;
- spray;
- scotch.

Wrap the glass with several layers of toilet paper. The more, the denser the container will be.
Then we move the paper down, about 4 cm, and carefully moisten it with water. After that, manually form the bottom of the glass and leave it to dry completely.
After that, we fix the bottom with adhesive tape.

shoe box

If a inner surface cover with polyethylene, then the container can serve for:
- germination of dahlia tubers;
- planting plants that subsequently do not need picking.

In addition, it can simply serve as a container for plastic cups.

Plastic bottle pots


We have already considered options for their use. But in this case, you will get square containers.
- Cut out the central part of the bottle (the neck and bottom go to waste).
- We fold the resulting cylinder twice so that it looks like a box without a bottom.
- The next step - on each side we make cuts in depth equal to ½ of its length and fold the box.

Every real summer resident knows that a good harvest begins with seeds and seedlings.

We plant seedlings, dive and transplant into separate containers. We can plant in peat pots, plastic containers or newfangled peat pellets.

And we can also make pots for seedlings with our own hands and make them as many as you need in quantity. Fascinating gardeners are able to fill literally everything with green sprouts, you can’t stock up on any purchased containers.

As a container for growing seedlings, you can use:

• tea bags
• Tetra Pak packages
• Ice containers
• Waste paper and cardboard
• citrus peel
• Eggshell
• egg trays
• Plastic bottles
• Plastic cups
• Filter bags for coffee machines
• Toilet paper rolls

tea bags

The original way 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.

Cut off each bag upper part, then put soil for seedlings inside with a spoon and sow the seeds. Such "pots" are best placed in a pallet, for example, a container with low sides. When landing in open ground, the bag is not removed.

Eggshell

Egg shells are an excellent homemade container for small seedlings or for growing seedlings before transferring them to larger containers.

Take the shell and make a hole in 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 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 shell.

Tetra Pak packages

Probably one of the most popular options among hand-made seedling containers is Tetra Pak bags. This multi-component material is distinguished from paper and cardboard bags by increased strength and durability.

Tetra Pak is used for packaging juice, dairy products; in addition to cardboard, it includes foil and polyethylene. Preparing such bags for sowing seedlings is very simple - cut them into 2 parts and the cups are ready! You can also make a seedling tray by cutting the package not across, but along.

Be sure to wash containers thoroughly before use.

Old newspapers can become excellent material for the manufacture of containers for seedlings. To do this, you will need newspaper sheets (it is better to give preference to black and white pages), a cylindrical object (bottle, narrow tin can), 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 break the "pot".

Plastic bottles

From a plastic bottle, you can make not just a container for seedlings, but a functional pot with an automatic watering system and a greenhouse effect.

Pure plastic bottle cut in half, do not remove the lid, 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 with the neck over and insert into the second half of the bottle. Pour the soil, sow the seeds. Take the half bottle of potting soil out of the tray, pour water into the bottom of the pot, then push the plant half back into the tray.

Take another bottle of the same size, cut off half of it and use it as a lid for such a seedling "pot".

You can do it differently: from a bottle (a square-shaped plastic bottle with a capacity of 5 liters is perfect, for example, from drinking water) cut off the side part, and use the remaining large part as a container for seedlings.

Plastic cups

Excellent seedling containers are obtained from yogurt or sour cream cups, disposable plastic and paper coffee cups. To make pots, first wash these containers thoroughly, and then cut a hole in their bottom to drain excess water.

If the hole is too large diameter, put a cardboard circle on 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 is more convenient to store them. The advantage of such home-made pots is the convenient extraction of an earthen clod when planting seedlings in open ground - just lightly press on the bottom of the cup and the clod can be easily removed, remaining intact.

Filter bags for coffee machines

If you're brewing coffee in a coffee maker, don't throw away used paper filters—they can make great seedling cups.

Fill each filter bag halfway with soil and place in plastic box or a pallet with high sides to give the "cups" stability. They will stand tightly to each other, which means they will not fall. Sow the seeds and place the crate of coffee "pots" on the windowsill.

Toilet paper rolls

The cardboard tubes left over from toilet paper rolls are easily converted into biodegradable seedling cups. You can also use paper towel rolls.

If you need a low cup, cut the sleeve across into two parts. Next, do the following with each part: fold it lengthwise and make cuts with scissors about 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 cups, since paper and cardboard are biodegradable materials.

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 form.

Glass cups can be used as a mold, but it is most convenient if you have a metal mold for cupcakes with several cells.

Tear the paper into small pieces and put in a container of water, leave to soak. Then wrap the mold around the resulting mass: if you have glasses, then with outside if the baking dish is from the inside.

The blank must be left to dry for a day, and then used as a regular cup for seedlings.

Ice containers

An unnecessary tray (form) for ice can be an excellent container for growing seedlings before picking and serve in this role for more than one year. Make a drainage hole in each cell (if the plastic is strong, use a drill), take a suitable pallet and place the container in it.

Next, fill the cells with soil and sow the seeds. After a while, spread the seedlings in a container bigger size. Just as in the case with eggshell, in such a container it is better to grow plants with a small root system, since they can become cramped in small cells.

egg trays

The egg tray is also used as a container for seedlings. Such containers are conveniently placed on the windowsills. To begin with, a hole is made in the bottom of each cell of the container (if the tray is plastic, you can heat the awl and pierce it with it). Then the cells are filled with soil and seeds are sown.

After some time, the roots of the plant will be braided with an earthen clod, and for further picking, it will be enough to carefully remove the seedling with a clod with a fork.

citrus peel

If you like to squeeze juice from citrus fruits (orange, grapefruit, lemon, pomelo, etc.) with a juicer, then you probably have many halves of the peel of these fruits. Why not use them as seedling cups?

In a half of the fruit peeled from the pulp (in the bottom), make a small hole for the outflow of moisture, 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 from open ground directly with a "pot".