We'll call this a "good problem to have..."
The past couple years, I've started my vegetable garden indoors and moved it outside after the threat of frost has passed. May 1st is my usual date for moving outside.
This year, I'm in an interesting situation. I'm closing on a house across town in about two weeks, so even if I wanted to move everything outside right now, I'd have to dig everything up and move it.
Not that I'd move outside yet. It's way too early in my area of the country. Just wanted to let everyone know it wasn't an option.
In past years, I've moved right from the little peat hockey pucks in the seed starting kits right outside to the garden. For some reason, this year everything looks to be taking off, and it's become clear I'll have to re-pot some things (zucchini, watermelon, snap peas, etc.) before I move to the new place.
So, what do you recommend insofar as containers are concerned? Keep in mind I haven't been saving milk cartons or milk jugs or anything like that. Little Dixie cups? Does Home Depot or Lowe's sell a gross of little plastic pots or anything like that? What do I do now that I need a couple hundred small containers (and quickly)?
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applestar
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- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
I'm kicking myself for getting rid of all my 2~3" nursery pots from last year (I have 4" on up 
) But in the interest of saving real estate under the lights, I find I really need 3" pots. So I've been making paper pots. All you need are black-and-white newspaper (no colors), a mold of desired size (I've been using a square glass sauce bottle and a rectangular lexan water canteen -- smooth sides are a must), and non-toxic glue. you can use elmer's I hear, but I just mix up a bit of flour and water in a metal measuring cup, then heat until it's gluey.
Decide how tall you want the pot to be, test your mold, and cut the paper to (Heightx2) + about 1" and long enough to wrap once. The idea is to make a double sheet wall but single sheet bottom. Cut up the paper, fold over the side, then wrap loosely around the mold and apply glue. Fold closed the bottom, gift-wrapping style, glue as necessary and slide the finished paper pot off to dry. I line them up in plastic and aluminum take out trays - you want about 1" depth to support the paper pots and to be able to water from the bottom (the paper wicks the moisture so they tend to dry pretty quickly).
I use a home made soil mix of compost, good topsoil, and sand fortified with soaked alfalfa pellets, greensand, rock phosphate, and dolomite lime.
) But in the interest of saving real estate under the lights, I find I really need 3" pots. So I've been making paper pots. All you need are black-and-white newspaper (no colors), a mold of desired size (I've been using a square glass sauce bottle and a rectangular lexan water canteen -- smooth sides are a must), and non-toxic glue. you can use elmer's I hear, but I just mix up a bit of flour and water in a metal measuring cup, then heat until it's gluey.Decide how tall you want the pot to be, test your mold, and cut the paper to (Heightx2) + about 1" and long enough to wrap once. The idea is to make a double sheet wall but single sheet bottom. Cut up the paper, fold over the side, then wrap loosely around the mold and apply glue. Fold closed the bottom, gift-wrapping style, glue as necessary and slide the finished paper pot off to dry. I line them up in plastic and aluminum take out trays - you want about 1" depth to support the paper pots and to be able to water from the bottom (the paper wicks the moisture so they tend to dry pretty quickly).
I use a home made soil mix of compost, good topsoil, and sand fortified with soaked alfalfa pellets, greensand, rock phosphate, and dolomite lime.