Recycled containers for seed starting and uppotting

[froggy]

Have any of you tried pop bottle propagators?

I found this when researching ficus cuttings....
http://www.insideurbangreen.org/2008/04/recycled-pop-bo.html

so i followed a few links to here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenscaper/sets/72157604735985648/

and here's how they are made:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenscaper/2519983658/

they look like a neat idea, only, i don't drink pop more than a few times a year... so i haven't had a chance to experiment with it since I found the instructions...

[froggy]

Just found his whole thread on propagation:

http://www.insideurbangreen.org/propagation/

Maybe that one's a bit more explanatory....

[Bobberman]

Just found his whole thread on propagation:

http://www.insideurbangreen.org/propagation/

Maybe that one's a bit more explanatory....

This is really nice thread. I hope more look at this and quit wasting good planting containers!!

[Bobberman]

That is a great idea since I go through 3 chip baga or more a week! The wrinkles in the bags disperse the light even better. Some baga have a white shiny inside which is also good. I will start collecting them! I will glue them on the back of a piece of old carpet or padding like 2 foot square for the wall or under the plant boxes! Cheap & SUPER!!

[Bobberman]

Here is another idea for the water or pop bottle. Clear is better! I took a water bottle and left the cap on but cut the top out like a boat! I filled it 1/3 with water and put my sweet potato in the container. Now I will see what happens with the two I have in seperate containers. Does the heat matter or the light? I put one above the ref.! The other in the window!

[applestar]

I tried making one out of a water bottle. This one is Desani and, to my surprise, had a pretty pressed pattern under the label. I planted a volunteer tomato plant that grew in a container along with some Holly Basil.


It grew quickly -- I believe the narrow neck of the upper bottle encourages the roots to grow down. I diverged from the original instructions and didn't put the cap on because I didn't think the soil would fall out. Look how the roots just grew right out of the opening even though I pushed the upper part down tight onto the bottom part


Here's the same plant 1 week later:

[sheeshshe]

wow, that grew fast!!!!

[applestar]

Well... I do want to draw everyone's attention to the fact that the ROOTS grew fast and right out of the bottom. The top growth on this plant would be considered "leggy" due to insufficient light and/or too much compost=nutrients in the soil mix. As usual, these early volunteers that are not part of my main intentional tomato starts don't get optimum attention/care.

[M.Clark]

I have started using paper towel and toilet paper roll tubes for starting seeds. I collect them all winter, and cut the toilet paper tubes into ½ and the paper towel as close to a normal size as I can.

[sheeshshe]

I have started using paper towel and toilet paper roll tubes for starting seeds. I collect them all winter, and cut the toilet paper tubes into ½ and the paper towel as close to a normal size as I can.

ROFL! I was JUST coming to this thread to post just that. this is what I want to do this year!

[F0od]

I don't have any pics yet, but a friend of mine wanted to have taquitos at his favorite restaurant. We ended up ordering to go, and heading over to a park nearby. We bought Dixie cups, and only used a few, so I took the rest home, and started Basil, Oregano, Cilantro, Marigolds, Lavender, and probably a few other things in them. Marigolds are looking fabulous, as is the cilantro, oregano, and marigolds. Only had one lavender come up, but I heard it's a bit tough to grow, so I'll take it as a success!!

[FistulinaHepatica]

This thread made me feel sooooo at home it's nice to know that are other gardeners out there using bottle-and-yogurt-pot-nurseries

[Silverfish]

I know it's been said here somewhere, but newspaper pots are by far the best recyclable pots and cheap/easy to make. I discovered these long ago from step by step instructions of this site:

http://www.bettaliving.org/DIY/Basic_pl ... _pots.html[/img]

[Tilde]

What about cloth bags? I've been sewing up some little bags for a project for a local school and I thoguht about some of the old cotton teeshirts I have that are so threadbare and loved - sew them up into little bags to start seedlings.

[Tilde]

Holiday sugar shock is starting ... so I got a few cupcake trays from the break room for seed starters.

similar to these:



Glad I revisited this thread - I've got some extra cabbages and lettuces to get planted for winter and I can do the soda pop bottle thing to try them hydroponically on a small scale ...

[jnunez918]

Have any of you tried pop bottle propagators?

I found this when researching ficus cuttings....
http://www.insideurbangreen.org/2008/04/recycled-pop-bo.html

so i followed a few links to here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenscaper/sets/72157604735985648/

and here's how they are made:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/greenscaper/2519983658/

they look like a neat idea, only, i don't drink pop more than a few times a year... so i haven't had a chance to experiment with it since I found the instructions...

I tried 16oz water bottles but found it very hard to get the seedling out. I ended up having to cut down the bottles 2-3 not to ruin the root ball. I'll definitely keep 2liters for cloches.

[floridahillnursery]

Applestar, those paper pots are too cool for school.

[floridahillnursery]

We use recycled containers from plant and t.c. companies for our tomatoes in spring. I really hate throwing them out.



These are the containers we use to start our vegies in. These are a week old and will be planted in spring (feb 25th) they are all heirloom var. these will be trimmed to vine. We end up giving 1/2 away to close friends.


Some better boys we started back in November. These pupies will be full of tomatoes come spring 20-50 tomatoes each and 8' tall trimed to vine. My wife Angela makes some of the best salsa and tomato sauce. I like sitting on our swing and slicing them up with a little salt...

[Dillbert]

paper egg cartons . . .

dozen size or 18 - count size.

works well for the 6-8 week crowd - by the end they're falling apart - no need to "extract" the seedling - ala peatpots, bury the whole thing.....

[DoubleDogFarm]

FHN,
Very nice!
May I have a wider view of the seedling setup? Looks a little like my watering shelf.


Eric

[floridahillnursery]

Hi Eric, Sure I'll go snap a pict. This is our personal overwintering/seedling greenhouse. BRB


150 + or - Heirloom tomatoes. We use Dosatron injectors with overhead irrigation our tray table is 4'. Sterile medium is a must. To the medium we add a Bio-organic full spectrum fertilizer w/beneficial microbes. All nutrients are introduced, this will help curtail any pathogens in what would be the soil. Tomatoes will almost jump out of the ground.

Down from that a little further we have grape cuttings rooting out. they seem to like the same enviroment.

[Unikorn]

wow that is so cool! I am totally going to raid my parents kitchen for soda bottles now for my seedlings That green house is awesome.

[gixxerific]

Ihave probably said it befroe in here. But don't forget asking your local nursery's nicely to get some of their overstocked used pots. I have gotten a ton that way.

Just came home with another 50 pots the other day. I am in constuction so if I am there when the landscapers are there I hit them up as well.

[Garden_by_Faith]

I know it's been said here somewhere, but newspaper pots are by far the best recyclable pots and cheap/easy to make. I discovered these long ago from step by step instructions of this site:

http://www.bettaliving.org/DIY/Basic_pl ... _pots.html[/img]

I wish I would have seen this just a day earlier...I just planted a bunch of seeds in newspaper pots. I did mine a little different. I found the idea on pinterest You take a tin can and use it to wrap the newspaper around into a cylinder, then you fold the bottom and tap it, then pull the can out. I will try the above link for my next batch of seeds

[HonoluluGirl]

I've been saving the coffe grinds from my Keurig K-cups then using the K-cups to start seeds. The Keurig coffee maker even punches a hole in the bottom of the K-cup when you brew the coffe.

After the coffee is brewed, if I want more holes, I turn the K-cup and punch more holes. I turn it a little, punch a hole, turn it again, and punch another hole and so on until I have enough holes.

[applestar]

Do you pull/tear out the little paper filter that is glued in there?

[HonoluluGirl]

Yes, I pull out the filter paper from the k-cup.

[Trisha]

the real question is what HAVENT you tried? plastic cups, dixie cups, yes handrolled newspaper (im awful clumsy and impatient for those) butter tubs, milk cartons. You name it!

Heres one of my ultimate favs. dishtub from the dollar store. I normally start cuttings in these, but yes some seeds too. These are great cuz you can stack 5+ and drill the drainage holes all at once. zip zip zip DONE!


Im experimenting with another recyclable idea to keep flats evenly moist. Whatever kind you use! Must admit my hatred for watering, especially inside. But the little guys need it... Have you ever seen those burpee raised self watering flats? I was skeptical myself until one was given to me.

This thing is KICKING BUTT. I filled the tray once, the water lasted over a week and the plants are getting exactly the right amount of EVEN water distribution.

BUT theyre $20 bones online. ouch.

Of course, I immediately started doing research. And came up with a homemade version. Still testing, but it looks like it might just cut the mustard.


Heres another


That's newspaper in there serving as a 'capillary mat' or 'wick' (what CANT you use newspaper for!) Based on this research... http://www.ag.auburn.edu/adm/comm/news/ ... cycled.htm Also suggested, towels, felt, batting... Im cheering for newspaper because it absorbs any added fertilizer and you can throw it in your garden or the compost bin when youre done.

[DoubleDogFarm]

All good ideas Trisha. Really like the capillary experiment.

Here is my watering shelf project Feb 2011. Hope to make it two tier by this February.

http://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/v ... hp?t=32523

Eric

[applestar]

Cool idea with the self watering trays. What are you using as risers under the newspaper?

[Trisha]

Double Dog Farm: WOW! That is elaborate AND fantastic!!! That gives me ideas for outdoor watering. Many of our shrubs don't like overhead watering and those 1/4" lines to each pot is TOO much (effort, money, headache!) This looks like a fabulous system. Thanks for sharing it with us!

applestar: I just used 2x4s with a piece of superthick cardboard cut to size. Whatever I had in the garage. Probably would be better off with plywood, but its cold to be cutting anything hahaa. I made a video if you wanna see it.

[DoubleDogFarm]

pplestar: I just used 2x4s with a piece of superthick cardboard cut to size. Whatever I had in the garage. Probably would be better off with plywood, but its cold to be cutting anything hahaa. I made a video if you wanna see it.

You know we do.

Eric

[Trisha]

hahah great! You guys are quick on this board

I went through lot about potting soil, which you guys probably already know but I put one test tray together on camera... Simple simple stuff and it seems to be working. https://youtu.be/_-q15vi4oa8

Tell me if Im wrong about anything, or if I can do something better (like get a tripod!)

[ElizabethB]

Trish - great video! Love your inovation. Who knew how simple a wick planter could be. Love it.[quote][/quote]

[applestar]

This isn't a container but I should mention recycling the inside of chip bags for reflective material around, under, and above the seedlings:
http://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/v ... p?p=112334

I was just cutting a few open -- cut off top and bottom seams, then cut down the back either along center of the heat fused seam or along one side.

Here is a photo of the ones I just cut open -- they usually come shiny silver or pearlescent white. Both excellent reflectors.

I use them to line the shelf as well as walls around the plants. I'm also starting to make container soil mulch/cover to reflect light up. many of my plants are starting to suffer from insufficient light in the lower foliage since the canopy blocks all the light.

[ReptileAddiction]

That is a good idea. You could also use tinfoil. You might want to prune out some of the upper leaves. It might overall make it healthier.

[ElizabethB]

Trisha -love your video - phone and all. GREAT idea. Will be starting seeds in the next 2 weeks for March transplants. Will incorporate your wick system. Thank you so much. I really am lazy and love ideas such as yours.

[Trisha]

applestar, love the potato chip bag idea, now THATS recycling!
ElizabethB, glad you liked the video! the newspaper wick is still doing really well, im growing more confident this is the way to go. If you make one (hope im not too late) use something sturdy to hold your cells. As thick as that cardboard was, I knew it would melt before long, but I thought it would last longer than a week. go for plywood, metal or super thick plastic. Good luck! Keep us updated.

[imafan26]

Great ideas.
I also used old styrofoam coolers, if you go to restaurants and fish markets the fish come in styrofoam coolers that make the perfect window boxes. I did the origami pots and made pots with pot maker. They were ok but they were soft and I kept mine too wet so they did not work out to well. I have used egg cartons for seedlings. I have even seen, potted eggshells. I use tofu containers for seed starting, just the right depth for me and the rectangular pots do fit nicely together. I have also used old bleach, vinegar and soy sauce bottles for hanging baskets and the microwavable take out containers also work and come with their own mini greenhouse covers. I have also used styrofoam coffee cups. I don't have much luck with clear containers, the algae grows but not the plants. I have used some of the swiffer containers for seeds and cuttings. I used soda cups as supports for my homemade self watering container, but they did not work as well for seedlings. I have even used old pots, wash basins (from the hospital), and bowls. Clean out the foil roasting pans after a party (keep the best ones to use again), and use that for planting. I tried using old vertical blinds as dividers. I thought it would be easier to take out a slice with less transplant shock, but the seedlings did not come out as easily as I thought it would. I've used yogut cups (safeway kind), and save popsicle sticks and chopsticks when you are done. The popsicle makes good labels with a marking pen and chopsticks a small stake.

[applestar]

Fungus Gnat traps --
BASIC IDEA: they are attracted to light -- bright white surfaces seem to work well.

Pint size sour cream tub 1/2 filled with soapy water. I use a dop or two of Rainbow Kids unscented shampoo. The one at the base of a shoplight fixture standing on one end is the most effective one I have.

(This is 2 mornings after being refilled just before lights out at night -- yeah I'm having a bad outbreak right now )

I also put squat 4 and 6 oz yogurt cups on the surface of the soil.

But for surface of the soil trap, a better trap can be made of translucent pudding cups slathered with grease. This type of cup seems to gather light and sort of shine out. I use UNpetroleum Jelly. Put some on the inside of the cup too.

(This was a really bad infestation in an 8-in pot after same time period as above -- approx 32 hrs. )

Where larger soil/air space is available and/or larger trap is needed, I would consider using qt. size deli container.

They both seem to lose effectiveness after a couple of days, so clean out/off and recharge.