Peat pots or plastic cups - Page 2

tomho99 · April 11, 2015

I've tried the peat pots as well as the dixie cup route. I've not tried the dirt block and that sounds like a great way to go.

I've gotten to be a bit of a "Dumpster Diver" over the years and love to re-use things others have no longer use for.

I made my second trip to the big block stores today. In MN this is the 1st time the weather came close to 65 this year LOL. Anyway..those that have outdoor garden depts also except the 2", 4" all the way through 5 gal containers to recycle from [people who have purchased and planted from earlier purchases.

I scored 78 of the tall 8" deep by 4" wide plastic containers as well as the plastic holders for these....each holder holds 16 of these cups. I am transplanting my tomato seedlings in these today in preperation for giving them away or selling in the next few weeks.

I've been able to keep the Toms and peppers in these until they reach about 16" high. I'm sure they can go higher but want the root growth wider pots allow. I will transplant these directly into my 5-10 gallon containers with rock and styrofoam on the bottom couple inches for drainage.

There was no shortage of any size container at Lowe's, Home depot or Menards today either. EAch place has always been very gracious in allowing me to take what ever I will use.
Good luck

Cole_Robbie · April 11, 2015

Does the soil block maker work with typical peat-based pro mix? Or do I have to modify the mix I use?

PA_Julia · April 12, 2015

I use red plastic Solo cups with a hole drilled in the bottom.

You can easily remove the plant and it's soil due to being able to squeeze the cup
If they are treated carefully you can reuse them for three or four seasons before they begin to crack.

Once they do it's into the recycle bin.

Worth1 · April 12, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by PA_Julia

I use red plastic Solo cups with a hole drilled in the bottom.

You can easily remove the plant and it's soil due to being able to squeeze the cup
If they are treated carefully you can reuse them for three or four seasons before they begin to crack.

Once they do it's into the recycle bin.

Have you ever heard this song?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKZqGJONH68

Worth

Douglas_OW · April 12, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by PA_Julia

I use red plastic Solo cups with a hole drilled in the bottom.

You can easily remove the plant and it's soil due to being able to squeeze the cup
If they are treated carefully you can reuse them for three or four seasons before they begin to crack.

Once they do it's into the recycle bin.

Several people have mentioned drilling holes in cups. When I use plastic or foam cups, I grab a stack of 5 to 10 at a time and use a metal BBQ skewer to punch thru the bottoms of them all at once. You can also use a piece of heavy wire, like from a coat hanger, that has a point at one end. Just push it thru and make as many holes as you like. Three to six holes, depending on their size, are plenty.

Jim

PaulF · April 12, 2015

For me, peat pots were a complete disaster. I purchased several sheets of plastic six packs of a couple different sizes and have used and reused them for many years. Over the years of buying different plants and flowers an accumulation of 3, 4, 6, and 8 packs have kept me from purchasing or dumpster diving for anything. No need to punch holes since they are made with watering in mind. They fit the trays I have and are more stable than a pile of single cups.

The nurseries I send seedlings to have supplied me with trays made to hold single plastic pots in the sizes they like along with the 3" and 4" plastic pots.

cjp1953 · April 12, 2015

I'm trying a little test with some black cheery seeds that I put in a plastic cup and left in the garage all winter.They stuck to the jell from the seeds to the bottom of the cup after the water dried up when I first put them in.I placed 3 or 4 seeds per peat pot and watered.I don't know if they will grow,but will see what happens.

Canehdian · April 12, 2015

I discovered a good trick for Solo cups...Using an exacto-razor, right at the bottom on the sides, I cut 2 sides of a small triangle (pointing up). Then I bent the tabs out, leaving holes for air/drainage, with the bonus that the tabs made little "feet" that help to keep the cups upright.

FarmerShawn · April 12, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

Does the soil block maker work with typical peat-based pro mix? Or do I have to modify the mix I use?

I use a fantastic product made by Vermont Compost Company called Fort Vee. There are several recipes for blocking material on the web, though. I doubt that promix alone would have the compression characteristics necessary for a cohesive block. The stuff I use is peat and compost based, so it provides all the nutrition needed until transplant.

Cole_Robbie · April 12, 2015

hmmm, that's what worries me. I get a lot of stem rot any time I try to include any compost in my grow mix. I would want a soil block without compost in it if that is possible.

SueCT · April 13, 2015

I use 3 oz white plastic cups I get at Walmart, about 2.00 for 100. Then I pot up into Solo cups. When you give away a lot of plants, easy to find and economical is the way to go. I just put a couple holes in the cups with a nail. I make the holes in a stack of about 10 cups at one time. Seems to work ok.

FarmerShawn · April 13, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

hmmm, that's what worries me. I get a lot of stem rot any time I try to include any compost in my grow mix. I would want a soil block without compost in it if that is possible.

I get almost no damping off in my blocks anymore, but I blame that on infrequent bottom watering. The new blocks can sit under lights in my dirt floor basement for two weeks before I give them their first dunk. That's after the germination time. By transplant time, they need a dunk every day, but the plants are big by then. But I try to keep the block top surface dry. I try not to dunk so long that the block looks wet.

PA_Julia · April 13, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Have you ever heard this song?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKZqGJONH68

Worth

Ahhh Mr. Keith's song..Yes I have!!

PA_Julia · April 13, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Douglas_OW

Several people have mentioned drilling holes in cups. When I use plastic or foam cups, I grab a stack of 5 to 10 at a time and use a metal BBQ skewer to punch thru the bottoms of them all at once. You can also use a piece of heavy wire, like from a coat hanger, that has a point at one end. Just push it thru and make as many holes as you like. Three to six holes, depending on their size, are plenty.

Jim

I agree and I should clarify my original post. I used to drill holes with a hand held drill but starting this season I used a large diameter screw hook.

The screw hook idea worked very well. I took three to four cups at a time and poked a small hole in the first one then began to twist or ""drill"" into the remaining cups with the screw end.

Your use of a BBQ Skewer sounds like an excellent idea as well.

ermentrude · April 14, 2015

I'm just a home grower, but this year I planted seeds into clear plastic 24 egg carton (co-worker buys eggs at Costco). I added little holes at the bottom and water wicked up perfectly. I'm guessing I'll get another year or two from the one carton.

I potted up into 1 liter water bottles with the top cut off. I drilled holes in the bottom and again they wicked up perfectly. Added bonus, I could see how the roots were doing and when the soil looked moist and when it was dry. The bottles are sturdy, the 8 I have left will be fine next year, the remainder of the plants I gave away with promises they would recycle the bottle.

I tried paper cups and peat pots last year and they all molded. I'll stick to my re-purposed plastics.

April 12, 2015	#18
PA_Julia Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Princeton, Ky Zone 7A Posts: 2,208	I use red plastic Solo cups with a hole drilled in the bottom. You can easily remove the plant and it's soil due to being able to squeeze the cup If they are treated carefully you can reuse them for three or four seasons before they begin to crack. Once they do it's into the recycle bin. __________________ Personal Best- 4.46 LB Big Zac 2013

April 12, 2015	#21
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	For me, peat pots were a complete disaster. I purchased several sheets of plastic six packs of a couple different sizes and have used and reused them for many years. Over the years of buying different plants and flowers an accumulation of 3, 4, 6, and 8 packs have kept me from purchasing or dumpster diving for anything. No need to punch holes since they are made with watering in mind. They fit the trays I have and are more stable than a pile of single cups. The nurseries I send seedlings to have supplied me with trays made to hold single plastic pots in the sizes they like along with the 3" and 4" plastic pots. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

April 11, 2015	#16
tomho99 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: minneapolis Posts: 3	I've tried the peat pots as well as the dixie cup route. I've not tried the dirt block and that sounds like a great way to go. I've gotten to be a bit of a "Dumpster Diver" over the years and love to re-use things others have no longer use for. I made my second trip to the big block stores today. In MN this is the 1st time the weather came close to 65 this year LOL. Anyway..those that have outdoor garden depts also except the 2", 4" all the way through 5 gal containers to recycle from [people who have purchased and planted from earlier purchases. I scored 78 of the tall 8" deep by 4" wide plastic containers as well as the plastic holders for these....each holder holds 16 of these cups. I am transplanting my tomato seedlings in these today in preperation for giving them away or selling in the next few weeks. I've been able to keep the Toms and peppers in these until they reach about 16" high. I'm sure they can go higher but want the root growth wider pots allow. I will transplant these directly into my 5-10 gallon containers with rock and styrofoam on the bottom couple inches for drainage. There was no shortage of any size container at Lowe's, Home depot or Menards today either. EAch place has always been very gracious in allowing me to take what ever I will use. Good luck

April 11, 2015	#17
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Does the soil block maker work with typical peat-based pro mix? Or do I have to modify the mix I use?

April 12, 2015	#22
cjp1953 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Cuyahoga Falls,Ohio Posts: 818	I'm trying a little test with some black cheery seeds that I put in a plastic cup and left in the garage all winter.They stuck to the jell from the seeds to the bottom of the cup after the water dried up when I first put them in.I placed 3 or 4 seeds per peat pot and watered.I don't know if they will grow,but will see what happens.

April 12, 2015	#23
Canehdian Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada Posts: 94	I discovered a good trick for Solo cups...Using an exacto-razor, right at the bottom on the sides, I cut 2 sides of a small triangle (pointing up). Then I bent the tabs out, leaving holes for air/drainage, with the bonus that the tabs made little "feet" that help to keep the cups upright.

April 13, 2015	#26
SueCT Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,460	I use 3 oz white plastic cups I get at Walmart, about 2.00 for 100. Then I pot up into Solo cups. When you give away a lot of plants, easy to find and economical is the way to go. I just put a couple holes in the cups with a nail. I make the holes in a stack of about 10 cups at one time. Seems to work ok.

April 14, 2015	#30
ermentrude Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Charleston SC Posts: 34	I'm just a home grower, but this year I planted seeds into clear plastic 24 egg carton (co-worker buys eggs at Costco). I added little holes at the bottom and water wicked up perfectly. I'm guessing I'll get another year or two from the one carton. I potted up into 1 liter water bottles with the top cut off. I drilled holes in the bottom and again they wicked up perfectly. Added bonus, I could see how the roots were doing and when the soil looked moist and when it was dry. The bottles are sturdy, the 8 I have left will be fine next year, the remainder of the plants I gave away with promises they would recycle the bottle. I tried paper cups and peat pots last year and they all molded. I'll stick to my re-purposed plastics.