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Containers for germinating seeds: which ones are better to sow, how to do it yourself
Hot days have come for gardeners. Our consultant, landscape designer and city farmer Anna Vagina tells how to save money on containers for germinating seeds without losing the quality of seedlings.
March 11 2019
“If you are going to get seedlings from at least half of those colorful bags that you have already bought up to this day, you cannot do without homemade containers. Every summer resident knows how expensive purchased pots, peat tablets and coconut briquettes are. We will plant the most valuable plants in an expensive substrate, and we will successfully grow the rest with the help of materials at hand, ”explains the expert.
1. Transparent food containers with a lid
Disposable plastic containers in which cakes, cookies, salads are packed is excellent for garden purposes.
Pros: free, roomy, the cover creates a greenhouse, convenient for growing seeds for picking.
Cons: fragile, not suitable for large seeds, for plants with delicate roots.
Several layers of toilet paper are placed in the cells, seeds are placed on them and moisture is maintained until germination.
Pros: it is convenient to use as a germinator for very small seeds, herbs on greens. There is a greenhouse cover. The containers are easy to stack.
Cons: very small volume. Not suitable for crops that do not tolerate transplanting well.
The shells are filled with roasted earth and one or two seeds are planted in them. Determined immediately in a greenhouse or open ground.
Pros: natural material, the roots do not deteriorate during transplantation. Convenient for large seeds.
Cons: small volume, unstable shape. A lot of preparation hassle: breaking eggs correctly, storing shells.
4. Jars of yoghurts, desserts, sour cream
Before planting, the bottom is pierced in several places with a hot needle. The container is placed on a pallet, filled with a substrate.
Pros: free of charge, these containers are quite roomy. Suitable for dived plants.
Cons: take up a lot of space, especially of different sizes. When pulling out seedlings, it is easy to damage the roots.
5. Disposable plastic beverage cups
There are white and small transparent ones on sale. The bottom is pierced to remove excess moisture. Fill with soil and place on a pallet.
Pros: are cheap, you can choose the size, quite roomy.
Cons: when transplanting, it is easy to damage the roots, the soil crumbles. They take up a lot of space during storage.
6. Rolls of paper napkins
Toilet paper is spread over a strip of polyethylene, moistened, seeds are laid out. They are rolled up, secured with an elastic band for money and placed in a container with water on the bottom.
Pros: save space. One “snail” accommodates 30-40 sprouts, all plantings can be placed on one windowsill. The method is suitable for small and large seeds. Suitable for crops that need to be planted permanently within a few weeks.
Cons: not suitable for seedlings with fragile roots.
They are easy to make: cut the non-woven material into rectangles of the required size, sew on both sides or grab with a stapler, turn out and fill with earth.
Pros: take up little space. Convenient for landings without a dive. Watering directly into the sump saves time. Convenient to carry. You can buy ready-made ones cheaply.
Cons: require effort to manufacture. Not suitable for cucumbers and pumpkins, as they do not have dense root protection.