How to make peat pots for seedlings. Pots and seedling boxes: my experience in choosing containers for growing seedlings

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

We plant the seedlings, pick them up and transplant them into separate containers. We can plant in peat pots, plastic containers or the newfangled peat tablets.

We can also make pots for seedlings with our own hands and make as many of them as needed. Keen gardeners are able to fill literally everything with green sprouts; you can’t stock up on any store-bought containers.

The following can be used as a container for growing seedlings:

  • Tea bags
  • Tetra Pak bags
  • 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 method of growing seedlings in used tea bags can compete in efficiency with growing in peat tablets, since tea has a beneficial effect on plant development.

The top part of each bag is cut off, then seedling soil is placed inside with a spoon and the seeds are sown. It is better to place such “pots” in a tray, for example, a container with low sides. When disembarking at open ground the bag is not removed.

Eggshell


Egg shells - great option a homemade container for small seedlings or for growing seedlings before transferring them to larger containers.

Take the shell and make a hole at 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 the egg “pots” with seedlings in a plastic egg container. For creating greenhouse effect close the container lid. When the time comes for transplanting or transshipment, plant the grown seedlings along with the shells.

Tetra Pak bags


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

Tetra Pak is used for packaging juice and dairy products; in addition to cardboard, it contains foil and polyethylene. It is very simple to prepare such bags for sowing seedlings - cut them into 2 parts and the cups are ready! You can also make a tray for seedlings by cutting the bag lengthwise rather than crosswise.

Be sure to wash containers thoroughly before use.


Old newspapers can be an excellent material for making a container for seedlings. To do this, you will need newspaper sheets (it is better to give preference to black and white pages), a cylindrical object (a bottle, a 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 tear the “pot”.

Plastic bottles


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

Cut a clean plastic bottle in half, do not remove the cap, 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 part with the neck over and insert it into the second half of the bottle. Add soil and sow seeds. Remove half of the bottle with soil from the tray, pour water into the bottom of the “pot”, then insert the half with the plant back into the tray.

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

You can do it another way: from a bottle (a plastic bottle is perfect square shape with a capacity of 5 l, for example, from drinking water) cut off the side part and the remaining most use as a container for seedlings.

Plastic cups


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

If the hole is too large diameter, place a cardboard circle at 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’s more convenient to store them this way. The advantage of such homemade pots is the convenient removal of the earthen lump when planting seedlings in open ground - just lightly press on the bottom of the cup and the lump can be easily removed, remaining intact.

Filter bags for coffee machines


If you brew coffee in a coffee maker, don't throw away the used paper filters - they make great cups for seedlings.

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

Toilet paper rolls


Cardboard tubes left over from toilet paper rolls can be easily converted into biodegradable planting cups. You can also use paper towel rolls.

If you need a short glass, cut the sleeve crosswise into two parts. Next, do the following with each part: fold it lengthwise and use scissors to make cuts approximately 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 they do with cardboard boxes, to form the bottom.
On permanent place seedlings can be planted without removing them from the 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 mold.

You can use glass glasses as a mold, but it’s most convenient if you have a metal muffin tin with several cells.

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

The workpiece should be left to dry for a day, after which it should be used as a regular glass for seedlings.

Ice containers


An unnecessary tray (mold) for ice can become 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 durable, use a drill), take a suitable tray and place the container in it.

Next, fill the cells with soil and sow the seeds. After some time, plant the seedlings in a larger container. Just as in the case of eggshells, it is better to grow plants with a small root system in such a container, since they may become cramped in small cells.

Egg trays

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

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

Citrus peel

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

Make a small hole in half of the fruit, peeled from pulp (in the bottom), to allow moisture to drain out, 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 in open ground directly from the “pot”.

Choose the right pots for seedlings it’s still science. Especially now, when all sorts of variations of these simple, but important and necessary garden devices have appeared on the market. Experienced summer resident knows very well what is the best way to grow this or that variety fruit crop, but what should a newcomer to the world of gardening do? Of course, study what types of pots for seedlings there are, what are the pros and cons of each type.

These pots can be purchased at any store, even those that do not have a gardening focus. They are made of plastic and can be of two types - round and square section. Sizes range from very tiny (about 50 ml) to quite large (1 liter or more). There are also plastic pots large sizes, but they are no longer intended for growing seedlings - rather, only for indoor flowers or landscape design.

The ease of use of a pot often depends on its shape. According to gardeners, it is more convenient to fill round pots with soil, but square ones can be placed more compactly on the window. The disadvantages of square products also include the fact that it is not very convenient to remove a plant along with a lump of earth from them: if a round pot can be “crushed” with your fingers, and the lump of soil will come out immediately, then a plastic one is more difficult to compress, especially if it is made of dense and high-quality plastic.

On a note! To make life easier for gardeners, round inserts are often made at the bottom of pots, which help push the soil along with the plant out of the pot.

Plastic pots for seedlings usually have drainage holes, although the cheaper the container, the more likely it is that you will have to make holes in the bottom yourself.

Very often, pots for seedlings are sold as a set, and they come with a tray that will protect the window sills from moisture draining from them.

So, here are the benefits of using this type of container for seedlings:

  • plastic pots are optimal for growing absolutely any type of crop;
  • they retain the necessary moisture well in the right quantity;
  • can be used for several seasons in a row, as they are durable;
  • perfectly protect the root system of plants from damage;
  • they are very convenient to store.

Disadvantages of plastic pots:

  • non-compact and take up a lot of space;
  • It is not always possible to carefully remove the root ball when planting seedlings;
  • They are quite expensive and will cost a hefty sum if purchased in large quantities.

Below is a table that will allow you to select the required pot volume for specific type plants.

Table. Selection of plastic pots for seedlings.

By the way, the following recommendations will help you decide on the size of the pots.

  1. To grow seedlings of crops that definitely need picking, use pots of the smallest volume - 50 ml.
  2. For small crops that grow without picking, 100-200 ml pots are suitable
  3. Pots with a volume of 500 ml or more are suitable for tall and large crops that grow over a long period of time and develop strong roots.

On a note! When choosing a pot, remember to consider the diameter and height, not just the volume. This is important for proper root formation.

Peat pots

Externally, the walls of these pots resemble thick cardboard, but consist of more than 70% natural peat. And the rest of the pot, by the way, is just paper.

The main advantage of peat pots is that there is no need to remove seedlings directly from the pot for planting in the ground. To do this, just dig a hole required size in the garden bed and place the pot there without removing the seedlings from it. Gradually, the peat will rot, turning into a nutritious fertilizer, and the seedlings will grow into a beautiful and strong plant.

Peat pots are ideal for growing capricious crops - as a rule, these are cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, and others. And they are extremely simple to use: just fill them with soil, spill them, place the seeds, place them on a tray and that’s it. Further work on growing seedlings proceeds as usual.

There are peat pots various sizes and, like plastic ones, they come in two shapes – round and square in cross-section. However, here the shape does not play a special role, since there is no need to shake the seedlings and soil out of the container. Unless you should take into account the free space on the sunny windowsill - square pots can be arranged more compactly.

Advantages of peat pots:

  • easy to use;
  • make it possible not to injure plants once again by picking and not to remove them during planting in the ground;
  • are themselves nutritious fertilizers;
  • made from environmentally friendly materials.

Disadvantages of peat containers:

  • they quickly become soggy from water, so you need to water the plants in them sparingly;
  • if the pots are too dry, the soil in them may become too dense for plants;
  • when purchasing, there is a high risk of running into a low-quality product, which will only contain compressed cardboard;
  • Excessive watering can lead not only to soggy containers, but also to mold on the walls of the pots and soil.

Peat tablets for seedlings - how to use

A peat tablet is a puck of compressed peat that is small in diameter and height. Before the production of this type of container, peat is enriched with microelements useful for seed germination and seedling development. Read more.

How to use peat pots? It's simple.

Step 1. Select the required size peat pots and process them. To do this, soak them for a short time in a solution of mineral and organic fertilizers and then dry it.

Step 2. Make drainage holes at the bottom and place expanded clay there.

Step 3. Fill the pots with potting soil, but not too tightly, to create the cavities necessary for successful root development. Spill the soil.

Step 4. Plant the crop seeds, each in a separate cup.

Step 5. Cover the pots with plastic and place them in warm room. Next, wait for the seedlings to emerge and continue to care for the seedlings, watering them moderately.

Step 6. While the seedlings are growing, you will increase the distance between the pots on the tray so that the branches and leaves of the plants do not interfere with each other.

Step 7 When the seedlings grow, transplant them into the ground garden plot as described above, without removing from the pots. Place containers 2-3 cm below soil level.

Homemade pots

Many gardeners do not want to spend money and buy ready-made pots for seedlings in the store. With persistence and fanaticism, they collect various containers or look for new ways to make containers for growing crops. And they often turn out to be right - why spend money on something you can do yourself?

Exists great amount methods and master classes on creating containers for seedlings, and a variety of materials can be used.

Table. Materials for making pots for seedlings with your own hands.

MaterialAdvantages and disadvantages

Almost the same as plastic pots purchased in a store, only free, since you still buy yogurts, sour cream, etc. in the store. The product is eaten, and the jar is washed, drainage holes are made in it and it is removed before planting the seedlings. Neat, with smooth edges, safe and convenient, such containers can be used for many years. The only disadvantage can be small size, and sometimes – soil mold.

It turns out that many people make pots for seedlings from plastic bags. This material has many advantages - it is easily accessible, cheap, and it is very easy to make pots from it. You can cut pieces of polyethylene and tie their lower part with thread, make holes for drainage. You can take whole small bags - and the pots are ready. Disadvantages: the material does not hold its shape well (especially large sizes) and can cause mold in the soil.

What plastic bottles, what plastic cups for drinks - practically free and easily accessible seedling pots. They are durable and can be used for more than one season. And if plastic bottles still have to be cut with scissors, then cups are almost ready-made containers. It is enough to make drainage holes and you can use it. And removing a lump of earth with a plant is as easy as shelling pears - just slightly dent the walls of the glass and the soil will come out by itself. Gardeners found virtually no shortcomings. The main thing is to take care of accumulating or purchasing this material in time. By the way, plastic cups are much cheaper than special pots for seedlings. True, they are not very large sizes. And one more minus - the edges of plastic bottles, where the scissors “went”, can be sharp.

They easily and simply turn into containers for seedlings - just cut off one of their parts (top or bottom) and make drainage holes. Tetrapacks do not leak, do not become limp, and are soft enough to easily remove a bush from them. You get them for free (you buy juices and dairy products, right?), all you have to do is wash the boxes and store them until spring. The downside is the fragility.

An elementary and simple option for making pots for seedlings. All you need to do is place these tubes on a tray, fill them with soil, and you can plant the seeds. But such containers are suitable only for plants that need picking, or those that do not grow too much, since the tubes are small. By the way, remove the seedlings from the container before planting summer cottage optional - this can be done together with a tuba. Gradually it will rot.

Video - Pots for seedlings made of polyethylene

The main advantage of such homemade pots is the absence of costs, since the containers can be safely accumulated within a period of time. winter period, buying essential products. The most important thing is not to forget to make drainage holes in such containers.

Advice! Holes for water drainage are easier and more convenient to make using an ordinary thick nail. It must be heated well over a fire (for example, in a candle flame) and the sharp end must be used to melt holes in the bottom of the container. Be careful - hold the nail with pliers, as the metal heats up very quickly (you can get burned).

Unusual pots for seedlings

Pots for seedlings can also be made from very unusual materials. Gardeners are creative people, and they can’t come up with anything to make their work easier and provide their plants with proper care. Let's look at three types of unusual pots for seedlings - some are made from eggshells, others from aluminum cans, and others from newspapers.

Aluminum can pots

A good option for those who are fond of carbonated drinks in 0.33 liter cans. This material is not afraid of rust, is durable, and quite strong. It is convenient to wrap several of these jars with tape together - you get a kind of aluminum “cassettes”.

Step 1. Using scissors or a knife, cut off the bottoms of the cans.

Step 2. Cover the neck hole with the remaining tongue, but not tightly.

Step 3. Place some eggshells or expanded clay at the bottom of the resulting container for drainage.

Step 4. Make gauze bags, place them in containers and fill with soil.

Step 5. Sow seeds and grow seedlings.

Step 6. Remove the grown seedlings from the containers using a gauze bag and plant them together in the ground.

Egg shell pots

Very interesting way. It is convenient because in the future the plants, along with the shells, are planted in the ground - there is no need to pick them up and remove them from the “containers”. And the “pot” will serve as additional fertilizer

Step 1. Take the egg shells and make a small hole in the bottom of each with a needle.

Step 2. Fill them halfway with soil.

Step 3. Plant the seeds and cover them with soil.

Step 4. Place the filled "pots" on the egg cell and grow the seedlings (as usual).

Peat pots for seedlings

Peat pots are considered the best containers for growing seedlings. They have a number of advantages.

The grown cuttings are planted in the ground along with the pot.

Plant roots can easily grow through the walls and bottom.

The pot itself will serve as fertilizer for the plants.

Such containers ensure 100% survival rate of seedlings.

Seedling pots are an empty cone-shaped glass. They are made from dry-formed, pressed peat products. But these pots have their own peculiarity: the plants that grow in them require frequent watering, since peat evaporates water very quickly.

Cups for seedlingswith your own hands

Not all plants tolerate transplantation well. Therefore, classic plastic cups for sour cream or yogurt can ruin significant part seedlings. In addition to peat pots, gardeners quite often send seeds for seedlings in homemade containers, which decompose in the soil and do not injure the fragile root system. Eco-friendly cups for seedlings can be made very quickly and easily, and the costs will be minimal. There are several ways to make them.

Method No. 1

Seeds for seedlings can be sown in eggshells. This method is especially good for acidified soils. It's simple: fry the eggs and collect the shells. It is better to break the eggs not in the center, but near the spout - then the “cup” will be larger. To prevent the seedlings from rolling away, place them in an egg container. When planting in the ground, the shell should be slightly squeezed with your fingers so that it cracks. In this way we will help the root system to “break through” the shell.

Method number 2

You will need: bottle required diameter, scissors, newspaper, paper adhesive tape. First you need to cut the newspaper into strips of such length that they can go around the bottle with a margin. Wrap and secure with adhesive tape. It is important to leave a few centimeters of newspaper with an overhang in order to make the bottom. We also secure it with tape. After this, carefully pull out the bottle and admire the resulting glass.

Method number 3

We will use toilet paper, a glass and a spray bottle. We wrap a fairly thick layer of paper around the cup. Then we move the paper a little down (literally 1 cm) and begin to spray it generously with water. After the paper is completely wet, we form a paper cup for seedlings along the contour of the glass. We give it time to dry. Then, using circular movements, release the glass from there.

DIY seedling box

To avoid carrying each cup separately when transporting it to the garden, you will need special boxes for seedlings. They are also not at all difficult to make with your own hands. To be more precise, do not do it, but transform an ordinary box into a highly specialized one. You will need any box, scissors and film. Having measured the length and width of the box, add 20 cm to each side. Place the film in the box along to the right parties. You can secure this design with tape for reliability. The seedling box is ready. In this case, the film plays the role of a water tray.

Spring is a troublesome time for gardening lovers, because it means, first of all, working with seeds. The modern assortment of various seedling containers and pots is truly huge, but still most gardeners, in order to save money, prefer to use improvised means. Do-it-yourself cups for seedlings are made by the most different ways, and you will learn about the simplest and most accessible ones from this article.

Jars for canned food, coffee or tea are, so to speak, classics. In the bottom of each container you need to drill a couple of drainage holes (preferably from the inside), and to make it easier to remove young plants, you can additionally make cuts on the walls. If the cups will be used for several seasons, instead of making cuts, it is better to place a strip of polyethylene or thick paper on the bottom - this way you can remove the earthen lump without damaging the root system (you just need to pull this strip). Cut-off beer cans, toilet paper, PET bottles and much more can be used in the same way, but more on that later.

Excellent seedling containers may become cups from under baby food and yoghurts. But the bottom of such jars needs to be cut off and a cardboard or tin circle of the appropriate size placed in its place.

When you need to transplant seedlings, you just need to press on the bottom with a stick.

Note! Not the best option for seedlings are disposable plastic cups, which is explained by the risk of slowing plant growth.

Cups from old newspapers

A small stack of newspapers is quite useful for making disposable cups. Typically, such containers are more convenient than the options described above, because when replanting the plants do not need to be shaken out - instead, you need to tear the cup. As a result - root system will not be damaged.

To make these cups we need a mold. A small bottle or tin can will do. The algorithm of actions should be as follows.

First, take a sheet of newspaper and fold it in half.

Fold the edges of the resulting container and its bottom.

Fill the glass with soil mixture.

Note! If you are not sure that the cup is strong enough, you can tie it with thread or an elastic band.

Seedling cups made from toilet paper

The next manufacturing option is based on the papier-mâché principle. Here we need a spray bottle, glass glasses and toilet paper itself. The technology is extremely simple: we wrap the glasses toilet paper, moisten it generously with a spray bottle, and then firmly press the paper against the walls. We dry the workpiece for 24 hours, and then remove it with careful circular movements.

Note! Such cups are good because they can simply be torn apart to transplant seedlings into the soil, as mentioned above. Or, as an option, the plants can be planted together with the container (it will subsequently collapse naturally).

An original version of making newspaper cups

Here you will need the same newspapers, as well as cuttings of a building profile. The latter, if necessary, can be easily found among construction waste, so you don't have to buy anything. In our example, two sections of profiles are used, each approximately 20 cm long. The width may vary depending on the specific crop (for example, wider cups are needed).

First, take a newspaper and cut it lengthwise and crosswise.

In one hand we take a piece of the profile, in the second we take a newspaper folded in half (i.e. two layers). We wrap the form with newspaper as shown in the image below.

Where the bottom of the cup will be, bend the corners one by one.

We don’t remove the profile yet - it makes it much more convenient to fill the cup with soil mixture.

When the cup is filled, carefully pull out a piece of the profile.

Place the filled cups in a box pre-lined with polyethylene.

The result should be something like this.

Paper cups - an improved option

Another option for making containers from old newspapers is to use the original device. For the convenience of visitors step by step guide presented in table form.

Table. Master class on creating paper cups.

Steps, photoDescription of actions



To work, we will need such a rectangular device - a kind of tin sleeve placed on a small wooden block.



We will use this device when making seedling cups from newspapers. The sleeve can be made from a tin can. Such containers are tinned with food-grade tin, and therefore it will be enough to overlap the tin and heat the joint with a soldering iron. We will use the electrical tape on the sleeve as a guide when winding the newspaper so that the finished cups have the same height.



We can cover one end of the block with a piece of leather soaked in oil. Thanks to this, the soil will not stick.



First, fill the sleeve with soil mixture as shown in the picture.



We wrap the sleeve with a strip of newspaper, focusing on the electrical tape.



To form the bottom of the container, bend the edges of one side.



Carefully pull the sleeve onto the block, holding the soil with the end with the leather patch.



Place the filled cups in wooden box, pre-covered with polyethylene.

Note! As for the dimensions of the container, they will largely depend on the dimensions of the box itself. Although on average it is from 2x2 to 4x4 cm.

We use toilet paper rolls

The advantages of this method are the same as those described above - the bushings are environmentally friendly pure material, they do not contain foreign impurities, so the seedlings can be planted in the ground without removing them from the cups (the latter will rot in the ground without a trace). If the cups will be used for large plants, we can use whole bushings; in other cases, they (the bushings) can be cut in half. The manufacturing process itself is not complicated.

Table. Master class on making cups from toilet paper rolls.

Steps, photoDescription of actions




So, first we prepare everything necessary - these are the bushings and scissors themselves.




We take the first sleeve, crush it and cut it into two halves.




On one half we make four cuts (about 1/3 of the height).




We bend the “blades” that were formed as a result of this and form the bottom of the future cup. Simply put, we make the same bottom as in ordinary cardboard boxes.




The bottom is almost ready.




The result should look something like this.




That's it, the seedling cups are ready for further use. All that remains is to fill them with soil mixture and sow something you need!

Video - Making cups for seedlings

Film cups

To create such cups, it is recommended to use PET film for greenhouses. We also need a simple stapler and a base that has the required shape. First, we cut the film into strips, wrap it around the base, and then fix it with staples. The result will be a nice square cup. Although there is a simpler option - make small tubes from film with curved upper edges (required for rigidity). We place these tubes on a pallet or in a box and fill them with soil mixture.

Note! The film must be dense, otherwise it will easily lose its shape!

You can also use bags from fermented milk products. To begin, we fold these bags, fill them with soil, sow the seeds and turn the edges back. In the future, as the seedlings grow, the soil will have to be added little by little. Minus this method is packet instability. To achieve greater rigidity, it is advisable to strengthen the edges with cardboard strips.

Making cups from plastic bottles

Any plastic bottle will do here (in our example, a 1.5-liter bottle). The algorithm of actions is given below.

Table. Master class on making seedling cups from plastic bottles.

Steps, photoDescription of actions




First, cut off the neck and bottom of the bottle as shown in the image.




The cut may be uneven - this does not play a special role.




Flatten the cut bottle (you can glass jar, as in the photo), forming the first pair of ribs of the cup. Due to the features and properties of the plastic, the ribs will definitely be straight and parallel.




It should look something like this.




Next, we press the resulting workpiece with our hand (the hand does not have to be six-fingered, as in the picture) and cut along the lines of transition of the container into the neck and bottom to get smooth edges.




The edges turned out really smooth.




We bend the workpiece as shown in the photo and make a couple more ribs.




We still use a glass jar for this.




As a result, we got a square container without a bottom. We measure the side of one square and divide the resulting figure by 2. Example: 7:2 = 3.5 cm.




We cut each of the edges by 3.5 cm.




The result should be the following.




We bend the cuts and form the bottom, like, again, a cardboard box.




We align the edges so that the finished cup is more stable.




The glass is ready. Drainage holes we don't.




At the end, we wrap the container with “foil” - a label from the same bottle. If you are concerned that water will leak out a lot after watering, you can seal the bottom with tape, although this is not necessary.

How to sow seeds in such cups correctly? Nothing could be easier! As an example, consider the cups described above, made from plastic bottles.

So, take a ready-made glass and fill it with soil mixture - store-bought or home-made.

Fill the container completely or only 2/3 full. We place a couple of seeds, peppers or any other crop on the soil.

Then lightly sprinkle the seeds with soil mixture and water thoroughly.

Cover the cups and place them in a warm place, waiting for the shoots to appear. As you can see, even from such a seemingly useless thing - a plastic bottle - you can make excellent seedling cups.

The ideal soil for sowing should be light and loose, have a porous structure and sufficient aeration, and also match the crop intended to be grown in this soil. Read more in .

An alternative option is to make nutritional cubes

To make such cubes we prepare:

  • 1 turf soil;
  • 5 - humus.

There is another option:

  • 1 part humus;
  • 3 - peat.

Mix the prepared ingredients, and add ammonium nitrate (15 g per 1 kg), potassium sulfate, superphosphate (50 g per 1 kg) to the resulting mixture. In addition, add water - such an amount that ready mix had a creamy consistency. We place all this in a tray in a layer 80-100 mm thick, and then cut it into cubes of the required sizes. You can move the cubes a little away from each other to make it easier to work with. At the end we sow the seeds.

Video - How to make seedling cubes yourself

As a result, we note that regardless of what kind of cups you use, they must be rigid, spacious enough, with low thermal conductivity and opaque walls. In addition, you should take care of drainage - it will protect the plants from excess moisture. If all these requirements are taken into account, the seedlings will grow healthy and strong, and adult plants will definitely delight you with a rich harvest or abundant flowering!

Video - Making cups for seedlings

I always grow seedlings myself. I have a lot of it, so I have to save on cups. I heard that you can use paper for this. Tell me how to make pots for seedlings from newspaper with your own hands?


February is the beginning of a busy time for gardeners and flower growers. After all, now is the right time to start such an important task as growing seedlings. After purchasing seeds and nutrient substrate, the question arises - where to sow them? The choice of containers for growing seedlings is simply huge: these include special trays, and disposable cups. However, everything requires financial investment. In case you need to get a large number of seedlings, the issue of saving money plays an important role.

And here craftsmen come to the rescue with their ideas for using improvised means, such as newspapers. You can make convenient, practical and cheap cups from paper material, since in every home there are unnecessary booklets, catalogs, etc. All you need is old newspapers, a little time and patience. So, how to make seedling pots from newspaper with your own hands?

Step-by-step instructions for preparing pots

First of all, newspapers should be folded (or cut) into strips of the required width, depending on the height of the future pot-cup. To do this, bend the sheet in half twice. The number of paper layers in a cup depends on the quality of the paper - thin newspaper must be wrapped several times.


For paper cups, it is better not to use colored newspapers or glossy magazines, as they release dye when wet.

In addition, you will need a base to give the cup its shape. For these purposes, you can use a glass glass or a tin can, but it’s better to refuse - it is springy, and it will be inconvenient to wind the paper.



To prevent the cup from unfolding, you can choose from two options:

  • at the stage when the newspaper is wound on the base, tie it with thread;
  • Before you start wrapping the paper around the base, fold the newspaper strip with an edge from the top edge, and when the cup is ready, slightly unfold the edge on one side and overlap it on the other side.

Paper cups are not stable enough, so you need to choose a suitable container (2/3 higher than the height of the cups) and place them tightly next to each other. You can tie them together with a rope after the soil has been poured. It is important not to overwater the seedlings in paper pots, otherwise they will quickly get wet and fall apart.

When transplanting seedlings, the seedlings can be quite easily removed from the cup, or they can be planted with it - over the course of the season, the paper will have time to decompose in the ground.

Newspaper cups made using papier-mâché - video