2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
There are a great many containers for seedlings now - you can choose for every taste. The preferences of all gardeners and gardeners are different, and everyone seeks to choose the most optimal option for themselves. However, in order to make the right choice, you should familiarize yourself in more detail with the entire offered range of such containers
Peat cups and pots
Such containers have long been able to gain popularity among summer residents. Peat cups and pots are especially welcomed by adherents of organic farming, since they are made from environmentally friendly materials and subsequently decompose without much difficulty right in the soil. It is worth noting that most often such containers are advised not to be used for sowing seeds, but at the stage of transplanting (or picking) seedlings.
Peat cups and pots are good because they do not contain toxic substances, they are safe and quite durable. The porous walls of such a container perfectly allow water and air to pass through, and the roots do not sour as a result. Another undoubted plus of this option is that the seedlings are planted in a permanent place together with the container, without injuring the root system, and the gradually decomposing peat subsequently turns out to be a valuable additional fertilizer. And seedlings take root in peat tanks almost always.
However, peat containers have their drawbacks. Their price is not always low, and not all containers on sale can boast of proper quality. In addition, peat cups and pots can become soggy or even moldy (“bloom”). The soil in such containers loses moisture much faster, respectively, you will have to regularly monitor so that the seedlings do not dry out.
Plastic cassettes
This type of container for seedlings is a container of a relatively small size, connected to each other in several cells at once and having drainage holes of different widths and lengths. Since plastic cassettes can be found on sale mainly without pallets, it is possible that the pallet will have to be mined separately or made by ourselves.
The use of plastic cassettes is extremely simple: seeds should be planted in each of the cells filled with soil mixture. It will not be difficult to fit such containers to the required dimensions - all you need to do is use scissors. Seedlings from the cells are very easy to extract. The cassettes themselves are quite compact and lightweight, they can last a long time, and the price for them is low.
However, large plastic cassettes can present certain difficulties during their transportation - under the weight of plants and earth, these fragile structures can crack. When removing one seedling, there is a possibility of accidentally breaking the earthen shell of another - these are the consequences of bonding the cells together. Yes, and space in such cells may not be enough for every culture - their depth, for example, may not be sufficient for the roots of eggplants and peppers.
Plastic cups
In principle, this is a good option for planting seedlings, especially since the capacity of the cups can be completely different. You can use not only those specially designed for seedlings, but also ordinary plastic cups, which are commonly sold as disposable dishes. It is better, of course, to acquire two sets of them: for the initial planting of seeds - in a volume of 100 - 150 ml, and for picking (subsequent transplantation) - in a volume of 500 ml.
It is important not to forget to make drainage holes in the cups - a hot nail will be a good helper.
It will not be difficult to remove vegetation from such cups, moreover, the earthen lump will remain intact. And although this is a very inexpensive type of tableware, it can last for more than one season.
To prevent the plastic cups with seedlings from tipping over during transportation, they are placed in boxes.
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