What containers

[Chuckles]

While I was sorting stuff in the shed the other day and getting the HP out ready to start doing some sowing I came across some of the little trays you get plug plants in.

Now then I thought should I use these to start seeds off. They take up very little room and I could get more seeds going. I usually use really small pots or 6 section bedding trays or the pre moulded ones the size of a full seeds trays amongst other things.

What does everyone else think about the plug trays and what do you use ?

[andy]

Yep....use them all the time especially for veg that can be grown in small clumps such as chantennay carrots and spring onions.

[davidk]

These trays are ideal for starting beetroot; they are buggers to thin-out and using them makes growing beetroot less of a pain.

Sow a couple of seed to each cell, they are quite large & thus, easy to handle.
When you consider each seed case contains 3 or 4 individual potential seedlings, 2 (or maybe 3) per cell will be ample.

Like all root crops, beetroot don't like root disturbance, so this is another good reason to grow them this way.

[Chuckles]

Ooooh great. Well I didn't sow much at all last year other than toms, cucs and peppers. No flowers at all were sown as I recall. Consequently I have loads of flower seeds plus the odd ;D new pkt to sow and as with most of us on here having room to sow on mass is a problem.

I like the idea of starting beetroot in them.

I also found some of the really flimsy individual round pots and some of the brown compressed cardboard ones in the shed. I really like the idea of using the small plug trays in the propogator though.

Be good to hear what everyone else uses to sow there seeds in.

[Jasmine]

I saved the little plug trays last year to sow seeds in this year Chuckles but I can't find what I did with them

This is what I'm using this year...



The little pellets are made of coir. It'll be interesting to see how things get on in the small fibre pots with seed compost and in the coir pellets.

[andy]

Infact, i'll use absolutely anything. Got some old steak and kidney pudding pots which are ideal for germinating around 10 tomato seeds in and yoghurt pots are the same...especially the muller light ones (don't forget the holes in the bottom which i do with a hot skewer).

I also use those trays that ready meals come in....they are fairly shallow and ideal for smaller seeds as they don't require deep compost.

[Tig]

Chuckles, do you mean those tiny, usually black, plastic plug trays that come in the clear plastic 'greenhouse' from the DIY type stores? I have several of them, but they are so tiny I find that the only things I'm tempted to sow in them are shallow rooting seeds, like trailing lobelia

I used to keep everything that could be used for seed pots and trays, but these days I recycle most of the pots & trays that I buy stuff in, after giving them a thorough disinfectant wash

Only buy new seed trays in the end of season sales as I find that after a few years of pushing seedlings out the bottoms crack.

Clear plastic meat trays are brilliant for standing plants on the growhouse shelves as they let more light onto the lower tiers. I also keep the polystyrene 'fruit' trays as I find these are good 'bottom' insulation for seedlings that I don't want to get cold roots.

I've given up on the fibre pots, they always get sooty or grey mould, and although folk say it won't harm the plants my hands get black enough in the garden without adding to the muck

x Tig

[Chuckles]

Yep, thems the ones Tig ;D I know what you are saying about them being tiny but I'm using them to save space in the prop and
I'm one for sowing individual seeds. When you think about what we buy growing in them, they have surely been started off in them, well I think they have Geraniums from Wilcos springs to mind.

I've never been succesful with the fibre pots same reasons as Tig. Not tried the pellets though. I use all manner of things if they look suitable, particularly for potting on and as water trays.

[Ladygardener]

Anything and everything is what I use too Chuckles. Small pots/seed trays/the punnets that grapes come in are really good and I'm using a couple of them at the moment, they have the lids attached and act like little propagators. Not forgetting toilet roll inners for Parsnip and Sweetpea.

[Tig]

I was reading something over the weekend about using those tiny little trays Chuckles, and it said that because there is virtually no compost in them that once stuff germinates you need to feed them every fortnight with a half-strength liquid feed otherwise the seedlings will be nutrient starved. Evidently that is what the commercial growers do. Very timely bit of advice I thought

x Tig

[andy]

I had to go to the GC yesterday (Wyevale) to buy some half size seed trays as i'd run out of my "DIY" trays.

£3.99 for 10 or if you have a "gardening club" membership, they were £5 for 30

I got 60 ;D

[Chuckles]

Very timely bit of advice Tig, thank you.

Well done Andy you bagged a bargain there.

These are a selection of what I'm using in the HP and some similar sized waiting to be used.

[Cheerypeabrain]

Feb 5, 2011 13:57:47 GMT @davidk said:

These trays are ideal for starting beetroot; they are buggers to thin-out and using them makes growing beetroot less of a pain.

Sow a couple of seed to each cell, they are quite large & thus, easy to handle.
When you consider each seed case contains 3 or 4 individual potential seedlings, 2 (or maybe 3) per cell will be ample.

Like all root crops, beetroot don't like root disturbance, so this is another good reason to grow them this way.

OOh...thanks for the tip David...a local GC puts loads of these out in a bin for customers to help themselves, I'll give them a jolly good clean and get my beetroot in....

[Cheerypeabrain]

Chuckles dearie...I hope some naughty little gremlins don't come along and switch the labels about! My nephew did that once and I got in a right old pickle...

[Dutchy]

Good tip on the feeding. When I start in March I hope to remember it well.
Label switching gremlins oh dear CPB ;D

With beetroot you can leave them folded in wet kitchen paper.
When they make roots you plant them in a small pot and away they romp.
I do not remember who came up with the idea but it sure worked for me last year.

[Barbara]

I used that method as well Dutchy , it also lets you know your not trying to grow duff plants .

[Ladygardener]

I used that method last year as well.

[Cheerypeabrain]

I am completely anal about sowing seeds...I allus use clean fresh sand in the heated propagator every year, and I like to use fresh plastic pots (3" square ones from Wilkinsons generally) along with fresh seed compost. Doesn't necessarily make any difference whatsoever....but after my red spider mite problem last year I'm a bit jumpy.

[andy]

We have an old poly tunnel full to the ceiling with old plug trays, inserts and seed trays. Going to raid it monday ;D

[Jasmine]

Do you need a driver Andy ;D

[andy]

Im on a course monday at the nursery ;D