Solo Cup Transplant.... holes in bottom? Two cups? (Newby Here)

Charx · Apr 7, 2015

About solo cups....... I'm a newbie and am ready to transplant into solo cups. I notice some people use 2 cups .... one inside the other.... and some don't. Is this for drainage? Do you put holes in the bottom of the cups? I'm sure it's super simple.... but what's the best way?
Thanks.

Peter S · Apr 7, 2015

Yes, definitely put holes in the bottom of the cups you transplant into. The second cup is used for bottom watering and/or for catching excess water that drains out. Using it is a preference. Last year I used a second cup for each plant, this year I'm just putting a bunch (that need watering) into a shallow tote and watering all at once. If you use two cups, you might want to put a small spacer, like a piece of styrofoam popcorn (kind that doesn't dissolve), or similar. This gives it little extra space to drain into if needed.

JoynersHotPeppers · Apr 7, 2015

Depends on what you have underneath. My trays hold 48 solo cups and is watertight therefore I cut 3 holes in the bottom of each cup and do not use 2 cups. I pour one gallon of water in the trays and all 48 plants get watered.

My holes are not 100% on the bottom either, they are 50/50 side and bottom and that is easy to do with a razor.

laynlow · Apr 7, 2015

I use 2 cups plus a steak knife. I cut slits like Joyner says above. I do 4-5. Pour some water in the uncut cup. Plant and dirt in the other and drop it in the water cup so it bottom waters.

Weed · Apr 7, 2015

JoynersHotPeppers said:
Depends on what you have underneath. My trays hold 48 solo cups and is watertight therefore I cut 3 holes in the bottom of each cup and do not use 2 cups. I pour one gallon of water in the trays and all 48 plants get watered.

My holes are not 100% on the bottom either, they are 50/50 side and bottom and that is easy to do with a razor.

I only make two holes but I do it the same way.

Charx · Apr 7, 2015

Thanks to you all..... !!

-- Charlie

Scuba_Steve · Apr 7, 2015

I use 5 holes in mine. I stack 10 cups on top of each other, then use a drill with a 1/4" bit to go through them all at once. Seems to drain well for me...

filmost · Apr 8, 2015

I do what scuba Steve does except with a Phillips driver and lighter

suchen · Apr 8, 2015

I snip three "corners" off where the side meets the bottom. Very simple with scissors. You don't really need that much drainage from the Solo cup. Just enough to let excess run out.

VirgilCane · Apr 9, 2015

Can also heat a soldering iron and poke a bunch of holes. I usually do one hole in the middle, then 2 or 3 more holes to be on the safe side. I do not double cup it because my surface is fine with getting wet. I also use a spray bottle on my seedlings so there isn't an absurd amount of water.

Matthew_293 · Apr 10, 2015

I take a huge drill bit and hit it once in the middle and sometimes I take a small one and do two spaced apart. Then I just fit as many as I can in a tray and water the tray with my floronova every other water

ablizno · Jun 11, 2015

laynlow said:
I use 2 cups plus a steak knife. I cut slits like Joyner says above. I do 4-5. Pour some water in the uncut cup. Plant and dirt in the other and drop it in the water cup so it bottom waters.

How much water do you put in the bottom cup?

laynlow · Jun 12, 2015

ablizno said:
How much water do you put in the bottom cup?

Usually up to the first indentation / bottom ring in the cup. I'd say it's around 2 oz of water. No real reason why, it's just how I do it.