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Using drink cups for transplants

snowmanaxp

snowmanaxp

I am again planning to use the plastic drink cups for my seedlings this year. I have found that they are not very stable when the plants get large. Does anyone have any suggestions to keep them from tipping over?

I will have them on 12 in deep wire shelves. I have been looking for something to put them in that is inexpensive, but I have not found anything that I like so far.
 
How long do you plan on keeping them in cups? Not sure if it was the best way, but I germinated mine in peat pucks for a week moved them into small 3" planters for 2 weeks before upgrading them 1 gallon pots for a few weeks then eventually upgraded them to 5 gallon pots.
 
I used plastic cups for several plants last season as well. When I began bringing them in and out to harden off, I created a holder out of a cardboard lid. I believe the lids came from W.B. Mason supply boxes. I took one of the cups and placed it next to the lid. I marked the height and cut the portion above that height off. I flipped the remaining bottom over and placed it on the cardboard lid. Traced the cup several times creating a grid. Cut out the inside of the circles and jammed the full size cups with plants inside. Fairly stable when they are all in there.

Here is a horribly crude drawing.

holder.jpg
 
LGHT said:
How long do you plan on keeping them in cups? Not sure if it was the best way, but I germinated mine in peat pucks for a week moved them into small 3" planters for 2 weeks before upgrading them 1 gallon pots for a few weeks then eventually upgraded them to 5 gallon pots.
Click to expand...

I left mine in the 3" containers until they went into the garden or full-size pots. Yeah, they were close to root-bound that was was fine for the last week or two. I just had to water them more often!

Mike
 
You could try to get some cup holders like the fast food restaurants have to carry drinks out with. I believe they are about the right size. It will add a bit of stablity, but it will take up a lot more space.

I used them over the last couple of years as well, but went with 3.5" square nursery pots instead this year. It cost me about $40 to get enough for my tomatoes and peppers (about 72 each) as well as the carrying trays for them. I got them at greenhouse megastore. They are reusable and if you are growing a lot of plants, it might be worth looking into the same for you.

Good luck and Happy New Year!
jacob
 
i used for last season no prioblems. i bought the plastic kind from the grocery stre and made an X at the bottom with a knife for drainage . NO problem i plan on using them this year again.
 
LGHT said:
How long do you plan on keeping them in cups? Not sure if it was the best way, but I germinated mine in peat pucks for a week moved them into small 3" planters for 2 weeks before upgrading them 1 gallon pots for a few weeks then eventually upgraded them to 5 gallon pots.
Click to expand...

I left mine in the 3" containers until they went into the garden or full-size pots. Yeah, they were close to root-bound that was was fine for the last week or two. I just had to water them more often!

Mike
 
Depends on how many seedlings you are dealing with but a temporary solution is empty, rinsed tuna cans. They set better on the shelves and easy to move if needed. This is not adequate for a lot of plants but takes little space. Of course, you might need to eat a LOT of canned tuna or similar in same type of flat cans.
 
Personally I prefer square pots that fit in a standard nursery tray. They are quite cheap and being square they hold more soil and are very stable. You just have to simply bottom water the trays every few days or so
 
I have done the drink cup method and now prefer the square pot method as Potawie has said. IMO it is much easier, more stable and just about as cheap. They are also re-usable. I lost a few plants to dropping them while using the cups. Last year, while using the square pots, I didn't drop a single plant.
 
Pepperfreak said:
I have done the drink cup method and now prefer the square pot method as Potawie has said. IMO it is much easier, more stable and just about as cheap. They are also re-usable. I lost a few plants to dropping them while using the cups. Last year, while using the square pots, I didn't drop a single plant.
Click to expand...

I had all the same issues which is why I went to square pots for this year. With as many plants as I am growing this year, it was worth the extra cost with shipping to get better pots to grow in and hence better results. (or at least I hope so)

jacob
 
It sounds like my best bet is to invest in the square pots.

I'll have to put that on next years list of things to buy.
 
I put my cups in a standard black plastic nursery tray. If I don't have enough plants to fill it up, I use empty cups so they are wedged in.
 
Are the 3.5 in ones good for full-sized transplants or do you pot up again?

The search function is not working properly.
 
Square pots are great, but I use cups too. There's a new squarish 18oz solo cup that is more stable than the round ones. A cup inside a cup is good for wick and bottom watering(low maintenance). I'm also having great results using "Planters Pride Fiber Grow 2.5 inch strips". The roots get a lot of air in the Fiber Grow pots.
 
No way are the 3" containers large enough for fully-grown plants, at least not tomatoes or peppers. But large enough to hold the plants until they go in the garden. I use 7 gallon containers for full size plants.

Mike
 
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