Red Cups or Styrofoam?

[AlittleSalt]

They look stronger than the round ones.

I also like the idea of buying a drill press and using pint mason jars.

Lots to think about.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

They look stronger than the round ones.

That are and a heck of a lot better.
Here is the link again for the trays in case you missed it.

http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/p...d-plastic-pots

[cjp1953]

I know the question was red cups or styrofoam,but whats wrong with peat pods like the one Jiffy has?I bought the large ones that you soak in water and they expand?

[Worth1]

Another post.
It amazes me how folks will worry about and spend so much time and money every year to use the cheapest stuff they can find to put their plants in.
Then later I hear about the dreaded accident and dropping containers.
Some of the injection molded containers I have had for 10 years and they are just as good as the day I bought the plant.
Some of the plastic containers I bought at Home Depot didnt last 2 years.
What a waste of money.
If you get the right containers and trays that go with them you will be set for a very long time.
If you are selling plants get the cheap stuff.
Worth

[bower]

I've been using the red solos (with ridges!) for 3 years now and like them better than nursery square pots because of the small footprint on a windowledge, and I like the taller root ball I get.

I poke holes in them with a sharp awl and they work just fine. More holes not larger, you can do it while watching tv and leaves nothing to sweep up.... bonus.

I do sell (and give away) the extras, so I use new cups for them, but never had a problem reusing the red cups. They held up fine even if I bleached em. Only problem after a couple of years they get ugly because of all the crossed out names of done that tomatoes.

[fonseca]

I use solo cups. I have at least 50 that are 3 years old and in use again, and 100+ that are 2 years old and being used for the 3rd time. They are a great size for seedlings, and I get multiple years use out of them before they crack from UV damage.

My workplace goes through a lot of solo cups due to constant birthday parties. I bring my own trash bag labeled "cups only!" a few times a year, and have a good supply of cups that get reused instead of thrown away.

I loathe styrofoam and do not use it at all. I even avoid buying products that ship with styrofoam packing. I am willing to pay more for a different brand that uses eco-friendly packaging.

[Worth1]

I have used tin cans with great success no problem at all getting the plant out.

Also plastic baggies worked just as well as anything.
But by far one of my favorites is the peat pots.
I need to figure out how to make a peat pot press.

Worth

[JerryHaskins]

The easiest way to make small holes in plastic Solo cups is a soldering iron.

(The pencil shaped soldering iron---not a pistol shaped soldering gun.)

They are cheap to buy at Walmart and other places.

And they leave round clean holes and no plastic shavings like you get from a drill.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by JerryHaskins

The easiest way to make small holes in plastic Solo cups is a soldering iron.

(The pencil shaped soldering iron---not a pistol shaped soldering gun.)

They are cheap to buy at Walmart and other places.

And they leave round clean holes and no plastic shavings like you get from a drill.

If anyone does this remember that all of this stuff is made from known carcinogens.
When heated up they release this stuff and you breath it.
You might as well be huffing paint.
So have a fan blowing.
This is one of the main reasons I wont use either one.
Worth

[rhines81]

Originally Posted by bower

Only problem after a couple of years they get ugly because of all the crossed out names of done that tomatoes.

I absolutely NEVER put names on my containers. I use numbers and each year I have a cross-reference sheet to tell me what variety goes with which number (incredibly easy and much less work than writing "supercalifragilistic" on each cup). Mind you, I do not grow 1 plant each of 60 different varieties. Normal is 20 varieties or less in quantities of 6-20 plants of each. #1-#16 are by far the most heavily used.
I get 2-3 seasons from a peat pot normally although the bottoms will get very soft. After germination, everything starts off in an el cheapo Dixie cup until they outgrow that space. I then use the spent Dixie cups as fire starter in my outdoor pit.
If I start anything other than Tomatoes or Peppers, they don't make it past the Dixie cup stage before being planted so I will use "C" for cabbage, "P" for peas, etc .... I don't have more than one variety of those except for beans which I haven't yet sown indoors.

[Worth1]

Outside the box.
https://www.containerandpackaging.com/item/T015

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

I've been using solo cups. I want to look into buying something like these Coex Cups http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/p...pots/seed-pots

Salt, I bought a bunch of the square ones a couple of years ago and they are holding out great. I'll easily get many more years out of them.

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by bower

Only problem after a couple of years they get ugly because of all the crossed out names of done that tomatoes.

Get yourself a roll of blue painters tape and use it for labels. It'll peel right off when your done with the pot/cup.

[Fred Hempel]

I agree with Worth 100%

It is so much easier to transport plants without mix-ups and accidents. The time you save with molded pots and the trays that hold them, is worth many times the extra cost over loose cups.

There is a reason people think Worth is brilliant.

Originally Posted by Worth1

Here you go these will last a long time provided you put them away in the shed after you use them.
Always get injection molded containers not the other stuff.
And get square not round and get the trays that go with them.
http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/p...d-plastic-pots

[imp]

I used solo cups again this year, also bought a solo type cup at the dollar stire to finish potting up, they were a tad bit smaller, just a little bit.

I just opened a pack of a hundred and drilled into the bottoms all the way to the drill chuck, then backed them out and drilled 5 holes per cup. It would get about 8 to 9 cups at a pop, so I would do 3 stacks, pull off the drilled cups and go again, until all were drilled. Took less than 4 minutes to do a hundred.

Solo also makes cups in blue, LOL.

It is handy to write the name and info on- no tag to get lost. 22 to a laundry basket makes it easy to move therm with no tipping over.