Anybody Tried CowPots?

[Budge]

Has anybody tried CowPots for seed starting?

http://cowpots.com/whats-a-cowpot.html

I see in the FAQs the following question and answer:

"I seem to be getting some mold on the outside of my CowPots.
What can I do? How do I prevent mold?"

"Our process does not include mold retardants. The molds you see are natural and harmless and do not inhibit plant growth."

Oh great. Just what I need. Plant containers that encourage the "natural and harmless" mold of damping off disease! Still, I'll give them a try for zinnias maybe, not for my precious tomatoes. Maybe I can finally start zinnias early without having to transplant them out of pot to ground, break a hairlike root or two, and watch them limp and quickly die.

[Blueaussi]

There is more than one kind of mold, and the one they're taking about doesn't hurt the plants. I gave cow pots a try last year and thought they worked well. My only objection is the price, they're just too expensive for me.

[mdvpc]

Budge-there was some discussion about cowpots here. If you use the search function, you will see.

Here is the thread:

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...hlight=cowpots

This is what I am using this year-Ami started this thread last year.

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...hlight=dotpots

[amideutch]

If you buy small quantities they can run 55 to 60 cents apiece for the 4" pots. If you buy a case of 300 the cost drops to 35 to 40 cents a unit. If you store them indoors I don't see any reason why they wouldn't last 3-5 years. For Tomatoes they are excellent but I've heard pepper seedlings don't do well in CP's. Another Biodegradable pot I've used is Dot Pots. They also worked well and you can get the 4" rounds for $14.95 for 50. Both are carried by Johnny's. And I havn't experienced any mold in either pot type. And what intrigued me about these type of pots is there is no transplant shock when planting out. I germinated my seed in Jiffy 7's or HydroFarm "Jump Start" pellets and when the seedlings are 4" tall I pot up to the CP's Or Dot Pots using Fox Farms "Light Warrior". As you saw from the link mdvpc gave I then put them on racks in my south facing window till ready for plant out as the pictures I posted below also show. The first two pictures were taken 13 mar 09 and the last two were taken a week later. Both show the Cow Pots and Dot Pots. Ami

[Budge]

"...the one they're taking about doesn't hurt the plants."

This is terrific knews. I'll definately give them a try.

[Budge]

Thanks for the tips. Your plants look beautiful and super healthy. You've dispelled all my doubts except the cost factor, but I'm going to give CPs a try anyway. Oh, one thing. Do you water them from the bottom or top? Wouldn't they disintegrate quite fast if you supersoak the containers or CPs themselves by watering them from the bottom?

[Blueaussi]

When I tried the cow pots, I only grew peppers in them, and my pepper seedlings did fine.

[amideutch]

Budge, I water them from the top and I believe mdvpc waters them from the bottom. Ami

[mdvpc]

I do water from the bottom, but I am using dot pots now-only used cow pots one time.

[KKinAL]

I used cowpots last year, & they did have some fuzzy mold grow on them, but it never hurt the plants. I also watered from the bottom, & they held together fine. They do make planting out easier, & break down quick. (the only reason I'm not using them this year is I had saved & was given lots of plastic pots & they're free)