Best source for containers for seedlings?
 

The past few years, I've been using opaque plastic cups that I drill a hole in the bottom. This works well, but the round shape doesn't allow me to put as many plants in an area as square ones would. They also tend to tip over once the seedlings get larger, but that's not a major issue.

I'd like to purchase a few thousand of the square 3 or 4 inch pots that commercial growers use, but not sure where best to find them. I can find them by the case, but the price is 2-3x that of the plastic cups I've been buying from Costco.

Anyone have any sources out there for cheap pots like these? Thanks!

Novosel:
[url]http://www.novoselenterprises.com/products/square.asp[/url]

Carlin Horticultural:
[url]http://www.carlinsales.com/storefrontB2CWEB/browse.do?action=refresh_browse&ctg_id=144[/url]

Chula Orchids:
[url]http://www.chulaorchids.com/html/square__color.html[/url]

I am sure a WWW search would probably find lots more.

Thanks Dice...I'll check those out! Those Chulaorchids ones look like they might work.


I did search google beforehand and found these:

[URL]http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/TLC-Black-Form-Pots/productinfo/CN-SQV/[/URL]

I was thinking the 3 1/4 inch ones would work and they run a little less than 7 cents each. I'd have to use plastic plant markers though instead of writing on the cups like I usually do. Was wondering what other folks might use.

I did look at Greenhouse Megastore, but there was a user
comment attached to the 4" square pots to the tune of
"not what I was expecting", something about the material
they were made from. I do not know if that would be a
hindrance.

Carlin Horticultural had a lot of "out-of-stock", although not
on the 4" square pots. (At least they tell you right on the web
page whether it is in stock or not. Reassuringly professional.)

Carlin is local to me and where I get my supplies. They aren't always the cheapest place around. This is still when they are low on stock but should be getting things stocked up pretty soon. They do usually carry a large variety of pots and flats.

At the show I went to in Dec, I learned there is another place not too far from me now too. BFG or something like that. They have places in several parts of the country. I think Ohio and Illinios and probably several other states but I can't remember right now. I'll try to find the paper I got on it tomorrow and post back then.

Carol

I buy my pots in smaller quantities from Charlie's Greenhouse. A paint pen works great to write on the pots in bright yellow LoL

Surprisingly even just a black permenent market works fine on the black plastic. You wouldn't think you couold seed black on black, but you can quite easily.

Carol

Here's a source in your (actually our) area that I've used several times.

You might call them and get a printed catalog--I've found it easier to use than the web site.

[URL]http://www.morgancountyseeds.com[/URL]

Stuart

Stuart...thanks for the info...didn't know about that place. I'll swing by there next time I go fishing on LOZ!

If you've got time, we'll be having our second annual tomato tasting event in KC in August this year. PM me your e-mail addy and I'll put you on my blog notification list.

James

After much research, I ended up staying with the 10 oz, Solo opaque cups. I drill a 3/8" hole in them and label with a sharpie...they take up more room than the square ones, but at 3 cents each, I saved some $$

Bought a 4cubic foot bag of Perlite and one of Vermiculite and a 3.8 cubic foot of Pro-Mix this weekend. All I need now is a truck load of compost and the month of February to fly by and I'm ready to get my hands dirty!

I use the 8 oz paper cups for my hot peppers and the 12 oz paper cups for everything else. I get them at costco, but they cost a little more than 3 cents each. Well just checked my receipt--9 oz was .0258 each and the 12 oz. was .0323 each. The dixie paper cold beverage cups. That way they all look the same when I sell them and I use a permanent marker to write the variety on the cup--no way of loosing the idenity.

You know what I hate, I hate it when I looked up something today on Google, then tried to figure out what it the key words were that I looked up so that I can get the same results. I had found a place that had a 100 sheets of 3 1/2 in squares for 45 dollars, now I can't find it. Curses Curses Curses foiled again.

That's Al Gore's fault! :dizzy:

Hi all ~

I'm a newbie here...but I started selling last year at our FM, and this year I've expanded the biz to e-commerce...a little scary trying to plan all the aspects of shipping, etc., but exciting! Anyway--I start all of my seeds in 128 cell trays, then transplant into Dot Pots (like peat pots but OMRI certified.) I have really limited space and grow 80+ varieties of heirloom tomatoes, plus 30+ heirloom peppers, so the trays are a good option for me. This whole operation is taking place in our downstairs and an 8 x 10 greenhouse...I'm at about 6,000 plants right now, so space is precious!

Anyway--I just wanted to share the great response I get from customers on the organic pots. Obviously, I PR the environmental aspect, but the biggest value is less transplant shock. Typically, the plants at market were at the stage where roots were already growing through the pot, so the customers could see that they were good, strong plants. When I broke down the cost, I was at approx. 7 cents/pot. I use round pots, but they are also available in squares.

Good luck with your growing!

great info thanks for sharing, and welcome to TV.

Neva