Styrofoam Cups En Masse

[Bitwise Gamgee]

Last year was the first time I started my own tomato seeds. ... so, I'm still looking to optimize . For the first (and only) potting up I used styrofoam cups. I really like the fact that they don't dry out too fast, they are readily available, cheap, and you can inscribe the name in them. However, handling them, I found to be quite unwieldy . I need a container which is 1) easy to move around 2) I can leave the cups in when watering, 3) will hold plenty of cups, and 4) will keep them all upright.

I need some ideas ... what do you use

Thanks,
Bitwise

[Worth1]

The 3 or four inch pots and the flats they come in from the nursery work great, the flats hold 25 containers.
A good nursery should have some on hand.

Worth

[LoreD]

Go over to the pet store and buy some nice sized kitty litter trays ($5-$6). They are heavy duty plastic and seem to be very similar to the high priced ($25) trays in some of the catalogs.

LoreD

[bydsign]

Originally Posted by LoreD

Go over to the pet store and buy some nice sized kitty litter trays ($5-$6). They are heavy duty plastic and seem to be very similar to the high priced ($25) trays in some of the catalogs.

LoreD

What a GREAT idea!

[travis]

Bit,

I did the same thing last spring with about 400 seedlings
... more than half in styrofoam cups.

Yes, very unweildly

I went to Dollar General and bought several large, deep, clear plastic tote tubs.
They turn out to be just the right size for lining up 12 and 16 oz. cups.
You can stagger the rows and fit them in quite tightly as the styrofoam gives.

One problem ... with the moisture retention ...
I lost several seedlings at the 2 and 3 true leaf stage
when I left them outside a little too late in the afternoon
and it chilled off ... and when I brought them back indoors
they damped off overnight.
Most of these were potato leaf seedlings that damped off
and I think it had to do with moisture and condensation right at the
level where the stems met the growing medium in the cup
as that's where the leisures (if that's the right word and spelling) occurred.

Another benefit of the clear plastic totes is that an empty one
can be inverted atop one with seedling cups to make a mini greenhouse.

Best of both worlds ... I went to a greenhouse operator later in the spring
and acquired about 500 4-inch cube plastic containers he was tossing out.
Sprayed them off with the garden hose and ran them through the dishwasher.
They came complete with carry trays ... but discovered I can fit more of them
into the clear plastic totes and can span the tote boxes with a double row
of shop lights and use short side totes early and transfer
to deeper totes when the seedlings get taller thereby raising the lights.

PV

[nascarmike]

I have used the aluminum roasting turkey pans to stand the cups up in. Cheap and re-usable for years.

[garnetmoth]

I try not to use styrofoam just for the non-compostability, but if I get a cup when im out (and dont have my travel mug) I just put it in my cupholder and bring it home to reuse.

I reuse waxed paper cups and styrofoam cups. As long as your rinse out and cut open to dry, 1/2 gallon milk waxed board cartons are nice for starting seeds too.

good luck!

Ive got a "dishpan" i got at a dollar store IIRC, its got nice handles and I can carry a tray of seedlings or soil around. I like the idea of clear plastic bins tho! Thanks Papa Vic

[Bitwise Gamgee]

Great ideas all!

Worth, what do the nursery pots/flats cost ... does anyone know a good on-line source?

LoreD, I like your idea and will certainly be checking out some liter trays!

PV, how deep are those tubs? I like the idea of some wind on the plants ... I've read it promotes thicker stems.

NascarMike, Are you referring to the semi-disposable pans I'm thinking of? When the cups are heavy after watering are the pans sturdy enough for moving around? ... if so, I think you have the “lowest cost” (a good thing ) solution so far!

Garnetmoth, I'll check out the dishpans ... good idea!

Thanks for all the input!
-Bitwise

[travis]

Originally Posted by Bitwise Gamgee

PV, how deep are those tubs? I like the idea of some wind on the plants ... I've read it promotes thicker stems. ~ Bitwise

Bit,

The ones I get at Dollar General come in three sizes.
I have them stored outside and it's dark out there now.
Let me measure them tomorrow and post up the three sizes.

I'm gonna try to use a few as mini greenhouses very early this spring
and "wintersow" some stuff. I'll put bricks on top of them to hold'm down in a wind.

PV

[Worth1]

First off I need to warn you all that Styrofoam is registered trade mark of DOW chemical.
They are properly called poly styrene cups.

Oh so who gives a hoot, ‘at lest that’s what I thought when I had to listen to there BS about how good poly styrene was and how it can be recycled.

I don’t use it for anything and if you guys knew what that @#$% did to the environment just to make the stuff you wouldn’t either.

BUT not to force my beliefs on anyone else enough with that!

Bitwise Gamgee,
((These user names are getting longer and longer.)) LOL

I have never bought them, when I go to the nursery I buy whole flats of just about everything.
And I’m not afraid to mooch.
Some places are glad to get rid of the things, ‘as they throw them away.
And it doesn’t hurt to ask them where they got them sometimes the plants go through several hands before they reach the retail buyer though.
I love detective work so I find it rater interesting and fun to get to the source on things.

The ones I get hold 25 containers and they are reusable so I keep them in the car port so they stay out of the sun.

At this time I am looking for nursery supplies to find the sources of them.
I will let you know when I do.

So far I have found some pretty low cost stuff, ‘just not what I am looking for.

Now back to the trail.
Sniff sniff sniff.

Worth

[flowerpower]

I like to use yoghurt cups as opposed to styrofoam. They are much sturdier and can be reused. We have them around anyway, might as well reuse them.

[dirtdigging101]

yes they are a bit hard too handle but i like the 16 oz size it is 4.5" tall and 3 inches in diameter perfect size. I use them mainly due to cost as i start 900 tomato plants for my greenhouse operation and this cup size provides an optimal size for seedlings what i mean is not too small or too large.

i put my holes in the bottom and bottom water

i get the holes in the bottom by heating up a lagre phillips screw drivr on the gas burner then "burning" it thru the bottom makes a nice hole actually i put 4 of them in each bottom

it is hard to find 3" pots that are tall in the comercial world
jiffy pots makes one but i have never grown in jiffy pots i would like to try a few and i guess i should this year to see side by side it there is a difference. would really help to speep planting along green house holds 8oo plants and pickingup the cups takes time
perhaps

[garnetmoth]

Flowerpower- Yogurt cups are good for tomatoes and herb starts. (theyre not really good for citrus seeds that develop long roots fast)

Bigger tubs of yogurt are great for potting up seedlings as well.

I usually dont bother with the heated implement, ill use a razorknife and cut lil triangular drain holes.

Less money spent on supplies means more money for seeds!

[Soilsniffer]

Am I the only one who pots up with newspaper?

A couple wraps around a Mason jar, bend in to make a bottom, secure bottom with a piece of masking tape ... done. 4" or so in diameter. The main reason I use newspaper is that I can make the pots as tall as I need. Can't beat the price for each ... and I don't *think* they're labor intensive.

And, they're MUCH more secure in a tray. The diameter is constant, so the filled pots touch from top to bottom when you put 'em next to each other in the tray. Peat pots, and especially Styrofoam(R) cups are wide at the top and narrow at the bottom ... they're topheavy and susceptible to falling over.

J

[Bitwise Gamgee]

dirtdigging101, that's a lot of tomatoes in cups! Do you move your cups around much? I do ... in and out of the garage as weather dictates ... I'm looking for a good solution (and I've seen several in this thread) for moving 30-40+ cups together. I plan to have about 120 plants in cups this year (with 60 making it to the garden ... the others given away).

Soilsniffer, how long do those newspaper pots hold together? What kind of tray do you use?

Thanks,
Bitwise