Not so long ago, the widespread distribution and use of peat pots and tablets for growing seedlings began. When planting in the ground, the seedlings are not removed from the pot and planted directly in it. These pots are ideal for seedlings that are afraid of replanting, especially pumpkin seedlings. Peat pots are made from peat with additions of wood and cardboard in a ratio of 70 to 30. Unscrupulous manufacturers add foreign impurities or change the ratio, or even offer a product made from waste paper - carefully study the composition before buying.

Peat pots are made from ecologically pure material which does not contain pathogenic microflora and toxic substances... Easy and safe to use, they are used in agricultural agricultural technology for growing different cultures and plants.

Cons of using peat pots

It should be remembered that peat pots have their own disadvantages to use:

1. Peat is an acidic environment and is not suitable for growing some plants. Many manufacturers add chalk, lime and mineral fertilizers to their composition to combat acidity. In an acidic environment, phosphorus is poorly absorbed and, as a result, seedlings have a weak root system.
2. Private scanty watering is required, more precisely, spraying with a spray bottle. Spooning around the edge of the pot will also work.
3. Root system in peat pots develops worse, since water evaporation cools the soil.
4. Plants with a weak root system are not able to penetrate the thickness of the pot wall and must be removed before planting.
5. Destruction of the walls of the pot. To prevent - wrap with foil before use.
6. Mold growth.

The last point is the most dangerous when using peat pots, as it is very difficult to deal with it.

Mold

In nature, mold spores are found everywhere, including in the air. The main reason for the appearance is waterlogged Bottom part a cup, or constant water in the pan where it is located. As they grow, peat pots with seedlings should be placed as far apart as possible. This manipulation is necessary to increase air circulation and prevent decay. lower leaves seedlings. The place with seedlings is different high humidity and a poorly ventilated room - for the most part these are the windows of our residential apartments... Humidity and lack of ventilation is an ideal environment for active growth of molds.

Mold can also appear on low-quality peat pots. This can be caused by the composition of the pot or mold contamination during the manufacturing process. Unscrupulous manufacturers create pots from sawdust and soaked recycled paper, for the desired color the pots are stained, such a product does not decompose well in the ground and contains harmful chemicals.

Mold control

If you have a problem such as mold, perform some operations to combat it:

V mandatory move seedlings from residential to non-residential. Mold spores contribute to the development of diathesis, allergies and asthma in children and adults. Fungal spores can penetrate the lung tissue and cause toxic and oncogenic effects. Mold can also cause cardiovascular disease.

If you do not fight mold on seedling pots, it can spread to indoor plants.

Unfortunately, mold is a frequent companion for young seedlings. It can appear both on the plants themselves and on the soil around them. Many gardeners are at a loss why indoor flowers standing next to each other on the windowsill do not suffer from mold - there is not even a trace of it, and nearby growing seedlings are simply suffocating from a white mold blanket?

The fact is that adult plants with a developed root system can produce special substances that can resist mold. But young growth, practically without roots, cannot fight mold spores.

Where does the mold come from?

Mold spores in the smallest doses are everywhere - in earth, water, air. There are several ways that mold could get to your seedlings.

There is a lot of fungus in the soil itself. Therefore, before disembarking, it must first be sterilized. This can be done easily by placing the earth in a hot oven for a while. You can disinfect the soil by keeping it in a water bath for half an hour - this is also very effective.

But even sterilized soil can be infected with mold. Where, you ask? The fact is that spores of the fungus can be in the water with which you water the seedlings, and even in the air. However, mold growth and development only occurs under certain conditions.

Under what conditions does mold develop

There are some factors that create a favorable living environment for mold. To defeat the mold, it must be deprived of these factors.

1. Cold. If the temperature in the room does not rise above 20 degrees, it is on the hand of mold. Create favorable conditions for seedlings, not for fungus - increase the air temperature in the room.
2. Dampness. A large amount of water not only favors the development of the fungus, but also destroys crops. Before planting, do not forget about the drainage holes, which will help excess moisture to escape to the outside.
3. Lack of ultraviolet radiation. Everyone knows that ultraviolet light is a natural antiseptic that can kill mold and mildew spores. But few people know that an ordinary glass window does not allow ultraviolet rays to pass through, leaving them outside. Expose the seedling container to the open air from time to time to get rid of mold.
4. Acidity. High acidity or high peat content is a favorable environment for mold growth. Before planting, reduce the acidity of the soil by watering it with slaked lime.

Mold often develops in unventilated areas, especially when the seedlings are covered with plastic. To avoid this, you need to regularly open the "greenhouse" so that air can circulate there.

Mold is bad enough for seedlings - it can penetrate the seed and destroy it from the inside. To cope with mold that has already appeared on seedlings and on the soil, you need to carry out a number of resuscitation measures.

1. First you need to carefully remove the mold from the top of the soil. This can be done with a simple spoon.
2. After that, you need to make several holes in the soil with a stick or ordinary pencil. So the soil will dry out faster.
3. Then the container with seedlings should be placed in a warm, well-ventilated place.
4. If there are no drain holes in the pot, they must be made immediately. Only everything should be done carefully so as not to damage the seedlings.
5. After a few days, when the soil dries out, it must be treated with phytosporin. it special tool, capable of protecting young plants from rotting, bacteriological and fungal diseases.

Subsequently, after adopted complex measures must be remembered that seedlings should not be poured, they may die.

There are a few more effective ways to help you get rid of mold on your seedlings.

1. As noted, mold is often an indication that the acidity of the soil is increased. This can be corrected, even in the very process of growing seedlings. Dissolve a couple of tablespoons of ash in a liter of hot water and wait next day... After a day, pour the prepared solution over the ground.
2. If ash is not on hand, you can use baking soda instead. You will need half a teaspoon per liter of water.
3. To prevent mold growth, you can sprinkle river stones on the surface of the soil. However, they are pre-calcined in the oven so that no infection remains on them. Instead of pebbles, you can use charcoal - its properties resist the formation of mold.
4. If only home remedies are used, then instead of charcoal you can safely sprinkle the soil with activated carbon.
5. Ventilate the seedlings regularly - they should be on fresh air at least half of the time.
6. If you have flooded the seedlings, leave them without film for 3-4 days until they are completely dry.
7. Loosen the soil regularly to circulate air.
8. Among professional tools the fight against mold on seedlings can be noted Mikosan. This biofungicide can be used on home grown plants, the main thing is to follow the instructions and proportions. Mikosan not only kills mold, it develops strong immunity from pests in plants. In addition, it is an excellent natural growth promoter.

If you are just going to plant seedlings, this problem needs to be taken care of in advance. Pre-determine the acidity of the soil, and, if it is increased, reduce it with improvised means. Also, the seeds must be soaked in potassium permanganate or diluted aloe juice before planting. This will protect them from possible spores, bacteria, infections.

Mold on seedlings is not a death sentence. And this does not mean at all that the plants can no longer be saved. Although mold is harmful, it is quite possible to get rid of it. The main thing is to act competently and consistently. Protect your seedlings and get good harvest!

Video: why mold appears on seedlings and what to do with it

Subsistence farming in the broadest sense is one of the oldest, and perhaps the most ancient human occupation. Over such a long history, it has gone through many stages of both development and public perception. From an absolute necessity, when growing plant food with your own hands was the main condition for survival, to neglect, when digging in the ground began to be considered the prerogative of exclusively financially vulnerable people and the elderly, who seem to have nothing else to do. But today, plant growing, growing vegetables, fruits, and any other greenery is experiencing a new round of popularity with its own efforts. The basis for it was the fashion for organic products and the public protest against artificial ingredients, which are increasingly used in Food Industry... Then the massive fear of the notorious GMOs "connected". The financial crisis also played a role, significantly reducing the ability of many of our fellow citizens to load up to the top a cart in a supermarket. finished products in colorful packages. And, finally, over time (someone - with age, someone - under the influence of media propaganda) comes an understanding of the simple fact that there is no better food than the simplest and most natural.

One has only to step on this path - and fresh vegetables grown in the garden begin to seem a hundred times more delicious than complex restaurant dishes, and there is no point in spreading thoughts about the benefits of such food: it is already obvious. Moreover, in summer, when the body itself seeks to cleanse itself, to get as much natural vitamins, plant fibers and juices as possible. In such circumstances, even those who have never taken a rake in their hands before, and learned about the ripening of tomatoes only by their appearance on the shelves, are accepted for gardening. But for such novice gardeners, modern industry has created many assistive devices... All kinds of devices, tools and chemicals make planting, growing, and caring for the crop easier so that their functionality is appreciated by experienced plant breeders. And their special attention was paid to peat pots, without which even one fan of gardening rarely does now. That essentially simple idea turned out to be so useful that now few people grow seedlings without them. Want to try it too? There is nothing simpler: it is easy to handle peat pots, they are not expensive and do not take up much space either in the house or on the site. And yet, for best result it is better to know in advance all the nuances of how to use peat pots.

Peat pots: properties and features
Peat pots are relatively small (the size may vary, depending on your tasks) cups or boxes designed for growing seedlings in them. main feature peat pots and their main difference from other containers of a similar purpose lies in the material from which the pots are made. It is not difficult to guess about it by the name itself, but in fact it is not 100% pure peat, but a mixture of peat with wood pulp or humus, dried, tightly compacted and formed in the form of a round or square container. Such a composition of the material for manufacturing was chosen because it is the most lightweight, durable and effective in terms of the functions that are assigned to it. Every gardener knows about them firsthand, but for everyone else, we will remind once again that most of both fruit and ornamental crops begin their own life cycle from seedlings. This is a kind of "childhood" of a plant, and it, just like in humans, has a decisive influence on the entire subsequent life of a plant: its development, growth, fertile indicators, etc. Therefore, it is so important to properly grow the seedlings and provide them with necessary care... All this is provided for by the composition and design of peat pots:

1. The root system is well supplied with oxygen and water thanks to the porous walls of the pot. Neither nutrition nor respiration of the developing plant is disturbed.
   
2. After planting in the ground, the roots grow freely through the pliable and soft walls of the peat pot, without encountering resistance.
   
3. The base of the pot is strong enough to withstand the stress of soil and seedlings for as long as needed.
   
4. A peat pot, falling into the ground, gradually decomposes and itself becomes a natural fertilizer for the plant, which provides its nutrition and improves growth performance.
   
5. The peat pot is completely made from natural ingredients that do not harm either the seedlings or the soil, and do not poison the crop.
   

It follows from this that peat pots are really useful invention and the necessary purchase for growing seedlings. But you didn’t do without them before? Of course, you can grow seedlings in other containers. For this purpose, our mothers and grandmothers used boxes, bags, jars and cups of yoghurts, cottage cheese, sour cream ... growing seedlings "handy materials". Firstly, some crops with a naturally weak root system (for example, cucumbers, pumpkins, peppers, eggplants, etc.) cannot be planted and then dived in boxes: they simply do not withstand such tests. Secondly, containers from fermented milk products often contain their remnants, and lactic acid bacteria very aggressively affect the roots, causing them to damage and disease. And, finally, the roots of seedlings grown in solid containers are inevitably damaged, which subsequently cannot but affect the development of the plant. All of these dangers can be avoided by using peat pots. And in order to choose the right ones at the first purchase, keep in mind that:

1. In shape, peat pots are round and square in diameter. This is not of fundamental importance for the success of growing seedlings, but it can save space or otherwise affect ease of use.
   
2. The size of the peat pots also differ, so do not rush to buy the first one you come across if their volume seems not very convenient to you. Look for the ones that best suit your needs and give your seedlings maximum comfort and growth.
   
3. Peat pots can be separate or stapled into horizontal blocks of several pieces. It is more convenient to store and use piece peat pots. If you expect that you will simply break the block into separate parts, then do it carefully so as not to violate the integrity of the walls of the neighboring pot, for all their strength they are quite susceptible to mechanical damage.
   
4. Try to choose the walls of peat pots from one to one and a half millimeters thick - experience shows that it is optimal for most types of seedlings.
   
5. Don't confuse a peat pot with a cardboard one. They look very similar, especially if the cardboard is painted, and unscrupulous manufacturers take advantage of this. Cardboard pots, unlike peat pots, do not dissolve in the ground, do not nourish the plant and do not allow its roots to develop freely in the soil.
   

Advantages and disadvantages of peat pots
Having mentioned the fakes of peat pots, we came close to relevant topic their shortcomings. Indeed, it cannot be that anyone, even the most comfortable and simple device, there were no downsides. There are also drawbacks regarding the use of peat pots, and they have long been noticed by gardeners. How to treat them - everyone decides for himself, depending on his capabilities, temperament and preferences among garden crops... We invite you to find out about the difficulties faced by other gardeners, and decide for yourself how critical they are for you personally: are they worth giving up peat pots altogether, or just take some measures to overcome these difficulties:

1. Peat pots, due to the looseness of their walls, cannot be dry when filled with moist soil. And if so, the moisture evaporates continuously, and the earth inside the peat pot dries up, forcing the seedlings to suffer from "thirst".
   
2. On the other hand, since it is very difficult to control the degree of moisture and evaporation, there is always a risk of watering the seedlings in a peat pot too much. As a result, the pot becomes covered with mold, which spreads to both the substrate and the seedlings themselves.
   
3. Evaporation of moisture inevitably leads to cooling, that is, a fragile root system that needs warmth, in practice, begins to freeze, grows slowly and develops poorly.
   
4. Some peat pots do not decompose in the soil as quickly as necessary, and remain in the soil in lumps, littering the soil and interfering with other plants. Most often this is a sign of low-quality pots, made not of peat, but of cardboard and other materials.
   
5. Sometimes the walls of a peat pot are too strong for weak roots that simply cannot break through. For example, pumpkin does the job, while peppers get stuck and wither away.
   

How to grow seedlings in a peat pot
If the above side effects you were not pushed away, and you did not give up the idea of ​​growing seedlings in a peat pot, then it would be best to follow standard instruction on the use of peat pots. And as complications arise, apply a few tricks, which we will talk about further. One way or another, peat pots are far from being criticized by all gardeners, so it is possible that in your case everything will turn out well. And the probability of a successful result of using peat pots will be the higher, the more accurately you follow the following sequence of actions:

1. Make sure that you are going to use exactly peat-humus pots - and it is better to do this even at the time of purchase, carefully studying the composition of the product by packaging and asking the seller in detail.
   
2. Fill the peat pots with soil suitable for each type of seedling, pre-moistened and nutritious.
   
3. Compact the soil lightly, but not too much so that the seedlings can break through the ground and get enough oxygen.
   
4. Sow the seeds into the soil directly in the pot, drown the bulbs in the ground "up to the shoulders", plant the cuttings and seedlings depending on their size.
   
5. Place the seedling pots on a wide tray. At first, you can push them in tightly, and as the root system grows, move them apart to provide sufficient space, light and aeration.
   
6. Make sure that the soil in the peat pots is always moist. Water it directly or through the drip tray.
   
7. Do not allow the soil to dry out in peat pots: this is fraught not only with drying out of plants, but also crystallization of salts, which further damage immature seedlings.
   
8. Water the seedlings abundantly in peat pots about a day before planting them in open ground.
   
9. Do not remove seedlings ready for planting in the ground from the peat pots, but bury them in the ground with them. The depth of immersion of a peat pot in the soil depends on its size.
   
10. Make sure that the top edge of the peat pot is level with the ground or not much deeper (no more than 1-2 cm deep).
    

As you can see, the technology of growing seedlings in peat pots is really simple and logical, both in theory and in practice. Its main advantage is that there is no need to remove seedlings from a solid container when planting in a garden bed and thereby injure thin roots. Flowers take root especially well in peat pots, and even such capricious ones as a miniature snapdragon. But the disadvantages of peat pots cannot be ignored either. Therefore, we suggest that you do not close your eyes to them, but, on the contrary, look around in search of a way out of the situation and take advantage of some of the subtleties discovered by enterprising gardeners in the process of using peat pots.

Secrets of using peat pots
Each gardener chooses for himself what devices to use in his activities - fortunately, you can find, choose and buy literally any tools today. Listening to the opinions of others, you should at least once try growing seedlings in a peat pot yourself in order to form your own opinion. But if you didn't like using peat pots, but you bought them in advance and with a reserve, do not rush to get upset and count the "thrown" money. There are no unnecessary things on the farm, and now we will prove this to you again with the example of peat pots:

1. Use a hole punch, awl, or other sharp object to immediately make several holes in the bottom and sides of the peat pot. Subsequently, this will make it easier for the roots of the plant to get out.
   
2. To prevent moisture from evaporating through the walls of the peat pot and cooling the seedlings, wrap each pot plastic wrap or a package. Remember to remove this plastic before planting outdoors.
   
3. Before putting seedling soil in peat pots, saturate them with a solution mineral fertilizers... This will help the walls of the pots to dissolve faster in the soil and provide the plants with additional nutrition.
   
4. To prevent the peat pot from becoming moldy, spray it with a special preparation, for example, foundation. This will not have a detrimental effect on the seedlings.
   
5. And finally, you can use peat pots not for all seedlings, but only for the strongest and strongest - for example, the same pumpkin, whose roots easily penetrate the walls of the peat molds.
   

The excitement around peat pots, as is often the case, is greatly exaggerated. For all their benefits, they also have disadvantages, which, however, are not at all difficult to cope with with a small amount of rational attitude. But they are lightweight, safe for environment and look much better than offsuit plastic packaging from cottage cheese desserts. You can start and continue to grow seedlings in peat pots for any agricultural, ornamental, horticultural crops, or abandon them forever, finding a more suitable way. In other words, both the gardening season and a good harvest do not depend on peat pots, but on your skill and attitude. It is no secret that plants as living organisms and part of nature are sensitive to the psychological atmosphere around. Therefore, use peat pots and other garden tools easily, with a smile and in good mood, then the seedlings will be for joy!

The use of peat cups in gardening is still considered new technology... Some gardeners use them with enthusiasm, others resolutely reject them. Everything new and progressive is always not without difficulty being introduced into life. There are advantages to using peat cups. There are also disadvantages, but they only cause problems for inexperienced gardeners.

What are peat cups and why are they used?

Gardeners relatively recently began to use peat cups for growing seedlings. Even 20-25 years ago, they were very rare. V last years peat cups appeared on sale different sizes and forms. They are small containers, most often in the form of a truncated cone, but they can be in the form of a cube or a trapezoid, or connected in blocks of several pieces. Their sizes vary within 5–10 cm in diameter with a wall thickness of 1–1.5 mm.

The material from which the cups are made is a mixture: 50–70% peat, the rest - humus and cellulose. Thick water solution This composition is pressed into special molds and containers of various sizes and designs are obtained.

The seedlings grown in them no longer need to be removed, violating root system tender young plant. It is planted in the ground directly in a cup, placing it in a prepared hole. Then sprinkle with earth and watered. The seedlings are planted!

Being in the soil, the peat cup gets soaked from the irrigation water, dissolves in the ground, while fertilizing the soil around the plant roots. The roots easily penetrate the porous thin walls and take up the entire surrounding space. The plant begins to develop fully, unlike planting with a damaged root.

How to use peat pots for seedlings - video

https://youtube.com/watch?v=I7OQ4-DMj10

Advantages and disadvantages

Experienced gardeners who are not afraid to experiment have no consensus about peat cups. To appreciate the advantages of this planting method, the products must be used correctly. The advantages are as follows:

• Peat cups are environmentally friendly as they are made from natural materials.
• They have sufficient mechanical strength and do not fall apart during the period of seedling growth.
• The walls are porous, which provides free penetration of air and water to the roots of young plants.
• When transplanting to a garden bed, there is no need to remove the plant from the container. The roots are not injured, which is very important for plants such as cucumbers and eggplants, which do not like transplanting.
• Seedlings easily take root in a new place, because peat soaks and decomposes, enriching the soil useful substances, which are needed to feed the plant.

There are also disadvantages:

• Manufacturers do not always make quality products. Sometimes the cups are too thick. For this reason, they do not soak in the ground, and roots cannot grow through the walls.
• Excessive watering leads to moldy cups.
• The porous material does not retain moisture, which causes the soil to dry out quickly. It is necessary to provide very precise, dosed watering.

To avoid drying out, it is recommended to cover the tray with seedlings in peat cups with a film and from time to time remove the cover to remove excess moisture and fumes.

Which cups to choose: peat, paper or plastic

Vegetable growers often use plastic and paper homemade cups... Peat has several advantages over them:

• Plastic cups are required to be cut before planting in the garden. With this action, a clod of earth with roots can crumble; seedlings do not need to be removed from a peat pot.
• Plastic walls do not allow air and moisture to pass through, peat walls provide good aeration and moisture to the roots.
• Homemade paper cups break and soak. They do not guarantee the safety of seedling roots. It takes time to prepare them for landing.
• Neither plastic nor paper cups provide additional fertilizing to the roots of the plant.

How to plant seeds in cups correctly: instructions

Planting seeds in cups is a simple process.

If the peat cups are covered with mold, this means that they are waterlogged. At the bottom of the pallet in which they stand, there is water that needs to be drained. Wipe the surface of the glass with alcohol, vinegar or soda solution. If mold damage is significant, such containers should be disposed of. For prophylaxis, the room in which the seedlings are located should be regularly ventilated, reduced the dose of watering, gently loosened upper layer soil in cups.

Mold should be removed and the glass wiped with alcohol, vinegar or baking soda solution

Where to buy and how to choose

To obtain good result, you must use quality materials... Novice, inexperienced vegetable growers complain that the seedlings often dry up, and the plants planted in the garden in cups do not develop and die. This comes from the use of low-quality products. There should be at least 50–70% of peat in them.

When choosing peat cups, give preference to dark, porous and soft to the touch, with a wall thickness of no more than 1.5 mm. Light, dense glasses are a fake, where there is more cellulose than peat.

Peat cups should be purchased in specialized stores and only in branded packaging, it is advisable to require a quality certificate. Buying them in bazaars is fraught with undesirable consequences.

Do not be tempted by the diminutiveness and originality of the shape of some glasses. They are round or square, this does not affect the development of seedlings at all... In small cups (5 cm in diameter), the roots will be cramped. Better to buy large, 8-10 cm tall, pots. In such, the root system of any seedlings will grow full-fledged.

Self-made peat cups

Some craftsmen make peat cups with their own hands. Such a simple production can be organized in any rural yard or on summer cottage... The main thing in this business is to properly prepare the mixture:

1. Collect all necessary materials in the required quantities: peat - 7 parts, humus - 2 parts, mullein - 1 part, a little slaked lime.
2. Sift peat and humus thoroughly. There should be no large solid particles in the mixture.
3. Mullein to breed in hot water... The amount of water is determined in each specific case empirically.
4. Add the diluted mullein to a container with peat and humus and mix thoroughly with a shovel until a homogeneous mass is obtained.
5. A little lime can be added to the resulting solution. Fill if necessary hot water... The moisture content of the mass is determined by trial molds of the cups.
6. At home, you can mold the pots with two plastic durable glasses that have the shape of a truncated cone.

Production of peat pots for seedlings - video

Peat pots - a must organic farming... They greatly facilitate the work of growing seedlings. They are easy to use, they quickly decompose in the soil, there are no harmful polymers in their composition, but there is a real storehouse of microelements. Peat seedling containers have become an indispensable tool in obtaining future crops.

The benefits of peat pots

Peat pot - universal look planting containers, made from a compressed mixture of peat, humus, wood pulp and oily earth; it serves as a kind of "kindergarten" for the plant, facilitating growth in the initial stages. Having started their "journey" in a peat container, the seedlings receive an excellent impetus, which, with the proper efforts of the gardener, will contribute to an excellent harvest.

The composition of the peat pots:

• peat is a substance formed in low, swampy areas from moss, fallen leaves and other organic constituents as a result of incomplete decomposition. It is a universal fertilizer containing a large number of carbon, which accelerates plant growth;
• humus is obtained from manure or compost that has decomposed for more than two years. Being a loose mass, it serves as an excellent source of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and other trace elements;
• wood pulp is an excellent breeding ground for bacteria, which, multiplying on wood residues, quickly recycle the organic components of the glass. It also binds moisture: by retaining water, it does not allow it to evaporate. Nutritional value for a plant does not;
• oily soil acts as a component that binds the constituents of the pot.

Evolution of seedlings

Over time, like everything in the world, even the containers for planting seedlings undergo changes. After all, there was a time when gardeners did not hear anything about either plastic or peat dishes for plants.

Wooden boxes

Many gardeners and gardeners still use wooden boxes for sowing seedlings, which are very durable, withstand transportation and any other movements, serve faithfully for up to ten years.

Most often, the seeds are placed in them by continuous sowing, so that in the future, the seedlings will need to be planted. Each season, such boxes must be thoroughly disinfected with fungicides before new crops, and this is a big minus of this type of seedling containers.

Plastic containers

Plastic products for growing seedlings are much lighter than wooden ones. They are produced from plastic of various thicknesses and densities.

The thicker the walls and the harder the plastic, the longer the seedling pots will last. In addition, many options are available both in volume and in shape, which allows you to choose suitable shape and volume for any type of seedling. A significant disadvantage can be the use of unsafe plastic.

Handy containers for seedlings

Many summer residents use cups of yoghurts, juices, plastic bottles from milk and other drinks. The plus is their zero cost, and the minus is the impossibility of complete disinfection after food products.

Peat and cardboard cups and pots

The seedling grows in such cups for the entire period and together with it is planted in the ground without damaging the earthy coma and root system, which is very important for plants with a vulnerable root system.

Each plant grows in them individually, they are light, and if installed in a special plastic tray, they are easy to maintain.

The disadvantage is that the walls are breathable and the soil dries out very quickly. If you delay watering, seedlings may die. In addition, sometimes when transplanted into the ground, a glass of peat or cardboard does not dissolve in time and inhibits the growth of the root system.

Table: disadvantages of peat tanks

Danger	Causes	Effects	Method of struggle	Result
Drying out of the soil mixture	Loose walls of the pot pump moisture from the soil, staying constantly wet.	The plant dries up.	Water the seedlings not from above, but add water to the bottom of the container where the pot is installed.	Water falling through bottom holes, evenly impregnates walls and soil. The plant receives adequate nutrition.
Mold formation	It is difficult to control the amount of water.	Mold appears on the walls.	Wall treatment grated garlic Fitosporin-M.	Rapid elimination of the mold focus will protect the plant from infection with fungal diseases.
Rapid evaporation of moisture	Loose walls do not retain moisture.	Rapid cooling of the filler leads to hypothermia of the roots. The plant grows slowly.	Wrap the walls of the pot with foil.	The evaporation of moisture will be reduced.
Does not decompose in soil	Low-quality, cheap cardboard fakes. Not to be confused with paper cups, which are sold as a separate item and are positioned that way.	Without decomposing, they become a source of fungal diseases in the soil.	Buy one pot and soak in water.	The paper swells, the peat tears.
The walls of the pot are too thick	At the roots different types plants have different ability to overcome obstacles.	Seedling roots cannot penetrate the wall, the plant does not have enough space.	For plants with weak roots, use thin-walled pots. This primarily applies to cucumbers.	The plant does not fully develop, it withers.

Advice. When buying, you should carefully consider the product. Cardboard is lighter than peat. It is dense and pressed to the touch. Peat is porous and brittle to the touch.

Photo gallery: the main disadvantages of peat containers

Mold from the walls of the pot passed to the soil mixture Seedlings died due to the rapid drying of the earth in the pot The walls of the peat pot were covered with mold

Video: a prerequisite is not to dry out

How to treat peat pots, each gardener decides for himself. When growing thermophilic plants peat tanks should be changed to plastic containers.

Planting seedlings

You can buy peat pots in specialized gardening stores, on the market, or you can make yourself. To get a good result, follow these recommendations:

1. At the time of purchase, carefully read what is included in the pot. Such devices are made from peat, to which cardboard or wood is added. Most of all, gardeners praise cups with a ratio of 70% basic substance and 30% additive. If the composition is not specified, you should ask the seller about this. Do you still have doubts? Buy one pot, soak it in water: if it is swollen, and the walls have increased in volume, it is not peat, but cardboard.
2. If the roots of the plant are fragile, then you should not use cups with thick walls. For example, the roots of a pumpkin and watermelon will freely pass through a wall 3-4 mm thick; for a cucumber, a pot with a wall thickness of 1-2 mm is better suited.
3. Moisten the soil before filling the pots with substrate.
4. After filling the cup with soil, tamp it lightly. Do not do this too much, otherwise it will be difficult for seedlings to push through the soil. In addition, little oxygen will be supplied to the roots.

   After sowing, the soil in the cups should remain loose, so that the seeds are easier to germinate.

5. Seeds are sown to a depth of 2-3 cm, the bulbs are planted "shoulder length".
6. The pots are placed in a high-sided pallet. For greater convenience and to prevent the walls of the pots from touching, the pallet is best used with a lid in the form of cup holders.
7. The soil inside the pot should be moist. Better to water through a sump. If the earth dries up, then a salt deposit forms on the surface of the soil and on the walls of the cup, damaging the young growth.
8. Before planting on the beds, seedlings are watered abundantly with water.
9. The plant is planted together with a pot, which is buried so that the upper edge does not protrude above the ground.

Video: check what the pot is made of

The depth and diameter of the peat cups and pots are selected based on the size of the future plant. Usually, the packaging indicates for which crops a particular type of universal container can be used.

It is not difficult to grow seedlings using peat pots. Many summer residents fell in love with them for the fact that they allow you to preserve the root system of the plant when planting. And this is very important when planting cucumbers and, especially, flowers that feel great in them from the appearance of cotyledon leaves to mature seedlings. The main thing is to stick to simple rules their use.

Even such spoiled beauties as petite Snapdragon, or streptocarpus take root well in peat pots and give excellent growth.

Video: how to plant strawberry seedlings in peat cups

How to use peat pots

When setting a goal to get a good harvest, get ready for experiments, one of which may be the use of peat planting containers. If you decide, then follow the advice of experienced people.

Fluconazole is a broad-spectrum antifungal agent that works especially well against yeast and mold that cause blooming of peat walls.

Pots are not a guarantee of good seedlings. They have great advantages, but there are also significant disadvantages, so in order to avoid mistakes, analyze the situation, listen to the advice of experienced gardeners.

How to make peat cups at home

The great popularity of peat containers led to the emergence of a mass of counterfeits. Some craftsmen have adapted to make peat planting containers with their own hands.

For home production required:

• sawdust;
• greasy earth;
• azotobacterin;
• phosphobacterin;
• mullein;
• water;
• peat.

Add 4 kg of mullein and 1 kg of fatty earth, Azotobacterin and Phosphobacterin to 5 kg of peat. Gradually add water and mix the thick solution.

To form the pots, we make a simple device consisting of:

• pallet;
• steel glass;
• a pin with an iron circle fixed at the end and a blank.

The diameter of the blank and the circle should be slightly less than the diameter of the glass.

We set the glass on the pallet, lower the pin with the iron circle into it from above. Pour a solution on the circle, no more than 15–20 mm, and tamp it with a blank. Thus, gradually pouring in and pressing the mixture, we fill the glass to the top. Then we take out the disc, and with the help of a pin - the finished glass.

The first products you get, as they say, are lumpy. Do not despair. With a little experimentation, you will find the optimal ratio of ingredients, the required viscosity of the solution, the required pressure when tamping.