A beginner amateur gardener, choosing a container for seedlings, can be very puzzled. The great variety is confusing. But you should not hurry and you should decide in advance exactly what to plant the seeds in, because otherwise the results of the sowing may upset.
The choice of containers for seedlings
Most often, individual pots or boxes are used as a container for seeds. Pots can be either special, purchased (plastic or peat), or home-made from cups of sour cream or yogurt.
Advantages and disadvantages of individual pots
Individual packaging has its advantages. So, for example, when transplanting seedlings, it is enough to dump the contents of the pot on the ground, which ensures the integrity of the root system. However, with a large number of seeds, the use of pots is difficult due to the inconvenience of their location in the apartment and subsequent transportation. Individual packaging requires a lot of space.
Boxes as a container for seedlings
Another thing is the container in the form of boxes. Their ergonomics is such that in a relatively small space it is possible to plant a lot of seeds, which saves the soil. Moreover, the boxes are mobile and very convenient in transportation.
Boxes for seedlings can be made from a variety of materials and have different sizes.
You can buy ready-made containers of factory production or, if you wish, try to save some amount of money by making boxes for seedlings with your own hands from improvised materials.
The purchase of finished containers has its advantages, such as:
- time saving;
- diverse assortment with a wide selection of colors, shapes and sizes;
- all necessary accessories are included;
- materials tested on a large number of plants.
Of the minuses - the need for cash spending, especially if you need a lot of boxes for a large number of seedlings.
If you decide to make the container yourself, the first thing you need to decide on the material and dimensions. Widely distributed boxes:
- from wood;
- plastic;
- paper;
- tin;
- foil cardboard.
Each material has advantages and disadvantages, differs in operational properties and scope.
Before constructing boxes for seedlings with your own hands, the dimensions must be clearly defined. In most cases, the transverse dimension is determined by the width of the window sill or other platform on which it is planned to place containers with seedlings. The best height of the box is from 6 to 8 cm. Most often, the boxes are rectangular in shape, but they are also square, with a side size of 45 cm.
Wooden crates
For the apartment, the wooden boxes are considered the most convenient. Moreover, wood is a natural and environmentally friendly material. But it should be remembered that before each use of the wooden box, it must be thoroughly sterilized in order to prevent the disease of sprouts.
It’s easy to build a box for seedlings with your own hands from a tree. Carpentry work does not require special skills. Starting to assemble containers, the following tool should be prepared:
- a saw or a jigsaw with a wood file;
- hammer or screwdriver;
- roulette.
Of the materials required:
- edged boards or slats;
- corners;
- loops;
- nails or screws;
- polyethylene film.
In order to collect wooden boxes for seedlings with your own hands, the following procedure is useful:
1. Cut the slats or boards of the desired length.
2. With the help of corners and hardware, a rectangular frame is assembled.
3. The construction and fastening of the bottom of the box. It is important not to forget to provide gaps between the boards to ensure drainage.
4. The hinged cover is fastened with hinges.
Having built a box for seedlings with your own hands, it is important not to forget to make a pallet of plywood sheet under it. The bottom of the box should be sheathed with polyethylene to prevent water leakage, but it is necessary to provide for drainage to remove excess moisture. Excess film is cut with a mounting knife or scissors.
However, wooden crates are not without drawbacks. Due to constant humidity, the tree swells, as a result of which the structure warps. In some cases, even rotting the box is possible, which is dangerous for seedlings. Therefore, wooden containers are recommended to be changed every few years.
Plastic Crates
The boxes made of polymeric materials are not bad in operation. They are free from the imperfections inherent in wood. Quite often they are divided into several sections. Plastic containers protect seedlings from temperature surges. In addition, such boxes are easy to clean and are not subject to deformation. But to build plastic boxes for seedlings with your own hands is difficult, it is better to buy ready-made ones of the right size.
You can convert household containers made of plastic into boxes for seedlings, but in this case, you will have to drill several drainage holes in the bottom to remove excess moisture. Otherwise, the root system of plants may begin to rot. The drainage holes should not be too big, but not too small, and they should be located quite often.
Seedling paper containers
In order to make a box for seedlings with your own hands, in addition to wood and plastic, paper and other improvised materials are widely used. The manufacturing cost is extremely low, which attracts many gardeners and gardeners.
Before proceeding to the process of assembling containers, you should prepare in advance all paper raw materials (newspapers, waste paper) and tools - scissors, adhesive tape, a plastic bottle.
The manufacturing sequence is as follows:
1. Newspapers are cut into strips so that their length exceeds the circumference of a plastic bottle.
2. The cut strip is wrapped around the bottle and attached with tape. Part of the newspaper will go to the bottom of the glass, which is also fixed with adhesive tape.
3. The resulting paper cup is separated from the bottle.
Foil paper containers
By making a box for seedlings with your own hands, you can use second-hand foil containers, such as, for example, juice bags. Due to the additional reflective layer, plants will receive more sunlight, sprouts will not have to stretch excessively. The container turns out to be quite compact and can fit even on narrow window sills.
When constructing a foil box for seedlings with your own hands, you need to stock up on a clean empty bag, which should be cut with an assembly knife or scissors.
The container made of thick foil cardboard is reusable.
The listed methods of self-manufacturing boxes are simple and effective. Nevertheless, if it is not possible to make a box for seedlings with your own hands the first time (the photo is in the article), then for an example you can look at finished products in gardening magazines.
Care for seedlings in boxes
Due to the fact that the seeds are planted in rows in boxes, after germination, it is necessary to thin out the seedlings and pick. You should start picking as soon as the seedlings begin to acquire the first leaves, otherwise the rapid growth of the root system will lead to the fact that the roots of the seedlings are intertwined into one big ball.