Growing containers and growing aids
Growing pots - an overview
There is a range of growing containers available for growing young plants. You can buy growing pots or make your own. Or you can dispense with pots altogether by using a potting press. With all growing containers, it is important that excess water can drain away and does not accumulate. Otherwise mold can develop.
Multi-pot plates or Quickpot growing plates
It's worth buying quick pot growing trays if you don't have much time or want to grow a lot of plants. Multi-pot trays are a good way of growing lots of plants easily and you can reuse them every year. However, they are made of plastic, which, unlike compostable pots, is not biodegradable.
Biodegradable growing pots and swelling tablets
However, there are also growing pots available that are biodegradable and that you can plant directly into the soil with your seedlings. These include growing pots made from coconut fibers and swelling tablets. However, when buying them, make sure that they do not contain peat.
Flower pots as growing containers
Normal plastic or clay flower pots are also suitable for growing young plants. However, you should clean them well beforehand so that no diseases are transmitted. You can sow several seeds at once in larger pots. However, you will then have to prick out your little plants as soon as they get too big and get in each other's way.
Growing pots - upcycling and DIY
It's not that difficult to make your own growing pots without much effort. You can use empty toilet paper rolls, egg cartons, egg shells, newspaper and empty plastic containers. You can find instructions in the article in the magazine. You can also place pots made from egg cartons, toilet paper and eggshells directly into the soil. This means less effort when pricking out.
Making growing pots with the soil pot press
However, you can do without pots altogether with a soil baler. You simply make your pots directly from potting compost. A base for your pots is the only thing you need apart from potting compost and the press.
Tools for your preculture
There are a number of aids that can make growing seedlings easier. For example, there are propagators that keep the temperature and humidity high for your seedlings. However, you should remove the cover at least once a day for 10 minutes. Heating mats are another way of keeping the temperature constant. Your little plants do not tolerate fluctuations well.
Growing rack and plant lamps
If you have a large number of vegetable plants and too little space on the windowsill, growing stations can be worthwhile. You can easily make these yourself with a simple shelf from a DIY store or furniture store and a few plant lamps. Plant lamps are particularly recommended if your plants don't get much light in your home. If there is too little light, your seedlings will grow thin and weak and often die later on.
What size pots do young plants need?
Different types of plants have different growing requirements. Deep-rooted plants need deep rather than wide pots, while shallow-rooted plants prefer wide rather than deep pots. And pumpkin plants need a rather large growing pot right from the start, as they do not like to be pricked out. So before you go out to buy propagation pots, you should find out how your plants develop roots.
Mold on growing pots or soil?
If conditions are too humid, there is too little air circulation, germination in the growing medium or on growing pots, mold can quickly develop. Once the mold is there, you should stop watering for a while and let the soil almost dry out. You can also spray the soil with a little horsetail decoction. This also helps to get rid of mold.
