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Nashville, TN

OK - I'm terribly bored during school breaks! So I had a brain storm (during a 10 mile trail ride on my endurance horse **grin**)

After reading all your posts about the hazards of too-small peat moss containers.. and the hazards of disturbing the young root system by nocking a pot off of a GP transplant... I decided to try something new..

Take bottom half of a 2 liter bottle.. Line it with newspaper that's been soaked in flour and warm water.. Line it reasonably THICK... Then after the paper machete' dries and hardens fully - take it out of it's mold..

WA-LA - perfect sized, 100% biodegradable, pot - to plant my young GPs in and then transplant (pot and all) into the garden..

Waiting for the first batch to dry - then I'm going to 'Transplant' a pot w/ soil out in the garden - and see how long it takes the pot to fall apart.....

12/29/2005 2:48:12 PM

Pumpkintown, SC

The answer will be "too long"...IMHO! My question is, are you just looking to fill your time, or are you really looking for a very good way to transplant? Either answer is fine...but it may help the rest of decide on how to respond. BF
PS. If, "I'm terribly bored during school breaks!", I know a few good books on the subject that will help you out immensely.

12/29/2005 3:06:16 PM

Lake Elmo, Minnesota

There is another great method that is best of both worlds. I think Dwaine Gipe is the inventor. Use empty ice cream containers, I forget the size, but bigger than the Ben and Jerry's size. Cut out bottom. Place lid over the bottom. Fill with soil and germinate with your method of choice. When it's time to transplant, pull lid off the bottom and the whole root ball and seedling will gently slide out into the hole you've made in the garden. Easy as that. No damage to tender roots and no peat moss to break down.

12/29/2005 3:42:14 PM

Lake Elmo, Minnesota

P.S. can also make a slit down the side of ice cream container, then hold together with duct tape before planting seed. At time of transplanting, can tear off duct tape (with no damage to root ball) while it's in planting hole and gently pull it away from root ball.

12/29/2005 3:45:27 PM

Massillon, Ohio

to follow snake oil, i think your break must just be too long !! mine seems like it hasnt started yet and we're ready to go back

12/29/2005 4:18:47 PM

Norton, MA

EXACTLY! I have midterms to look forward to when I get back. I know my teachers are at home writing them now. AAAAAHHHHGGGGG!!!! Al Berard taught me a way that I think works better than the ice cream containers (they are Edy's by the way). They are to soft and squish accidentally sometimes, so he, and now I, do the same flip over, cut, and cap thing, but with the big kind of coffee cans. AleX Noel.

12/29/2005 5:30:44 PM

Garden State Pumpkins

The containers as described work great! If you try and keep the plant beyond the first true leaf they will be root bound. Turning the early root system will be detrimental to the tap root. AG's are highly aggressive I'm not sure if the largest fruit ever grown was done on the smallest root system ever...I'd rather go big with the container just in case the weather is against ya...and be able to hold it a couple of days? If ya got the room and space.

12/29/2005 7:42:31 PM

addison Il

No idea is a bad idea unless no one tries it each grower has his tricks or special ways and i congratulate you on your idea. Good job for thinking of something that could inprove this sport/hobby and even if peaple dont use the idea doesnt mean its a bad one. grow a big one next season!!

12/29/2005 8:01:13 PM

Tipp City, Ohio

Try taking a coffee can and wrap about two to three layers of newspaper. Put a little tape on the bottom and the side and fill with soil of your choice.

12/29/2005 8:37:43 PM

[email protected]

We use 10" diameter Sewer & Drain pipe that is 14" long. This is cut in half & reattached using a brass piano hinge on one side. The other side is held shut with duct tape. The bottom is covered with perforated plastic that is also taped on. Cheap, reusable, easy & have never failed to dislodge.

12/29/2005 9:05:06 PM

Whidbey Island

I take plastic pots, tape seran wrap over the top and cut out the bottom. The new plant grows up thru the old bottom and it is easy to put the pot into the hole & slip off the seran wrap. Then just lift the pot up and since the base of the pot is bigger than the top, it comes right off without damaging roots.

Also look at Joel Hollands latest video for his method, also very slick.

12/29/2005 10:56:31 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

I used a large soda/pop container that you'd get at a fast food place. I tipped it upside down, so the lid is on the bottom. I cut out the top(really the bottom) so the seedling grows out of this. To transplant, I just pull the lid off the bottom, and it slides right out.
I can't take credit for this, as I read about a top grower doing this. I'm pretty sure it was Jack Larue.

12/30/2005 1:01:55 AM

Syracuse, NY

i was gonna mention--whatever Joel does, so too should we!
i'd try to keep the seedling's leaves a lllllllllittle
higher to enable gentler placing of the weed block material and smoothing-off of the surrounding soil, though.
but when your plant-outs are as big as pointsettias,
you do whatever you want to! 'pal2

12/30/2005 1:09:34 AM

Billerica,Massachusetts

i use plastic gallon milk jugs, they are very easy to just cut away with a razor.

12/30/2005 7:52:43 AM

Nashville, TN

Wow!! So many creative ides!!

I may try a few different ones this year - and see which work the best for my conditions!!

thanks!!

(And yes, even ONE WEEK without a fast-paced, high-stress schedule - will drive this hyper-active Type-A, personality, absolutely bonkers!!! I've just taken down 10,000 christmas lights, made 37 gourd birdhouses - painting and hanging them today - been trailriding my Endurance horses at leat 10 miles each day, etc,etc..... I'm NUTS when I don't have a schedule - don't know WHAT I'll do when I eventually retire.***grin**.....)

12/30/2005 9:17:42 AM

Utah

5 quart plastic Ice cream bucket ... upside down with the original lid as the removable bottom. and a hole cut in the new top.
... been doing this for a few years now.

12/30/2005 11:47:28 AM

Montoursville, PA

Gordon's five quart ice cream bucket is even better than my one gallon paper ice cream container turned into a starting pot. There is one problem. The larger pot one gets with the seed pot the more basic strength and agility one must have, to safely set it into the planting hole. Some, of we oldsters, may not have the strength and ability, to handle the larger seed starting pot. Have tried the five quart bucket and like it a lot. I just have a bit of difficulty with the extra weight.

The gallon pot is no longer a gallon, in our area, but it is still a nice size, to work with. I have had good results through the second set, of true leaves. Much later than that this size, of starting pot is begining, to get pot bound.

12/30/2005 3:22:23 PM

Ontario, Canada.

Simply, You must remove all impediments to root growth at planting time. Within 7 days of emergence those white appendages will reach the bottom and start to turn. I have no doubt that the pot materials and bottom paper will restrict the roots in a few days.

12/30/2005 5:38:05 PM