This comment section is outrageous! So let me clear up a few things. This is not about the best option, this is about money saving options. We have been doing this for several years with success. If you do not think that this will work for you scroll along. If you don’t like the size of the mesh that we filter our soil through, pick one that works for you. Soil contains bugs! If you start your seeds inside and you would like to use this option I recommend boiling water for the soil first. We use a greenhouse, which you can clearly see in the video. This is a wonderful money saving option for homesteaders who start seeds outside or in a greenhouse. If you’re going to take the time to leave a comment, you could at least read the other comments. If your soil is too compact this probably isn’t the option for you. If you start seeds inside, this probably isn’t the option for you. Please use common sense. Yes we use solo cups as pots. These cups have been used for three years and we can easily get another couple years out of them. I’ve tried soil blocking, which didn’t work for us and required us to pot up into pots anyway because we start our seeds so early. Because we use these cups we don’t have to pot up. The seedlings are started in the cups and planted directly into the garden when the time comes. We also sell our seedlings as well as donate them to the local food bank them being in these pots helps significantly. I’m aware the 60 second voice over isn’t perfect (fine mesh, “dirt”) I don’t see any of you posting content to help others 😒
@@TheSouthernLady777 absolutely we take ours to our local farmers market when we have extra produce that doesn’t fit in the garden. It also allows us to start things like pumpkins and tomatoes without having to a pot because they have enough room for root growth.
It seems like a good idea to me. People just like to complain. I like the solo cup idea and wish I would have thought of that BEFORE buying a huge box of pots. I plan on selling some plants at the farmer's market next year, which is why I ordered a big box of thin pots and a big box of hanging planters. I'm not sure if solo cups would be cheaper, but I am sure they would probably be sturdier than the pots I ended up ordering. I might try your soil idea for the plants I plan on keeping, but it wouldn't make sense for the plants I intend to sell, although I probably won't pay too much attention to which pots have which soil when I decide which ones to keep. Do you think it would be a good idea to mix the soil from the garden with potting soil if I end up using some soil from my garden or would it be better just to use the garden soil to fill a few pots completely and potting soil for the rest?
This is realistic gardening versus idealistic gardening. As a new gardener, I love it. Other creators are giving us "tips" and "tricks" that durastically INCREASE the cost of the harvest and keeping a garden, and it leaves me asking myself, "Do I really HAVE to do all these things for a successful harvest?" I dont need to be a perfect gardener, but I wanna be cost efficient if nothing else!
Thank you! Most of these solo cups are on their fourth year. We built our greenhouse ourselves with repurpose materials, same with our raised beds (except the 2 metal ones I was sent this year from a company). Yet we are able to harvest and preserve a good majority of our produce for the year. We make 95% of our own tomato products, pickles, potatoes, broccoli, corn, onions and so much more. Without spending a fortune. Sometimes it takes more work, especially weeding in our ground beds but it’s worth it to us.
Totally agree with you. I love your attitude and perspective. We need more people like you in this world. From one beginner gardener to another, thanks for this comment. Reminds me of the attitude I need too. ❤
Every year I use the same potting soil I just dump the used stuff in a large container/s and add worm castings and some slow release fertilizer, mix and works fine, no need to buy new soil every year
@@brianfitch5469 thank you for replying to my post and for sharing this information with everyone. I am going to give this a try. I do not like the idea of constantly trashing potting soil.
@@kellil8678 Even if you don't do all that you can always reuse potting soil with compost. It's organic material itself the potting soil will eventually break down into compost like material. You just mix it together to give new nutrients to it. My native soil is very sandy here on the gulf coast so I add a little bit of that to it.
Exactly, I've used the same potting soil like this for years. Since 2018. No disease issues. Think about it, you don't refill a raised bed year after year. It's all organic, as the level lowers I just add compost from my worm bin. And top with wood mulch!
i started a composting bin (one indoors no worms/ the other outdoors with worms) to try and keep my soil cost down. as an intermediate gardener, saving money by not buying soil is a must!!!
Contrary to the rude and snarky comments, this was actually informative for me as a beginner gardener looking to feed and nourish my small family with backyard food. I have a toddler that will be 2 in September. With the skyrocketing prices of produce(and seemingly everything else under the sun), this was very helpful. I appreciate your willingness to share on this platform, even though there’s people who disagree or tend to be bitter no matter what is said. I’m looking to provide fresh food on our table to feed our bodies well, but we don’t have extra money to do so. I will be following you from now on and I’m really happy that this video helped me find you. ❤
@@JuliaMoriah thank you, I really appreciate that. I also have 3 children and this helps us keep grocery costs down. I struggle to keep up posting here and post much more on Instagram if you’re interested. I hope to post here more regularly next year when my youngest is a little older.
I reuse my soil every year. I compost all of my kitchen scraps with leaves throughout the year. I add the compost, fertilizer, bone meal, and blood meal in the spring before I start planting anything. I also add one fresh bag of soil each year too.
Thank you and God bless you for going through the trouble of making these videos and sharing them. Someone said: ïf you don't want to go hungry, start planting". If we all plant and share, we would have made a better world for all to enjoy. God bless.
I have been buying bagged stuff and it gets expensive…. Always hear other gardeners say that the soil born diseases and bugs and all that can be bad for the seedlings but I start seeds right in my garden and some get eaten some die but most make it. So logically thinking wouldn’t it be about the same if I used my garden soil in pots/ cups or what ever container I use… so thank you for this idea. Just so it’s not too compacted I will probably add pearlite and just to be sure but that would save me on the other things I buy to make my potting soil.
@@clb50 it's best to add organic matter to your soil like compost,leaf mold, and other decomposing organic materials. The worms will come on there own.
I do this with potting soil, but for seed starting, I find that outside soil brings in too much life, including tiny critters like rolie polis that like to eat emerging seedlings. But definitely a great option for up-potting!
@@GreenLove1 which is exactly why I clearly state in several other comments that this is a great option for people seed starting outdoors or in a greenhouse…
This is great! I miss having a yard, vegetable gardening in an apartment is more expensive than just buying them-my pots lose dirt every time it rains too hard 😑
Yes, when growing in pots some soil does leach out over time. Have you tried making your own? Get a large pot and make compost in it (food scraps, paper, leaves, etc) Another thing I do is to put cardboard or paper over the drainage holes of the pots. The cardboard will eventually break down during the growing season. And it does still allow excess water to pass.
Totally! I got spider mites from the magnolias I bought to protect my tomatoes. Every single marigold has the leaves sucked dry despite my best efforts with been oil
@@RachelTsTimeNeem oil has never been great for me and it burns the plants if you use a lot. My favorite spray is just castille soap and water, normal dish soap with no scent or moisturizing additives works as well but, castille is organic and gentle on the plants especially a concern if it drips onto the soil.
I am on day one of starting my garden. I’ve been outside all day trying to figure out where will I get all the pots for my seedlings. When I saw the solo cups… I literally screamed!!! That is perfect. I wouldn’t have thought of that, but I will definitely be using solo cups. I am so grateful for the ideas and you are so right…. The purpose of gardening is to save money, and we all have to do what works for us.
Please be careful with plastic cups. I would recommend buying reusable seed trays #5 plastic if possible. #6 plastic leaches toxins into the soil. Also, I use a more fine mesh screen to filter soil. You want to ensure large particles do not hinder seed growth. Overall, thanks for sharing! Great thoughts!
Instead of ordering top soil you might consider ordering a load of compost. Top soil is better suited for growing grass on lawns. It's not particularly good for gardening.
Found solo cups fallover too often. I use soda containers with straight sides Used milk crates I fill with the soda containers, and I can handle it easily to water, simply dipping for a few minutes as needed Repourpous crates and containers Free 'Free. Both last many seasons are better than the solo cup that you bought, and they fall over, especially after seedings get over 8 inches, and I raise my seedings up to 27 inches tall Don't try letting solo cup seedings get over 12 inches it gets messy
What do you mean by "soda container"? Soda usually comes in aluminum cans or plastic bottles. I can't picture either of those being a good choice for growing seedlings.
I love this idea! I pot seedlings and when it’s time to transplant I keep any loose soil, mix with some vermiculite and native soil and I’m good for another round :)
I do the same. My germination rate might be a little lower but I just plant more seeds to make up for it. Seeds are far less expensive than potting soil.
Nice to see a real gardener. Most Ytubers will say “Start your seedlings with soil that has almost zero nutes” lmao. Yeah, mother nature only lets wild seedlings grow if they somehow find a spot on earth lacking more nutrients than it needs lol. They clearly haven’t spent enough time in nature.
Thank you. I do what i can to save some money as it adds up. Yes, I agree about boiling water to help sterilize the potential bug factor! Wishing you all good produce growing this year:)
This is an excellent idea! The soil you are using is much better for your starts, because of the nutrition and microbiology present. New subscriber here! Be well. - Colin
This is precisely how I approached it. Understanding the lower germination rate of seedlings and the risks of soil-borne diseases, sustainability should be a fundamental principle of gardening. Nowadays, people are heavily reliant on fertilizers-whatever they need, they simply purchase from stores. We’ve neglected the importance of nurturing the soil, focusing solely on the plants themselves. It’s crucial to utilize or recycle whatever materials you have around the house to reduce waste and lessen the burden on landfills. Thanks for sharing an excellent video. Ignore the hates.
This is exactly where I want to get to...over buying bags of soil from the big box stores and our nurseries only sell a truck load at a time. Unfortunately my beds are still sinking quite a bit each season and my cost doesn't quite get them filled without the introduction of more soil.
There's a little press device that makes blocks of soil to plant in. Like Jiffy peat pellets, but home-made. It's a good device. This is a good way to start older seeds that might not sprout as well. You can put the duds in the soil. Or, put the sprouts in solo cups to get bigger, with less cups. Or, sow directly.
@@sunrisefarm_on_the_hill I used the blocks for testing seeds that might be low germination, from being older. If you get 20% germination the good ones can be potted, the blanks are just soil.
I make my own jiffy type pots out of empty toilet paper rolls. Each roll can make two pots. Make 4 equal distant slits on one end and fold together to seal. Also in some cases I will "crock" the bottom with paper.
I haven't gardened since I was very young with my grandmother so please bear with me. We are in a MUST save money Period position. I am hoping to be able to use the ground/soil used when my grandma planted. It hasn't been Planted in about 8 though. Any suggestions? I guessed I'd get the huge shifter out to break the soil down (not big hunks) I'll be in a little 20 x 10 greenhouse. Suggestions for heading off weeds? If I'm worrying about I might as well stop now because they are everywhere. Glad I found your video
We use cardboard to help with weeds. If you’re able to use cardboard from your home and then add mulch on top (about 1-2 inches) it helps with weeds quite a bit. A lot of times you can call your town or local power line company and ask to be contacted when they clean up the trees around your area for free or discounted mulch. Just be careful you’re getting mulch from an area that isn’t sprayed with pesticides or it can effect your garden.
Beautiful, thanks for sharing, do you ever brew microbes benificals and mycorrhizae, I like using aquarium microbe plus, southern ag Fungicide and orc (liquid mycorrhizae) a little pinch in RO water of each with blackstrap molases, I find that takes a little pinch and turns Into ka-billions of friends
Be aware to NOT take this soil indoors... you might usher unwanted friends into your kingdom. But this is a great idea. Since I plant in containers, I have a choice of 'starter' soils. Great work.
So what I’m genuinely curious about is if you’re reusing the cups from previous seasons or are you buying new ones everytime? If you are reusing the same cups, are you sanitizing them? Only asking because I’m wondering how to sanitize my cups/seed starting trays to reuse them. I would assume boiling water but I would also assume that would Melt them so any insight is welcome lol
I do reuse cups in fact, I’m on the same few packs that I originally bought four years ago. If you buy the namebrand ones they hold up and last, it’s definitely worth a couple extra dollars. I have never sanitized my pots, trays or anything like that. I just rinse them out really well at the end of the season so when spring arrives, I can start planting. If I were to have an issue with some type of disease or pest, I would consider doing it. You definitely don’t need boiling water. I would just use a good quality Castile soap, and some warm water.
@sunrisefarm_on_the_hill I pretty much use same system. The plastic cups work great and it's the cheapest route I've found. Wife and I built a 10'×12' greenhouse about 7yrs ago and we love it. We are on the southern tip of Lake Michigan 5a-6a our last average frost is May 15 so greenhouse is great in spring and fall.
@sunrisefarm_on_the_hill I checked out the comment section and wow, common sense a little. Once my potting soil goes outside it does not come back in the house. I have indoor plants too that i don't want to cross-contaminate.
I can see another benefit to this would be no harsh transition for the seedling going into the soil, because the soil type would be the same. Instead of putting potting soil in your seed cup and then getting them used to that, and then putting them from there into the garden soil. Must be a little shock for the plant. Doing it your way there is no shock at all. So it would help them transition more painlessly. Good idea, thank you.
Kinda looks like morning glory seedlings growing in the cups. We have been composting in one of our gardens for about 8 years now, just burrying a lot of fruits , veggies, coffee grounds etc in our garden but now I don’t know if I should actually plant in it or not. It might be all compost by now???
@@Carol-e4x it’s most likely compost by now. The only seedlings in this video are my early season stuff (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower) because the greenhouse was still cool.
It only helps if it was originally potting soil, otherwise it will stay too wet and compacted if you originally had garden soil. You can reuse potting mix, it just has more chances of disease and fungi. That is what kill seedlings if you don't keep an eye on it. Soil itself is different than potting mix, you are just reusing potting mix.
That’s not true. Our beds have been a work in progress for many years with our own compost, bone meal, top soil and several other things. All with great nutrients that has aided in the success of our seedling. No it is not for everyone. But ours doesn’t hold too much moisture in fact it’s perfect for our warm greenhouse. Use your best judgement for your circumstances. This works for us, saves us money and we’ve never added store bought potting soil to our beds. Yes they have a higher chance of disease and fungi because our soil is living, which is what you want for a successful garden, if the soil is healthy there is no reason to worry.
Right! Most people's garden soil is too heavy to work this way, will get hard. And you shouldn't use potting soil to start seeds either! And most people's garden soil is frozen solid now, that's why we start inside. And bugs! Nice set up though!
@@Nancy-zk9dj my friend did this every year. She had built her own soil for years. She had zero problems with it. Educating yourself on soil structure is the best option for all and avoiding the commercial trap. People did not buy their soil for thousands of years. My mother never once bought soil.
@@letsgo7316 I can make a video but I just lay it over a wheelbarrow and shovel the soil on top and spread it around with my hands. I dump whatever doesn’t go through into a 5 gallon bucket and put it back into the compost pile.
This comment section is outrageous! So let me clear up a few things. This is not about the best option, this is about money saving options. We have been doing this for several years with success. If you do not think that this will work for you scroll along. If you don’t like the size of the mesh that we filter our soil through, pick one that works for you. Soil contains bugs! If you start your seeds inside and you would like to use this option I recommend boiling water for the soil first. We use a greenhouse, which you can clearly see in the video. This is a wonderful money saving option for homesteaders who start seeds outside or in a greenhouse. If you’re going to take the time to leave a comment, you could at least read the other comments. If your soil is too compact this probably isn’t the option for you. If you start seeds inside, this probably isn’t the option for you. Please use common sense. Yes we use solo cups as pots. These cups have been used for three years and we can easily get another couple years out of them. I’ve tried soil blocking, which didn’t work for us and required us to pot up into pots anyway because we start our seeds so early. Because we use these cups we don’t have to pot up. The seedlings are started in the cups and planted directly into the garden when the time comes. We also sell our seedlings as well as donate them to the local food bank them being in these pots helps significantly. I’m aware the 60 second voice over isn’t perfect (fine mesh, “dirt”) I don’t see any of you posting content to help others 😒
I use those cups too 😉... especially if you sell your seedlings!
@@TheSouthernLady777 absolutely we take ours to our local farmers market when we have extra produce that doesn’t fit in the garden. It also allows us to start things like pumpkins and tomatoes without having to a pot because they have enough room for root growth.
It's the internet, people are anonymous and everyone will complain about everything no matter what you do.
Jesus loves you & made a way for our sins to be forgiven, turn to Christ & repent for eternity in Heaven!!!
It seems like a good idea to me. People just like to complain. I like the solo cup idea and wish I would have thought of that BEFORE buying a huge box of pots. I plan on selling some plants at the farmer's market next year, which is why I ordered a big box of thin pots and a big box of hanging planters. I'm not sure if solo cups would be cheaper, but I am sure they would probably be sturdier than the pots I ended up ordering.
I might try your soil idea for the plants I plan on keeping, but it wouldn't make sense for the plants I intend to sell, although I probably won't pay too much attention to which pots have which soil when I decide which ones to keep. Do you think it would be a good idea to mix the soil from the garden with potting soil if I end up using some soil from my garden or would it be better just to use the garden soil to fill a few pots completely and potting soil for the rest?
This is realistic gardening versus idealistic gardening. As a new gardener, I love it. Other creators are giving us "tips" and "tricks" that durastically INCREASE the cost of the harvest and keeping a garden, and it leaves me asking myself, "Do I really HAVE to do all these things for a successful harvest?" I dont need to be a perfect gardener, but I wanna be cost efficient if nothing else!
Thank you! Most of these solo cups are on their fourth year. We built our greenhouse ourselves with repurpose materials, same with our raised beds (except the 2 metal ones I was sent this year from a company). Yet we are able to harvest and preserve a good majority of our produce for the year. We make 95% of our own tomato products, pickles, potatoes, broccoli, corn, onions and so much more. Without spending a fortune. Sometimes it takes more work, especially weeding in our ground beds but it’s worth it to us.
well said - some must be on commission!
Totally agree with you. I love your attitude and perspective. We need more people like you in this world. From one beginner gardener to another, thanks for this comment. Reminds me of the attitude I need too. ❤
Great idea! It's actually a great idea because your seedlings now are used to the soil that they're about to be transplanted into
Every year I use the same potting soil I just dump the used stuff in a large container/s and add worm castings and some slow release fertilizer, mix and works fine, no need to buy new soil every year
Have you had any problems with pest, fungus, or disease using your method?
@@brianfitch5469 thank you for replying to my post and for sharing this information with everyone. I am going to give this a try. I do not like the idea of constantly trashing potting soil.
@@kellil8678 Even if you don't do all that you can always reuse potting soil with compost. It's organic material itself the potting soil will eventually break down into compost like material. You just mix it together to give new nutrients to it. My native soil is very sandy here on the gulf coast so I add a little bit of that to it.
Exactly, I've used the same potting soil like this for years. Since 2018. No disease issues. Think about it, you don't refill a raised bed year after year. It's all organic, as the level lowers I just add compost from my worm bin. And top with wood mulch!
Yep!
I do this also, I added worm castings and perlite this year. Saving money this way 👍
I mixed my own potting soil, and I've been using it for years now. With proper reamendment, it just gets better and better. 💚
i started a composting bin (one indoors no worms/ the other outdoors with worms) to try and keep my soil cost down. as an intermediate gardener, saving money by not buying soil is a must!!!
@@KarnivorousKeyz I always say one of the easiest ways to start gardening is making your own compost pile!
Wow this isgood mentality!Buying dirt is insane.Thanks for sharing 😂❤you are a survivor! Must not waste.
Contrary to the rude and snarky comments, this was actually informative for me as a beginner gardener looking to feed and nourish my small family with backyard food. I have a toddler that will be 2 in September. With the skyrocketing prices of produce(and seemingly everything else under the sun), this was very helpful. I appreciate your willingness to share on this platform, even though there’s people who disagree or tend to be bitter no matter what is said. I’m looking to provide fresh food on our table to feed our bodies well, but we don’t have extra money to do so. I will be following you from now on and I’m really happy that this video helped me find you. ❤
@@JuliaMoriah thank you, I really appreciate that. I also have 3 children and this helps us keep grocery costs down. I struggle to keep up posting here and post much more on Instagram if you’re interested. I hope to post here more regularly next year when my youngest is a little older.
@@sunrisefarm_on_the_hill 🥰🥰🥰
I reuse my soil every year. I compost all of my kitchen scraps with leaves throughout the year. I add the compost, fertilizer, bone meal, and blood meal in the spring before I start planting anything. I also add one fresh bag of soil each year too.
Thank you so much for sharing. I am just starting out, so this has helped me!
💛🌻🌼🌻💛
Great idea. I've been doing this since 2020.😊
Thank you and God bless you for going through the trouble of making these videos and sharing them. Someone said: ïf you don't want to go hungry, start planting". If we all plant and share, we would have made a better world for all to enjoy. God bless.
❤❤❤Love it, thanks Love this! from Melbourne Australia
Cottage cheese containers work great and are durable.
The Ruth stout method gives soil that would match any bag soil ...this is such a great idea
I have a video about her method, it's saved on my list on YT😊
That's a really smart idea. Thank you!
I have been buying bagged stuff and it gets expensive…. Always hear other gardeners say that the soil born diseases and bugs and all that can be bad for the seedlings but I start seeds right in my garden and some get eaten some die but most make it. So logically thinking wouldn’t it be about the same if I used my garden soil in pots/ cups or what ever container I use… so thank you for this idea. Just so it’s not too compacted I will probably add pearlite and just to be sure but that would save me on the other things I buy to make my potting soil.
I used worms to transform my sandy soil to great rich soil alive!
Yes!! That’s another great option. Our compost that we add to our beds is full of all kinds of beneficial bugs, worm and microbes.
Can I ask how you did this? Did you buy worms?
@@clb50 it's best to add organic matter to your soil like compost,leaf mold, and other decomposing organic materials. The worms will come on there own.
I do this with potting soil, but for seed starting, I find that outside soil brings in too much life, including tiny critters like rolie polis that like to eat emerging seedlings. But definitely a great option for up-potting!
@@GreenLove1 which is exactly why I clearly state in several other comments that this is a great option for people seed starting outdoors or in a greenhouse…
This is great! I miss having a yard, vegetable gardening in an apartment is more expensive than just buying them-my pots lose dirt every time it rains too hard 😑
Yes, when growing in pots some soil does leach out over time. Have you tried making your own? Get a large pot and make compost in it (food scraps, paper, leaves, etc)
Another thing I do is to put cardboard or paper over the drainage holes of the pots. The cardboard will eventually break down during the growing season. And it does still allow excess water to pass.
I have gotten major bug infestation from store bought soil and a sure fire way to get pest is buying the big box store seedlings. Great video
I got those huge caterpillars on tomatoes only twice. both times I had bought compost from a landscaping company
Imagine, bugs in dirt lol. They are supposed to be there and most are beneficial to the soil. Gotta sterilize it if you want to bring it inside
Totally! I got spider mites from the magnolias I bought to protect my tomatoes. Every single marigold has the leaves sucked dry despite my best efforts with been oil
@@RachelTsTimeNeem oil has never been great for me and it burns the plants if you use a lot. My favorite spray is just castille soap and water, normal dish soap with no scent or moisturizing additives works as well but, castille is organic and gentle on the plants especially a concern if it drips onto the soil.
@@RachelTsTimebren oil ju§t might hVe freeiiiid 'em UPPpppp¤ 🌱💫🗣🗯💥👄💗💖👾👻🐒
🗣💫🐞🗯🪙🐞🐞
I am on day one of starting my garden. I’ve been outside all day trying to figure out where will I get all the pots for my seedlings. When I saw the solo cups… I literally screamed!!! That is perfect. I wouldn’t have thought of that, but I will definitely be using solo cups. I am so grateful for the ideas and you are so right…. The purpose of gardening is to save money, and we all have to do what works for us.
@@QueenArbed highly recommend the namebrand ones. We have used off brand ones before and they don’t last and crack easily.
I think it's a genius idea and set up. You just have to keep it nourished and healthy. Thanks for helping me and others.
Please be careful with plastic cups. I would recommend buying reusable seed trays #5 plastic if possible. #6 plastic leaches toxins into the soil. Also, I use a more fine mesh screen to filter soil. You want to ensure large particles do not hinder seed growth. Overall, thanks for sharing! Great thoughts!
I am about a year away from being able to do this with my soil, but I will absolutely do this when i can! Thanks
Thank you ! I appreciate what you are sharing . Bless!!
I’m in Florida and I order a truck load of top soil, and add amendments as I pot up, never had issues but a few weeds
Instead of ordering top soil you might consider ordering a load of compost. Top soil is better suited for growing grass on lawns. It's not particularly good for gardening.
Found solo cups fallover too often. I use soda containers with straight sides
Used milk crates I fill with the soda containers, and I can handle it easily to water, simply dipping for a few minutes as needed
Repourpous crates and containers Free 'Free. Both last many seasons are better than the solo cup that you bought, and they fall over, especially after seedings get over 8 inches, and I raise my seedings up to 27 inches tall Don't try letting solo cup seedings get over 12 inches it gets messy
What do you mean by "soda container"? Soda usually comes in aluminum cans or plastic bottles. I can't picture either of those being a good choice for growing seedlings.
Why have I not thought of this before? I'm always buying bags of potting mix. This will save heaps of $$
I also do this. For seedlings, pots, indoor plants. Great idea and definitely a money saver.
I love this idea! I pot seedlings and when it’s time to transplant I keep any loose soil, mix with some vermiculite and native soil and I’m good for another round :)
We are doing the same thing and it works wonders for us. Keep on growing 🌱
I do the same. My germination rate might be a little lower but I just plant more seeds to make up for it. Seeds are far less expensive than potting soil.
Nice to see a real gardener. Most Ytubers will say “Start your seedlings with soil that has almost zero nutes” lmao. Yeah, mother nature only lets wild seedlings grow if they somehow find a spot on earth lacking more nutrients than it needs lol. They clearly haven’t spent enough time in nature.
Thank you so much for sharing the video. I will start using same!
This is what I have moved to as well. I can do my seedlings in larger pots to begin with wothout buying expensive seed starting mix.
That's a great idea. I might do something like that for the greenhouse business, I'm going to start
Thank you. I do what i can to save some money as it adds up. Yes, I agree about boiling water to help sterilize the potential bug factor! Wishing you all good produce growing this year:)
Solo cups are awesome for starting seeds. I also start my plants using the same soil from my raised beds. Happy gardening!
Sooooo much wasted plastic. There are many better options.
@@samtucker5514 what is your favorite seed starting method? I would love your input friend.
@@GardeningwithDaveSeed blockers. The only plastic you'll need is the flat trays that you can reuse every year.
@@scholasticbookfair. thank you 🙏
@@samtucker5514 In the original post she described using the solo cups for 5 years or more. That does not sound like "so much wasted plastic" to me.
It is the money saving option. I do the same and it works for me too. I just add Peat Moss
You should try Gaia green to just amend the soil and introduce worms to aerate the soil, if you start a worm bin all winter you'll have alot
Our soil is well alive and full of healthy microbes and worms which do their job wonderfully.
I use tge same method. Yesss. It's a Game Changer. Thanks for sharing. New Subscriber here. Mrs. C 😊🌱
This is an excellent idea! The soil you are using is much better for your starts, because of the nutrition and microbiology present. New subscriber here! Be well. - Colin
Thanks for sharing!
Just have to watch for bugs if you have to bring them in the house I've done this lol 😬
Yes. We had to put up a few yellow sticky paper to get rid of the fungus gnats.
@@joniboulware1436 my grandma used to baked the soil
Aphid infestation took out my crop before I even started. It was super bad this year!
@@annebird9195 ugg so sorry
Check the bottom of the pots for slugs! And wash them out with fungicide. Don't forget to rinse
ive been eating my left over dirt for years. this is amazing
Same , I will never go back to the grocery store.
"Eating your left over dirt"? Yuck!
A bit gritty though?
Ive thought about getting a fiew egg laying chickens. Im told they make great fertilizer as a plus
Love it! I did this too my first year especially. I didn't know much at the time, so it was just "yard" lol😂... But it worked!
🌱🧡🥀🌸🦋🧑🏻🌾🌱🤗🦋🌸🥀🧡🌱
This is actually a very old technique in other parts of the world... your plants will do just fine😊
Thank you, they have been doing great
Nice, I would add some perlite just for better drainage.
Coarse vermiculite is good too.
🌹 Bless your channel
This is such a great idea. Thanks for sharing.🥰
I just figured this out as wel this year 💚💚💚
This is a Wonderful way of doing things; Thank You for Sharing this Great Information.🔥🔥🔥
Same way I've always done it. Not waisted my money buying something I have anyway and my compost and manure rich soil are way better.
Thank you, definitely going to do this ❤
This is precisely how I approached it. Understanding the lower germination rate of seedlings and the risks of soil-borne diseases, sustainability should be a fundamental principle of gardening. Nowadays, people are heavily reliant on fertilizers-whatever they need, they simply purchase from stores. We’ve neglected the importance of nurturing the soil, focusing solely on the plants themselves. It’s crucial to utilize or recycle whatever materials you have around the house to reduce waste and lessen the burden on landfills.
Thanks for sharing an excellent video. Ignore the hates.
Thanks for the advice . It is appreciated 😊
Glad to know someone does like I do with recycling my potting soil. Good deal
Good information.
Thank you!
I use bonemeal on trees. Makes them sprout to full grown instantly 🌲
Thanks! I'll try anything once,, twice if I like it!!
This is exactly where I want to get to...over buying bags of soil from the big box stores and our nurseries only sell a truck load at a time.
Unfortunately my beds are still sinking quite a bit each season and my cost doesn't quite get them filled without the introduction of more soil.
@@zappy7393 we’re lucky enough to be able to keep up with a pet large compost pile, that helps us refill our beds after sinking each year.
Much better than wood fiber compost that most people are buying in box stores
love it, I'm gonna start trying this next year
There's a little press device that makes blocks of soil to plant in. Like Jiffy peat pellets, but home-made. It's a good device.
This is a good way to start older seeds that might not sprout as well. You can put the duds in the soil. Or, put the sprouts in solo cups to get bigger, with less cups. Or, sow directly.
@@got2kittys yes we tried soil blocking however we start our seeds so early that they have to be potted up anyway. So it was kind of a waste of time.
@@sunrisefarm_on_the_hill I used the blocks for testing seeds that might be low germination, from being older. If you get 20% germination the good ones can be potted, the blanks are just soil.
@@sunrisefarm_on_the_hillseedlings that outgrow the blocks can be balled up with more soil. No plastic
I make my own jiffy type pots out of empty toilet paper rolls. Each roll can make two pots.
Make 4 equal distant slits on one end and fold together to seal. Also in some cases I will "crock" the bottom with paper.
SMART!!+ KUDOS
I haven't gardened since I was very young with my grandmother so please bear with me. We are in a MUST save money Period position. I am hoping to be able to use the ground/soil used when my grandma planted. It hasn't been Planted in about 8 though. Any suggestions? I guessed I'd get the huge shifter out to break the soil down (not big hunks) I'll be in a little 20 x 10 greenhouse. Suggestions for heading off weeds? If I'm worrying about I might as well stop now because they are everywhere. Glad I found your video
We use cardboard to help with weeds. If you’re able to use cardboard from your home and then add mulch on top (about 1-2 inches) it helps with weeds quite a bit. A lot of times you can call your town or local power line company and ask to be contacted when they clean up the trees around your area for free or discounted mulch. Just be careful you’re getting mulch from an area that isn’t sprayed with pesticides or it can effect your garden.
Research hot composting if you have time, that’s a great way to make rich compost with fast results and the high temperatures kill the weed seeds
Good for you! Next step is to start making soil blocks to get away from all that plastic
Beautiful, thanks for sharing, do you ever brew microbes benificals and mycorrhizae, I like using aquarium microbe plus, southern ag Fungicide and orc (liquid mycorrhizae) a little pinch in RO water of each with blackstrap molases, I find that takes a little pinch and turns Into ka-billions of friends
That’s really smart, thanks for the information!
That's smart. Have to try that
Your voice not only sounds like mine but I also have been Gardena for 3 years and I use solo cups too. Thank you for sharing!!😊
makes sense. people werent certainly buying potting soil 100 years ago.
Be aware to NOT take this soil indoors... you might usher unwanted friends into your kingdom. But this is a great idea.
Since I plant in containers, I have a choice of 'starter' soils. Great work.
Awesome -thanks 👍
Fantastic!
I love this idea
So what I’m genuinely curious about is if you’re reusing the cups from previous seasons or are you buying new ones everytime? If you are reusing the same cups, are you sanitizing them? Only asking because I’m wondering how to sanitize my cups/seed starting trays to reuse them. I would assume boiling water but I would also assume that would
Melt them so any insight is welcome lol
I do reuse cups in fact, I’m on the same few packs that I originally bought four years ago. If you buy the namebrand ones they hold up and last, it’s definitely worth a couple extra dollars. I have never sanitized my pots, trays or anything like that. I just rinse them out really well at the end of the season so when spring arrives, I can start planting. If I were to have an issue with some type of disease or pest, I would consider doing it. You definitely don’t need boiling water. I would just use a good quality Castile soap, and some warm water.
Smart, I love it
Great content
Had hard time growing anything in used soil until I learned to add blood meal, bone meal, urea etc
Yes, you definitely have to replenish the nutrients in your soil every six months to a year, especially if you plan on using it to start seeds.
@sunrisefarm_on_the_hill I pretty much use same system. The plastic cups work great and it's the cheapest route I've found. Wife and I built a 10'×12' greenhouse about 7yrs ago and we love it. We are on the southern tip of Lake Michigan 5a-6a our last average frost is May 15 so greenhouse is great in spring and fall.
@sunrisefarm_on_the_hill I checked out the comment section and wow, common sense a little. Once my potting soil goes outside it does not come back in the house. I have indoor plants too that i don't want to cross-contaminate.
I would strain finer and not have such large objects but other than that I do the same
I do it the same way. It works just fine. Idk why I would pay for literal dirt if I don't have to 😂
I will start trying this.
Good luck!
I can see another benefit to this would be no harsh transition for the seedling going into the soil, because the soil type would be the same. Instead of putting potting soil in your seed cup and then getting them used to that, and then putting them from there into the garden soil. Must be a little shock for the plant. Doing it your way there is no shock at all. So it would help them transition more painlessly. Good idea, thank you.
Sounds like me, 👍👍👍
I keep a backup flashlight on me also, when i'm walking around around the property at night.
Great work!
Kinda looks like morning glory seedlings growing in the cups. We have been composting in one of our gardens for about 8 years now, just burrying a lot of fruits , veggies, coffee grounds etc in our garden but now I don’t know if I should actually plant in it or not. It might be all compost by now???
@@Carol-e4x it’s most likely compost by now. The only seedlings in this video are my early season stuff (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower) because the greenhouse was still cool.
Love this!!!
Thank you! I appreciate you taking the time to interact with my content
It only helps if it was originally potting soil, otherwise it will stay too wet and compacted if you originally had garden soil. You can reuse potting mix, it just has more chances of disease and fungi. That is what kill seedlings if you don't keep an eye on it. Soil itself is different than potting mix, you are just reusing potting mix.
That’s not true. Our beds have been a work in progress for many years with our own compost, bone meal, top soil and several other things. All with great nutrients that has aided in the success of our seedling. No it is not for everyone. But ours doesn’t hold too much moisture in fact it’s perfect for our warm greenhouse. Use your best judgement for your circumstances. This works for us, saves us money and we’ve never added store bought potting soil to our beds. Yes they have a higher chance of disease and fungi because our soil is living, which is what you want for a successful garden, if the soil is healthy there is no reason to worry.
Right! Most people's garden soil is too heavy to work this way, will get hard. And you shouldn't use potting soil to start seeds either!
And most people's garden soil is frozen solid now, that's why we start inside. And bugs!
Nice set up though!
@@Nancy-zk9dj my friend did this every year. She had built her own soil for years. She had zero problems with it. Educating yourself on soil structure is the best option for all and avoiding the commercial trap. People did not buy their soil for thousands of years. My mother never once bought soil.
Have you ever tried the Styrofoam cups the seedlings love them for some reason and they hold up well
@@creativeflow952 I do have a floating styrofoam plug tray for our Aquaponic set up but I haven’t tried the cups.
People can start discussions about this all they want... if it works it works. Just try it with a small batch of every variety/crop
Brilliant, I'm in!
I do this too!!✌💖
Such a money saver, plus our seedlings get much more nutrients! 🙌🏻
Do you sterilize the dirt before potting it up? If not have you had any trouble with pest or fungus transfer from prior plantings?
@@jessicascott4846 I don’t, only because I have yet to have a problem. If I were to get any diseases or fungus I would sterilize before using.
Fascinating
Very clever. Ty
Will you demonstrate how you use that mesh?
@@letsgo7316 I can make a video but I just lay it over a wheelbarrow and shovel the soil on top and spread it around with my hands. I dump whatever doesn’t go through into a 5 gallon bucket and put it back into the compost pile.
Have you tried making terrariums? They sell pretty good