If you plant the seeds in each section of a cardboard egg carton, when the seeds germinate you can then just plant them directly into the soil, inside the egg carton, and it will biodegrade. Alternatively, plant the seeds in eggshells, stored in the egg cartons (to keep them upright), and once the seeds have germinated, the eggshell containing the seeds can then be planted directly into the ground. The eggshell will eventually degrade and feed the soil and the pant.
I‘m not convinced, if that is really healthy for you. I‘ve read in some DIY gardening books, that those cardboard boxes for fresh eggs are contaminated inside with bacteria or viruses from the chickens. Yes, they are specific for those animal races, otherwise the companies and supermarkets wouldn’t be allowed to use and sell them to us consumers. But once you put them into your garden, that’s another thing. Plus I don’t trust that the colours used in and on those cardboard egg boxes are really healthy. Hm, it‘s never easy to get all facts and in the end to make the right decisions. I decided long time ago to not use egg cardboard boxes and throw them in the official paper recycling bins of my town.
@@paulhorn24 I never had much luck planting seeds in egg boxes although I liked the idea of planting them out in the soil after germination. May be you are right re contamination during manufacture.
I use paper cups to start off seedlings. Our Church uses a great many, so they are free and just need a rinse out. As I sell seedlings for church funds, it is a symbiotic relationship. 😊
So a helpful and quicker tip. If you take card board boxes and cut them up into strips, you can create liner panels to make a more organized cel panel formation, just like a seedtray.
Everyone is so brilliant And creative. Love it. BTW the sheets are made with “hospital corners”. My English grandmother taught me as a child almost 70 years ago. I worked in hotels and was the “bed queen”. Surprised at how many ppl never learned this skill.
@user-tc2xh6wv3s Agree with you about brilliant & creative! As a side note, I also learned to make "hospital corners," when I was young. I grew up in the motel business that my parents owned, managed... Creating a hospital corner was part of daily room upkeep.
Thank you for all of this. I'm an old man - my wife died a few years ago - and am starting to try to grow my own food. I can now junk the plastic pots I've inherited.
I've also had success with cardboard boxes, the amazon ones, about 4" deep, covered with plastic from a compost bag and a few staples. I grew beetroot and lettuces in them last year. Lasted well over a year and cost zilch. They were outside. Only disadvantage is that once placed, you can't move them.
I literally just picked up some cardboard boxes now to have a go with. Excellent idea. I got mine free at the exit of the garden centre. Can’t wait to experiment with them. Thanks for sharing and watching my video.
I am planting my potatoes in 3 of the very large cardboard Amazon boxes lined with some cheap Dollar Tree landscaping fabric. It will be an interesting test!
@@Jimbo878 That is a great idea. I got some cardboard boxes from the garden centre for doing the same, just haven’t had time yet but garden centres are a great resource for free boxes. Thanks for watching.
@@JillBretherton another tip while I'm here 😊, a lot of people find them a nuisance and an eyesore but I harvest molehills 😎, it's the finest, richest soil you can get, and it's free 😁.
I've had plastic modules for over a decade. The secret is to wash them out after use, then store them out of sunlight, as that will stop UV degradation and fragility. But I also use square yoghurt pots, trays that produce such as mushrooms and tomatoes are sold in, and takeaway containers with their handy lids to seal to keep moisture in until germination.
Yes some pots do last but you are right, they do need to be kept out of sunlight. I just think recycle first, buy as a last resort. I do use plastics but only recycled ones. I never buy new plastic garden pots. Thanks for sharing, and watching.
I use the foil trays double decker-like with the bottom one to hold water, separated by rocks, or old plastic lids etc to allow for a little water reservoir. But I will now fold up and square the sides to make them more stable. Great ideas.
Using two of those trays with one containing the water below and the upper one with holes is a great idea and reminds me of the ready-to-go kits they sell in the garden shops and home depot stores or DIY stores for a lot of money. In the UK, I was told that Haxnicks is the company most known for these so called success kits with self-watering for seedlings.
We get a lot of sour cream and when the container is empty we just wash it out no soap just hot water. They are pint size. Very good for plants when transplanting from the seed start trays until you’re ready to plant in the garden
I *am* a starting gardener and am on the verge of sowing my very first flowers and plants, so thank you for this wonderful and inexpensive idea! Makes these first steps just a little bit easier and more affordable! I've immediately ordered some with my groceries (I'm home bound). Grateful greetings from the Netherlands
If you plant the seeds in each section of a cardboard egg carton, when the seeds germinate you can then just plant them directly into the soil, inside the egg carton, and it will biodegrade. Alternatively, plant the seeds in eggshells, stored in the egg cartons (to keep them upright), and once the seeds have germinated, the eggshell containing the seeds can then be planted directly into the ground. The eggshell will eventually degrade and feed the soil and the pant.
Hi, this is absolutely fantastic idea! Its just a coincident that I was about to buy couple of dozens plastic flower pots and I ditched the idea now :) Its not only saving money but definitely environment friendly! Thanks and keep up the work 🙏
Too late : there are now hundreds of billlions of plastic plant pots ( in gardens / in fields / in landfill / in rivers / in alleyways / in " recycle-me " skips at garden centres / in your bed-under it / in the sea / on Greek beaches )
I am not a gardener but I am glad l watched your video,my son is autistic and has ADHD and he grows his own plants in pots and l can’t tell you how annoyed l get when the weather is bad and I am chasing empty pots around the garden! I love your idea and hopefully my son will love your idea(!) Fingers crossed for my sake! 😂
Eggs containers are great too!! I put drainage holes underneath and use the lid as the tray. You can also cut the cardboard ones into separate pots then place them directly into the soil
I think I heard of it from my mom who was a nurse in the 70's. I swear she was the one who told me about them when she was making out beds before the days of duvets!
I agree. Why does something so simple and fundamental as growing plants from seed have to be expensive? It shouldn't be. Thanks for watching. Happy growing.
Great for anything that needs a long root run - legumes, including Sweet Peas: Allotment gardeners - this is how you deprive Field Mice from your seeds: simply start your peas & beans at home! Stand the tubes in a seed tray, close together 🙏🏻💔🙏🏽
Thanks for the tip Jill, I've seen other people use them but not demonstrated like you. I mostly use the fruit punnets as they fit well on narrow window sill as I don't have a greenhouse. Cat litter trays fit nicely on wider windows as drip trays.
I’ve been using them for years (mostly on the window ledge) but they bothered me because they were a bit flimsy. Then when I did my zinnias and needed more space I kind of redesigned them and they were suddenly transformed, hence the video.
Brilliant idea!!!!! You can actually get pans like this for free at our locally recycling center! I was going through my seeds and trying to figure out how to make it all work so your video provided a GREAT solution for me! Subscribed!!!
This is great I'm going to try this! Just as an FYI I also do this in the fridge and freezer when I need to put away tins and they don't quite fit on the shelf. I fold them up like that and they fit beautifully and like you say it actually makes them stronger!
This is a nice idea. I transplanted some cherry tomatos I was growing for a friend into those 3" upcycled pots. For transit, I put them in a medium version of these pans She was very happy they were in that pan and I'd already labeled each container Now that you've shown they can function as a seed starter tray, I'm going to try using it to experiment with the soil blocker we made. Thanks for this video 🎉
Stabilizing the corners is brilliant! That’s always the issue. I did invest in the heavy duty plastic cells and pots that are relatively indestructible. But they’re very pricey. And sometimes I’d rather bulk sow anyway. I’m incorporating this, for sure!
This year I saw the snail roll method and gave it a try. I planted 20-30 seeds of each veggie I wanted and I then put all 60 rolls into one tin basket. My seedlings are healthy and already getting planted out into my garden with massive roots and beautiful true leaves already. All in a space of 1' X 1' ..... I'll NEVER use any other method. Hope that helps someone.
@@jackiemadden4024 you take plastic bubble wrap and cut it into strips about 6" by how ever long and put soil on it then roll it up, tie it in place and plant your seeds on top then water from the bottom. I got so many more plants doing this and it took less seed starting mix and space to grow them. Plus the roots are massive. I've just started unrolling them this weekend and transplanting everything and I'm never doing it any other way than this. It's hard to impress me but this absolutely did.
It's a wonderful idea if you're concerned about micro-plastics, plus the metallic surface could reduce the risk of fungus, slugs etc. I re-use my plastic pots year after year just by soaking them in a solution of Jeyes fluid for half an hour. I might have a hard time using foil because of how easily it conducts heat and cold, but I suppose if I used carboard around them it would offer good insulation. Interesting video, thanks!
I also reuse plastic pots so as not to waste them. I just like keeping things as simple as possible and that was the primary reason for this technique. Thanks for watching. Happy gardening.
You can use toilet paper rolls, put all together in any tray filled in with garden soil and put the seeds, then direct to the garden. Because these are organic material.
I used to use toilet rolls for my sweet peas. I dorect sow them these days but that was how I used to always start them off. Another very useful resource. thanks for sharing.
Use your takeaway foil curry cartons. Also, recycle any plastic pots you may get from supermarkets - even if they're round. We should try to avoid buying food in plastic containers but it's tricky - almost everything comes that way.
Hey there! I absolutely love foraging for mushrooms, but unfortunately, I can never seem to grow enough for myself. As a workaround, I've started keeping the trays from the mushrooms I purchase at the store and using them to grow my own seedlings. It's a fun and sustainable solution that helps me indulge my hobby while also reducing waste.
Great idea! I'm going to use this for my seedlings. I kind of don't like to use plastic when growing vegetables. We are growing tomatoes cucumbers peas and watermelon this year. But also peonies roses and hydrangeas!
I LOVE this!!! I’ve got lots of the plastic ones in different sizes but I find them really annoying. I may give them away and use this method next year.
I do still use my plastic ones for transplanting (until they fall apart) but the seed starting trays are all aluminium from now on. I'm glad it helped. Happy sowing.
I use the plastic grape containers from Asda. Totally free and comes with holes in the bottom. I love grapes and consume at least one container per day.
Funnily enough I just washed one out and thought ah that would make a great container. 🤪once you get in the mindset you see ideas everywhere. Thanks for sharing.
Use old egg boxes, trays to line larger pots, before putting soil into pot. They decompose, insulate and help stop water evaporation. Also use aluminum and plastic trays from meat or food trays.
You can use toilet paper rolls. Cut about 4 evenly spaced 3/4 inch slits at the bottom, wet them, and fold up the flaps. Put on a flat surface so the flaps dry out and stay in the folded form when dry. Then you fill with seedling mix like you showed just by pouring it over the top and watering. If you flatten the toilet rolls and then use the crease formed the first time by putting the crease in the centre and flattening a second time you get the exact location where you make the bottom corner cuts for the ‘flaps’. This makes rectangle tubes you place side by side for your aluminum planting trays. When all watered you put a single seed in each one separately. When plant is large enough you tear the bottom flaps off and put them in your garden. The roots grow out the bottom and the paper decomposes into the soil. The worms love it. Easy peasy. - Sandra from Alberta, Canada.
I bought some cheap plastic growing sets which I use for some years now and they hold quite well. They even have transparent covers for moisture and temperature. For pots and some multipots I visit our cemetary and go through the bins especially in spring. There are more than enough pots from all the plants on the graves. And they hold for some years if you take the ones which are a bit stronger. Only the really big pots are more rare.
When you buy mince meat and other such items from the supermarket they come in plastic containers wash them out poke a few holes in the with a knife and you got free seed trays, I have been using them for years, when the break the go in my burning bit.
Faster or less work is to use an old or cheap soldering iron. Its hot tip melts small round holes in almost any plastic material. The size of the holes depends on how long you put the hot tip into the plastic. I used it for seedlings in transparent or blue (fruits, vegetables) or white plastic containers (yoghurt, etc.) from supermarkets and the like. And I used it with plastic boxes from Ikea and other vendors to construct worm compost bin. Oh, I forgot that I used the hot tip of a soldering iron to melt small holes in to large white plastic buckets for Ketchup or Mayonnaise or Mustard from Sausage stands, kebab snack shops or any other fast food or takeaway food sellers. I used those large food graded buckets to build Bokashi System.
Aluminium is one of the easiest recyclable materials, so as long as we are good at recycling when it's used and broken, most of the "new" aluminium we buy is actually recycled, and no mining is involved. In some areas recycling centres pay you for the aluminium you bring.
This looks great. I have gone and got my trays. I am a bit nervous about how to get the seedlings out of the tray and into the ground. i would love to see how you go about it. I would like to use this method with vegetables for my allotment. Thanks for info.
Yes we have plastic recycling too. The video is really about saving money.The mention of it being better for the environment is really just a bonus since i like the trays regardless of the other benefits. Thanks for sharing. Glad to know the world is recycling. x
Fabulous !! 7:30 . Thank you Thank you Thank you !!! Did i say Thank you? I’m always short on seed raising trays so I will be buying some of these asap!!
Thank you for watching. Yes I know when you want to grow loads of things but realise it could end up costing you a small fortune. I do think this is a great solution even if I do say so myself. I'm so glad it helped.
Just use milk bottles and meat trays from supermarket. Cut the bottles 1/4 or 1/3 bottom Poke holes and your all set to go. Raw meat trays do the same thing. Recycle reUSED. Am transplanting loads of my seedlings. Now.
Thanks for this video I used these containers very often this idea never comes to my mind it is so effective I am so happy for your inspiration I appreciate you very much
I use the rectangular plastic fruit cartons you have left over from fruit, ok it’s plastic but I’m not going out to buy anything extra for the purpose so it’s reusing something. Also aluminium takes a great deal of energy to produce so it’s one of the least environmental materials to use. What do you use for potting up the seedlings? I’m always running out of small plastic pots and don’t want to buy them, I do use yoghurt pots and cream cartons but would be interested in any other ideas.
I clocked your idea with the trays a few weeks ago & got some from the pound shop (cost more than yours) where are yours from? Love the idea with the sides & inserting the smaller ones. I just hope my kids don’t turn up thinking I’m cooking them food to take home, although they might get a cucumber seed 😂 also the aluminium keeps the soil warm, I’ve sewn a lot of marigolds in mine to use as companion planting for veggies, they’re doing so well 😉🫘 definitely buying a lot more later. Thanks again Jill 💞
Mine are from home bargains. They are more expensive in the supermarkets too. I think they’re quite cheap on Amazon if you buy in bulk. I have washed them after cooking with them if the food isn’t too messy so they really are multi use. re your kids, the smaller ones looked and felt like really yummy brownies when filled so definitely keep away from hungry kids 🤣🤣🤣
@@JillBretherton 😂😆 Thanks Jill, B&M have them too apparently, just off now. It’s opposite the garden flower market stall 😬😬 the only time i appreciate having a walking cane, I can’t carry much 😂 another great video lolove 💞
I use 2 liter soda bottles. Bought the whole case and took the holders they sit in. They will let you have them. Easy to move them around. Used them for years every year for tomatoes to start the seeds. Dont have to worry about how long it is to plant them outside bc they have plenty of root room. But why be upset over plastic when aluminum is just as bad in our bodies? 🤔
Huh I was thinking about buying those to hold and water my mish-mash of odd shaped starter cups. Concerned about how flimsy they were, stapling the folded corner would prob help too. Is tucking bed sheets the term you were looking for? Think some of the those are sold with a clear top, so humidity dome included!
Must be nice to have room for a greenhouse, let alone shelves too. The idea seems a good one though. Thanks. Pity you didn't let on where they are 69p for two though.
What an ingenious idea! Thank you! I’ve been reusing the individual seedlings cells which I always save from buying other seedlings & they’re starting to degrade after many years so this has appeared in my feed at just the right time. Just one question. I’ll be starting lettuce seeds in them for the very first time. Can you keep the lettuce in them up until ready to harvest or does the lettuce need to be transferred to a deeper pot?
I just use mushroom cartons and cartons which food comes in if I run out also I re use the plastic containers which bedding plants come in! Even milk containers- all free
it’s true. we are always so focused on having the right equipment but so many reusable household objects will do, which is in fact the essence of a cottage garden which i have. Thanks for sharing and watching.
Plastic is more sturdy, on the whole than aluminum. They also wash up better. Foil gets wholes or cracks more easily. Foil trays are flimsy. I have learned this by experience.
Not sure how big yours are, but I did a quick search for what I can find in my store. A two-pack of 9”x13” foil pans are 5.99 usd. That’s quite a bit more expensive even without knowing the exchange rate between our countries. I potted up some tomatoes and peppers this morning because I am going to a plant swap next weekend and don’t want to give away my good pots. Some of them went into used cold cups from Starbucks. I also like to save plastic containers from cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, yogurt, sour cream, applesauce, etc. It’s nice to have a variety of shapes and sizes.
Mine are pretty standard roasting tray size. About the size of a standard A4 envelope when folded as in the video. I’m in UK & these are made in UK so maybe that makes them cheaper but I have seen them way more expensive even over here. i would never buy them from a supermarket where there’s always a huge mark up. Try having a look on amazon.
Dont buy at your grocery store, they sell them at places like the 99 cent store, dollar general, (I forget the name of the place by me) check places like those.
Great idea. They’re called hospital corners… Also, if you add the clear plastic lid that many trays come with you can get a terrarium effect. Just a thought
Please help I have a 2 inch tomato plant. It has grown very tall with only 3 leaves at the top of the plant. Is that ok? Also I have a 20 inch pot and was wondering if I can tear of some cardboard and put it in the pot so I don't have to use so much soil.
Yes you can definitely use cardboard to bulk up inside the pot. I use old compost as well. Tomatoes do grow tall with leaves at the top in the first instance. At this time of year it's early days for your tomatoes. If the leaves are green and the stem is strong I'd say it's fine.
this is really cool but you can pretty much use anything that can hold liquid/solids. usually you have to cut drainage holes; cardboard boxes, cups of all types of materials, baking trays, old storage boxes you maybe throwing out, ice cream tubs, egg cartons, milk cartons, toilet roll, juce boxes even just plastic bags that you can use like a grow bag (when filled with compost they will stand up). The downside to all this is just how it looks, if you don't care about having cartons and bottles all around the garden then it's fine.
i have old pots and pans with herbs growing in them. I suppose the main point of the video is that you absolutely do not need to go out and spend a load of money just to get started.
@@JillBretherton yes I hope more people see it this way, the investments can put a lot of people off starting a garden.but work with what you have before you go out buying stuff is all I meant :)
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If you plant the seeds in each section of a cardboard egg carton, when the seeds germinate you can then just plant them directly into the soil, inside the egg carton, and it will biodegrade. Alternatively, plant the seeds in eggshells, stored in the egg cartons (to keep them upright), and once the seeds have germinated, the eggshell containing the seeds can then be planted directly into the ground. The eggshell will eventually degrade and feed the soil and the pant.
Great tip. Thanks for sharing.
Yes another great idea ,thank you. 😊
I‘m not convinced, if that is really healthy for you. I‘ve read in some DIY gardening books, that those cardboard boxes for fresh eggs are contaminated inside with bacteria or viruses from the chickens. Yes, they are specific for those animal races, otherwise the companies and supermarkets wouldn’t be allowed to use and sell them to us consumers. But once you put them into your garden, that’s another thing.
Plus I don’t trust that the colours used in and on those cardboard egg boxes are really healthy.
Hm, it‘s never easy to get all facts and in the end to make the right decisions. I decided long time ago to not use egg cardboard boxes and throw them in the official paper recycling bins of my town.
@@paulhorn24 that’s certainly interesting and worth thinking about especially with all this talk of bird flu. Thanks for sharing.
@@paulhorn24 I never had much luck planting seeds in egg boxes although I liked the idea of planting them out in the soil after germination. May be you are right re contamination during manufacture.
I use paper cups to start off seedlings.
Our Church uses a great many, so they are free and just need a rinse out.
As I sell seedlings for church funds, it is a symbiotic relationship. 😊
great idea
Thanks Jill. First time here with you. 🇦🇺 😊
So a helpful and quicker tip. If you take card board boxes and cut them up into strips, you can create liner panels to make a more organized cel panel formation, just like a seedtray.
Everyone is so brilliant
And creative. Love it. BTW the sheets are made with “hospital corners”. My English grandmother taught me as a child almost 70 years ago. I worked in hotels and was the “bed queen”. Surprised at how many ppl never learned this skill.
@user-tc2xh6wv3s
Agree with you about brilliant & creative!
As a side note, I also learned to make "hospital corners," when I was young. I grew up in the motel business that my parents owned, managed...
Creating a hospital corner was part of daily room upkeep.
Thank you for all of this. I'm an old man - my wife died a few years ago - and am starting to try to grow my own food. I can now junk the plastic pots I've inherited.
I've also had success with cardboard boxes, the amazon ones, about 4" deep, covered with plastic from a compost bag and a few staples. I grew beetroot and lettuces in them last year. Lasted well over a year and cost zilch. They were outside. Only disadvantage is that once placed, you can't move them.
I literally just picked up some cardboard boxes now to have a go with. Excellent idea. I got mine free at the exit of the garden centre. Can’t wait to experiment with them. Thanks for sharing and watching my video.
I am planting my potatoes in 3 of the very large cardboard Amazon boxes lined with some cheap Dollar Tree landscaping fabric. It will be an interesting test!
I've been wrapping painted shoe boxes I source from a local retailer with chicken wire, they last almost 3 seasons 😮
@@Jimbo878 That is a great idea. I got some cardboard boxes from the garden centre for doing the same, just haven’t had time yet but garden centres are a great resource for free boxes. Thanks for watching.
@@JillBretherton another tip while I'm here 😊, a lot of people find them a nuisance and an eyesore but I harvest molehills 😎, it's the finest, richest soil you can get, and it's free 😁.
I've had plastic modules for over a decade. The secret is to wash them out after use, then store them out of sunlight, as that will stop UV degradation and fragility. But I also use square yoghurt pots, trays that produce such as mushrooms and tomatoes are sold in, and takeaway containers with their handy lids to seal to keep moisture in until germination.
Yes some pots do last but you are right, they do need to be kept out of sunlight. I just think recycle first, buy as a last resort. I do use plastics but only recycled ones. I never buy new plastic garden pots. Thanks for sharing, and watching.
I use the foil trays double decker-like with the bottom one to hold water, separated by rocks, or old plastic lids etc to allow for a little water reservoir. But I will now fold up and square the sides to make them more stable. Great ideas.
Great idea and yes folding the corners definitely makes the more stable.
Using two of those trays with one containing the water below and the upper one with holes is a great idea and reminds me of the ready-to-go kits they sell in the garden shops and home depot stores or DIY stores for a lot of money.
In the UK, I was told that Haxnicks is the company most known for these so called success kits with self-watering for seedlings.
Do you not put drainage holes in the large ones ???
We get a lot of sour cream and when the container is empty we just wash it out no soap just hot water. They are pint size. Very good for plants when transplanting from the seed start trays until you’re ready to plant in the garden
Great idea. I should start saving our yoghurt pots. Thanks for watching
Jill, those pans accept heat really well from the heated seed mats! Awesome! Sandra from Alberta, Canada.
They are great for warming seeds. Conversely though they can hold the cold but on my heated seed bed they are perfect.
I *am* a starting gardener and am on the verge of sowing my very first flowers and plants, so thank you for this wonderful and inexpensive idea! Makes these first steps just a little bit easier and more affordable! I've immediately ordered some with my groceries (I'm home bound).
Grateful greetings from the Netherlands
That’s fantastic to hear. Happy sowing! and thanks for watching.
What a wonderful idea. So cheap. Wonderful! I’m always looking for inexpensive ways. Thank you from the USA👍😊
Thanks for watching & commenting from all the way over there. 🇬🇧🇺🇸😊
If you plant the seeds in each section of a cardboard egg carton, when the seeds germinate you can then just plant them directly into the soil, inside the egg carton, and it will biodegrade. Alternatively, plant the seeds in eggshells, stored in the egg cartons (to keep them upright), and once the seeds have germinated, the eggshell containing the seeds can then be planted directly into the ground. The eggshell will eventually degrade and feed the soil and the pant.
Timing is perfect, never thought about these, you are 👏 👏 brilliant, thank you so much😊
It's called mitering the sheet. We do it as nurses making beds in the hospitals.
Hi, this is absolutely fantastic idea! Its just a coincident that I was about to buy couple of dozens plastic flower pots and I ditched the idea now :) Its not only saving money but definitely environment friendly! Thanks and keep up the work 🙏
That’s great. Happy sowing! may your garden be brimming with flowers. 👍🌼🌻🌸
Bring recycling back ! Save the planet one tray at a time ! Thank you very much ❤
Yes! let’s do it. Thanks for watching.
@@JillBretherton Thanks for responding to your viewers. It means a lot.☑
Too late : there are now hundreds of billlions of plastic plant pots ( in gardens / in fields / in landfill / in rivers / in alleyways / in " recycle-me " skips at garden centres / in your bed-under it / in the sea / on Greek beaches )
I am not a gardener but I am glad l watched your video,my son is autistic and has ADHD and he grows his own plants in pots and l can’t tell you how annoyed l get when the weather is bad and I am chasing empty pots around the garden! I love your idea and hopefully my son will love your idea(!) Fingers crossed for my sake! 😂
So am I. Thank you ☺️
Eggs containers are great too!! I put drainage holes underneath and use the lid as the tray. You can also cut the cardboard ones into separate pots then place them directly into the soil
They are also eggscellent! Thanks for sharing.
The bed corner were called hospital corners. As a young student nurse in the early 70’s it was one of the first things we were taught how to do.
I think I heard of it from my mom who was a nurse in the 70's. I swear she was the one who told me about them when she was making out beds before the days of duvets!
You are making it so much harder.
Thanks. Learnt a practical way of starting seeds without spending a lot every planting time on seed trays!
I agree. Why does something so simple and fundamental as growing plants from seed have to be expensive? It shouldn't be. Thanks for watching. Happy growing.
Our foil trays over here in US have clear dome lids that come with the trays. Very nice for greenhouse effect. Love your idea.
Wow, that is a great bonus feature!
Now I know what to do with the containers and domes when we get takeout food!🥰🌸🇨🇦
so, we should buy stock in cheap roasting tins ... ready, set and go. great stuff Jill.
I use toilett roll cardboard center rolls...they disintegrate when put into earth soil... :)
I use this for my tomato seedlings 👍 also work fine for flower seeds 👍
I also use toilet paper rolls as well as paper towel rolls.
Great for anything that needs a long root run - legumes, including Sweet Peas:
Allotment gardeners - this is how you deprive Field Mice from your seeds: simply start your peas & beans at home!
Stand the tubes in a seed tray, close together
🙏🏻💔🙏🏽
@@Cristobels-Green-Boots I didn't know that about the mice, thanks
I can't believe I never thought of rolling them up and mitering the corners like that, you just freed up a bunch of space for me
I used them for about 2 years before I thought wait a minute... I am so glad I had that eureka moment.
Thanks for the tip Jill, I've seen other people use them but not demonstrated like you. I mostly use the fruit punnets as they fit well on narrow window sill as I don't have a greenhouse. Cat litter trays fit nicely on wider windows as drip trays.
I’ve been using them for years (mostly on the window ledge) but they bothered me because they were a bit flimsy. Then when I did my zinnias and needed more space I kind of redesigned them and they were suddenly transformed, hence the video.
Brilliant idea!!!!! You can actually get pans like this for free at our locally recycling center! I was going through my seeds and trying to figure out how to make it all work so your video provided a GREAT solution for me! Subscribed!!!
that’s fantastic. happy sowing!
This is great I'm going to try this! Just as an FYI I also do this in the fridge and freezer when I need to put away tins and they don't quite fit on the shelf. I fold them up like that and they fit beautifully and like you say it actually makes them stronger!
Great tip! Thanks for sharing!
This is a nice idea.
I transplanted some cherry tomatos I was growing for a friend into those 3" upcycled pots. For transit, I put them in a medium version of these pans
She was very happy they were in that pan and I'd already labeled each container
Now that you've shown they can function as a seed starter tray, I'm going to try using it to experiment with the soil blocker we made.
Thanks for this video 🎉
Perfect for seed blockers.
Stabilizing the corners is brilliant! That’s always the issue. I did invest in the heavy duty plastic cells and pots that are relatively indestructible. But they’re very pricey. And sometimes I’d rather bulk sow anyway. I’m incorporating this, for sure!
Great. I just sowed some seeds yesterday and reused the trays. They were as strong as when I made them.
Really an awesome idea. I love ❤️ it. Don’t have greenhouse, but can use in early spring in garage to start seeds.
I save all my takeaway trays and tubs.the plastic ones are great.
That's true, they are. I just live too far away to get takeaways these days so I didn't think of it. Now you've made me hungry. 🤣
I love my foil planting containers. Your hack of folding up and folding the corners is much appreciated!
yes I was using them for 2 years but they annoyed me how flimsy there were until i did the corners. it totally transformed them. Thanks for watching.
This year I saw the snail roll method and gave it a try. I planted 20-30 seeds of each veggie I wanted and I then put all 60 rolls into one tin basket. My seedlings are healthy and already getting planted out into my garden with massive roots and beautiful true leaves already. All in a space of 1' X 1' ..... I'll NEVER use any other method. Hope that helps someone.
What is the snail roll method never heard of it
@@jackiemadden4024 you take plastic bubble wrap and cut it into strips about 6" by how ever long and put soil on it then roll it up, tie it in place and plant your seeds on top then water from the bottom. I got so many more plants doing this and it took less seed starting mix and space to grow them. Plus the roots are massive. I've just started unrolling them this weekend and transplanting everything and I'm never doing it any other way than this. It's hard to impress me but this absolutely did.
@@JCC_1975 I’m finding this difficult to imagine.
@@socalmingtowatchandsuchawe4281 Then try it for yourself and see. Happy growing
I started my onions, leek and mint in these. Works great.
I love this idea! I'll use small ones for my windowsill where I keep my plants. I've heard a other ideas but haven't tried most of them. 😊
It's a wonderful idea if you're concerned about micro-plastics, plus the metallic surface could reduce the risk of fungus, slugs etc. I re-use my plastic pots year after year just by soaking them in a solution of Jeyes fluid for half an hour. I might have a hard time using foil because of how easily it conducts heat and cold, but I suppose if I used carboard around them it would offer good insulation. Interesting video, thanks!
I also reuse plastic pots so as not to waste them. I just like keeping things as simple as possible and that was the primary reason for this technique. Thanks for watching. Happy gardening.
Hospital corners. Is what you’re thinking of. And they still make beds like this. Thanks for the tips.
That’s the one. I can’t believe they still do it. Wow. Thanks for watching.
You can use toilet paper rolls, put all together in any tray filled in with garden soil and put the seeds, then direct to the garden. Because these are organic material.
I used to use toilet rolls for my sweet peas. I dorect sow them these days but that was how I used to always start them off. Another very useful resource. thanks for sharing.
Use your takeaway foil curry cartons. Also, recycle any plastic pots you may get from supermarkets - even if they're round. We should try to avoid buying food in plastic containers but it's tricky - almost everything comes that way.
I got a soil blocker that happens to perfectly fit side by side in a taco kit tray from Costco! Bonus, they have a humidity dome!
Great. I do like soil blockers but they are so expensive here in the UK!
Hey there! I absolutely love foraging for mushrooms, but unfortunately, I can never seem to grow enough for myself. As a workaround, I've started keeping the trays from the mushrooms I purchase at the store and using them to grow my own seedlings. It's a fun and sustainable solution that helps me indulge my hobby while also reducing waste.
A great idea. Thanks for sharing. I am going to try growing some myself this year. I really fancy having a go at shiitake. Watch this space....
Great vid for me, a beginner 😅 wow now I feel confident to try things without panic, thank you lots 🎉
great!👍
Looks like a great way to start my onions.
Aluminium can be recycled easily at the end of the life of the tray.
You're right, they are very environmentally friendly.
...except for the part where they come individually wrapped in plastic bags 🤦
Great idea! I'm going to use this for my seedlings. I kind of don't like to use plastic when growing vegetables. We are growing tomatoes cucumbers peas and watermelon this year. But also peonies roses and hydrangeas!
sounds great. I hope these trays help. Thanks for watching
Great idea thank you❣ I struggle with seed trays and lack of root space by the time seedlings are big enough to be planted out. Bless you
Me too. I’m glad this helps. Thanks for watching.
I LOVE this!!! I’ve got lots of the plastic ones in different sizes but I find them really annoying. I may give them away and use this method next year.
I do still use my plastic ones for transplanting (until they fall apart) but the seed starting trays are all aluminium from now on. I'm glad it helped. Happy sowing.
I use the plastic grape containers from Asda. Totally free and comes with holes in the bottom. I love grapes and consume at least one container per day.
Funnily enough I just washed one out and thought ah that would make a great container. 🤪once you get in the mindset you see ideas everywhere. Thanks for sharing.
This looks great. I'll give it a go when I repopulate my seed shelf.
Use old egg boxes, trays to line larger pots, before putting soil into pot. They decompose, insulate and help stop water evaporation. Also use aluminum and plastic trays from meat or food trays.
You can use toilet paper rolls. Cut about 4 evenly spaced 3/4 inch slits at the bottom, wet them, and fold up the flaps. Put on a flat surface so the flaps dry out and stay in the folded form when dry. Then you fill with seedling mix like you showed just by pouring it over the top and watering. If you flatten the toilet rolls and then use the crease formed the first time by putting the crease in the centre and flattening a second time you get the exact location where you make the bottom corner cuts for the ‘flaps’. This makes rectangle tubes you place side by side for your aluminum planting trays. When all watered you put a single seed in each one separately. When plant is large enough you tear the bottom flaps off and put them in your garden. The roots grow out the bottom and the paper decomposes into the soil. The worms love it. Easy peasy.
- Sandra from Alberta, Canada.
I have used them for sowing my sweet peas before. They are pretty handy.
That’s clever, square toilet roll tubes!
need a video of this
i need a video of this
I bought some cheap plastic growing sets which I use for some years now and they hold quite well. They even have transparent covers for moisture and temperature.
For pots and some multipots I visit our cemetary and go through the bins especially in spring. There are more than enough pots from all the plants on the graves. And they hold for some years if you take the ones which are a bit stronger. Only the really big pots are more rare.
I can't say I would have ever thought of that. At least they're not going in landfill. Thats'a great result in my view.
I have same roses tin I keep my seeds in 😊 this seems a really good idea ❤
When you buy mince meat and other such items from the supermarket they come in plastic containers wash them out poke a few holes in the with a knife and you got free seed trays, I have been using them for years, when the break the go in my burning bit.
Yes I have seen these used before. I mean as long as you're saving money, that's the main thing.
Faster or less work is to use an old or cheap soldering iron. Its hot tip melts small round holes in almost any plastic material. The size of the holes depends on how long you put the hot tip into the plastic.
I used it for seedlings in transparent or blue (fruits, vegetables) or white plastic containers (yoghurt, etc.) from supermarkets and the like.
And I used it with plastic boxes from Ikea and other vendors to construct worm compost bin.
Oh, I forgot that I used the hot tip of a soldering iron to melt small holes in to large white plastic buckets for Ketchup or Mayonnaise or Mustard from Sausage stands, kebab snack shops or any other fast food or takeaway food sellers. I used those large food graded buckets to build Bokashi System.
Thank you , I love this idea , who would have thought to use foil trays ? Yes, they are pretty,cheap to buy here in Australia 🇦🇺
i save up the trays mushrooms come in. toilet roll centres can be filled with compost for individual seeds etc
Aluminium is one of the easiest recyclable materials, so as long as we are good at recycling when it's used and broken, most of the "new" aluminium we buy is actually recycled, and no mining is involved. In some areas recycling centres pay you for the aluminium you bring.
Great information. Thank you.
This looks great. I have gone and got my trays. I am a bit nervous about how to get the seedlings out of the tray and into the ground. i would love to see how you go about it. I would like to use this method with vegetables for my allotment. Thanks for info.
I’m doing a follow up video showing how my plants are now so check it out. Hopefully be out tomorrow. Thanks for watching
Thanks for bringing up the waste of plastic (5) nursery pots. In the US plastic 5 can be recycled only in big cities.
Yes we have plastic recycling too. The video is really about saving money.The mention of it being better for the environment is really just a bonus since i like the trays regardless of the other benefits. Thanks for sharing. Glad to know the world is recycling. x
Great idea, thankyou, love avoiding plastic!
Oh my goodness, what a great idea! I'm going to do this too. Thank you for showing us x
Great! Thanks for watching.
Great idea! I've had some lasagna-sized ones in the cupboard for years now. Thanks!
The money I’ve wasted on rubbish cell trays that drive me mad. This is so much better. Thanks for sharing.
my pleasure . thanks for watching.
same here. they’re so handy!
Fabulous !! 7:30 . Thank you Thank you Thank you !!! Did i say Thank you? I’m always short on seed raising trays so I will be buying some of these asap!!
Thank you for watching. Yes I know when you want to grow loads of things but realise it could end up costing you a small fortune. I do think this is a great solution even if I do say so myself. I'm so glad it helped.
Watching from Japan.
Will head to the 100 yen shop and see if I can find those pans here. Thanks for taking the trouble to upload the video!👍
Great. Hello all the way over there. Love Japan! Beautiful landscape for growing in. Thanks for watching.
Just use milk bottles and meat trays from supermarket.
Cut the bottles 1/4 or 1/3 bottom
Poke holes and your all set to go.
Raw meat trays do the same thing.
Recycle reUSED.
Am transplanting loads of my seedlings. Now.
i use bottles a lot for sowing and as cloches but i do find them a bit fiddly.
Milk cartons might work better. Square and less plastic.
Thanks for this video I used these containers very often this idea never comes to my mind it is so effective I am so happy for your inspiration I appreciate you very much
I use the rectangular plastic fruit cartons you have left over from fruit, ok it’s plastic but I’m not going out to buy anything extra for the purpose so it’s reusing something. Also aluminium takes a great deal of energy to produce so it’s one of the least environmental materials to use. What do you use for potting up the seedlings? I’m always running out of small plastic pots and don’t want to buy them, I do use yoghurt pots and cream cartons but would be interested in any other ideas.
we buy a few ready meals a month, in aluminium trays, cook, wash, use as seed trays, also margerine tubs are super...........
Perfect 👍
I clocked your idea with the trays a few weeks ago & got some from the pound shop (cost more than yours) where are yours from? Love the idea with the sides & inserting the smaller ones. I just hope my kids don’t turn up thinking I’m cooking them food to take home, although they might get a cucumber seed 😂 also the aluminium keeps the soil warm, I’ve sewn a lot of marigolds in mine to use as companion planting for veggies, they’re doing so well 😉🫘 definitely buying a lot more later. Thanks again Jill 💞
Mine are from home bargains. They are more expensive in the supermarkets too. I think they’re quite cheap on Amazon if you buy in bulk. I have washed them after cooking with them if the food isn’t too messy so they really are multi use. re your kids, the smaller ones looked and felt like really yummy brownies when filled so definitely keep away from hungry kids 🤣🤣🤣
@@JillBretherton 😂😆 Thanks Jill, B&M have them too apparently, just off now. It’s opposite the garden flower market stall 😬😬 the only time i appreciate having a walking cane, I can’t carry much 😂 another great video lolove 💞
I have been using them for a long time :) I didn't even pay for them, they came from the food I ordered for a gathering :)
yes recycle! great.
Hallo i use plastic pots with seeds in the roots can grow deep and i use it for many years
I use 2 liter soda bottles. Bought the whole case and took the holders they sit in. They will let you have them. Easy to move them around. Used them for years every year for tomatoes to start the seeds. Dont have to worry about how long it is to plant them outside bc they have plenty of root room.
But why be upset over plastic when aluminum is just as bad in our bodies? 🤔
Thanks for sharing, those pots look classy, I've been looking for them
I love your channel, it is full of positiviry, you are uplifting 😊
Thank you so much. Glad you are enjoying my videos. ☺️
They are inspiring. My mobility has changed and I have made adaptions, you have helped, thank you.
@@clarefoskett9959 Sorry to hear about your mobility. I am so happy my videos are helping in some way.
Huh I was thinking about buying those to hold and water my mish-mash of odd shaped starter cups.
Concerned about how flimsy they were, stapling the folded corner would prob help too.
Is tucking bed sheets the term you were looking for?
Think some of the those are sold with a clear top, so humidity dome included!
I used those meat trays that you get when you buy meat from supermarkets…..or small cardboard boxes
So do I. They are great. I use them mostly for saucers to keep some moisture around pots.
Great idea with the foil trays.
Must be nice to have room for a greenhouse, let alone shelves too.
The idea seems a good one though. Thanks.
Pity you didn't let on where they are 69p for two though.
Do you know, I didn’t think I did have room. But one day I just wondered if i could squeeze it in to a space that was wasted.
If you buy wicker type containers first paint with exterior wood glue mixed with water. Repeat every year.
Absolutely love this brilliant idea. Thank you.💚👋🏻 from Melbourne, Australia.
Great! 🇦🇺🇬🇧
You can save all the old plastic food containers,ready meal style, theylast a couple of seasons
Excellent thank you. Home bargains it is then. I usually look for free plant pots people give away, but I like this idea more 😊
What an ingenious idea! Thank you! I’ve been reusing the individual seedlings cells which I always save from buying other seedlings & they’re starting to degrade after many years so this has appeared in my feed at just the right time. Just one question. I’ll be starting lettuce seeds in them for the very first time. Can you keep the lettuce in them up until ready to harvest or does the lettuce need to be transferred to a deeper pot?
I do. I use them as cut and come again trays, which means I only sow once and then grow until I harvest.
@@JillBretherton Awesome! Thank you. I’m definitely trying this now as I have bought some grow lights and winter is almost upon us in Perth. 🇦🇺
Brilliant! I am going to try this. Thank you.
Thank you so much for the useful detailed valuable information.
I just use mushroom cartons and cartons which food comes in if I run out also I re use the plastic containers which bedding plants come in! Even milk containers- all free
it’s true. we are always so focused on having the right equipment but so many reusable household objects will do, which is in fact the essence of a cottage garden which i have. Thanks for sharing and watching.
Simply brilliant
Plastic is more sturdy, on the whole than aluminum. They also wash up better. Foil gets wholes or cracks more easily. Foil trays are flimsy. I have learned this by experience.
Better for the environment too...win win
Started using aluminum trays this year too
they’re great!
Thanks.
I've been using these as bottom trays for years.
You certainly got me thinking now.....from Canada
Not sure how big yours are, but I did a quick search for what I can find in my store. A two-pack of 9”x13” foil pans are 5.99 usd. That’s quite a bit more expensive even without knowing the exchange rate between our countries.
I potted up some tomatoes and peppers this morning because I am going to a plant swap next weekend and don’t want to give away my good pots. Some of them went into used cold cups from Starbucks. I also like to save plastic containers from cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, yogurt, sour cream, applesauce, etc. It’s nice to have a variety of shapes and sizes.
Mine are pretty standard roasting tray size. About the size of a standard A4 envelope when folded as in the video. I’m in UK & these are made in UK so maybe that makes them cheaper but I have seen them way more expensive even over here. i would never buy them from a supermarket where there’s always a huge mark up. Try having a look on amazon.
Dont buy at your grocery store, they sell them at places like the 99 cent store, dollar general, (I forget the name of the place by me) check places like those.
Dollar Tree!!!
Great idea. They’re called hospital corners… Also, if you add the clear plastic lid that many trays come with you can get a terrarium effect. Just a thought
My mum was a nurse so it was driving me mad that I couldn’t remember. Thanks. 🤣
Yes, good tip! Also....you can use ice cream lolly sticks as plant labels!
@@fedelmiagriffiths4390 Yes. Good tip. I usually buy the bigger craft ones but I have run out at mo.
seems to me BRILLIANT !! idea
Brilliant! I’m going to go pick up some supplies today!!!! Ty!!!
Fantastic. Thanks for watching & happy sowing!
Nice idea, and space saving is a must when you've a small greenhouse.
Are there already holes in the bottom for drainage? 😊
Cool idea and space saving
Please help I have a 2 inch tomato plant. It has grown very tall with only 3 leaves at the top of the plant. Is that ok? Also I have a 20 inch pot and was wondering if I can tear of some cardboard and put it in the pot so I don't have to use so much soil.
Yes you can definitely use cardboard to bulk up inside the pot. I use old compost as well. Tomatoes do grow tall with leaves at the top in the first instance. At this time of year it's early days for your tomatoes. If the leaves are green and the stem is strong I'd say it's fine.
Plus you can throw them in your dishwasher when you're finished with them to get them all clean for the next round!
this is really cool but you can pretty much use anything that can hold liquid/solids. usually you have to cut drainage holes; cardboard boxes, cups of all types of materials, baking trays, old storage boxes you maybe throwing out, ice cream tubs, egg cartons, milk cartons, toilet roll, juce boxes even just plastic bags that you can use like a grow bag (when filled with compost they will stand up). The downside to all this is just how it looks, if you don't care about having cartons and bottles all around the garden then it's fine.
i have old pots and pans with herbs growing in them. I suppose the main point of the video is that you absolutely do not need to go out and spend a load of money just to get started.
@@JillBretherton yes I hope more people see it this way, the investments can put a lot of people off starting a garden.but work with what you have before you go out buying stuff is all I meant :)
@@kooltube100 exactly. Just as it was done in the old days. 👍
What size are they Jill ? Great informative video
By the time they're folded they're roughly 8 x 12 inches. i havn't measured them but at a rough guess. Thanks for watching.
Very smartly done
Thanks for commenting and thanks for watching.
Which shop do you buy them from it’s such a great idea
but what if you don’t have a greenhouse which I don’t
I get mine from home bargains. One of those cheapo stores. They tend to be quite a bit more expensive in supermarkets.