Use red round solo cups for the soil. Use the square bottom red solo cups for the bottom cup. When you insert the top cup into the bottom square cup it automatically gives you about a 1/2”space at the bottom instead of using marbles or stones😎
I always like to see how the roots are doing, but, having used this exact method (ie. Double solo) last year, I can assure you that you’ll soon be able to see the roots poking through the holes you made in the inner cup. The skill is in removing the plant from the inner cup, for final planting out, without damaging too many of those roots as you tug them out through the holes. Great video, thank you, whetted my appetite for this year’s sowing; btw we got so many tomatoes last year, over 1200 from 10 plants, that we’re still using the ones we froze 😂🍾❤️
Excellent tips! I've never seen anyone using the two cup method and I'm looking forward to trying it. I have a tip that's worked great for me over the years. I used to grow hundreds of tomato seedlings for friend's high tunnel. I read about a tip that I've been using for years now - once I've planted my seeds inside to get a jump start on the season, I liberally sprinkle cinnamon onto the top of the soil . The cinnamon is naturally anti-fungal, and I've never had a single seedling experience damping-off since doing this. I've probably grown more than 1000 tomato seedlings this way. I always water from below (with a seedling insert within a 1020 solid base tray) never disturbing the cinnamon-coated surface soil. I buy the big bulk-size cinnamon in the spice aisle.
The cinnamon has natural antifungal properties as well as a natural rooting compound also, it is probably why it works so well, I'll have to give this a go, getting ready to do seed's this week.
I found the double cup method arduous and time consuming for watering. now I use the single inside cup and use a larger container under them that can hold half a dozen cups or more. You can still water from bottom, but easier. Has worked for me the past two growing seasons.
I do similar thing using single hole puncher to punch 4 holes at the bottom, pre-damp soil in a bucket with water, then fill up the cups to the top, push in a seed or two, set all cups in a tray, place under grow lights, leave all uncovered (no heating mats or covers needed) for 3 days. When the top soil is dry (it will have lighter color), pour water into tray, leave it for half hour or until the top soil changes color. Pour out excess water from trays. Fertilize only after 2 leaves start growing. I don't repot. Just water more often as plants grow.
@@Seriouslydavealthough I appreciate why you’ve said that it’s not really, as that method involves the roots leaving the seedling container and growing into the reservoir as the water levels fall. Hoocho does good videos on this.
This is a great technique. Going to try it with peppers as well. I like how you didn't sanitize your video. When you needed to fix something you just fixed it for all to see. 🙂
Yes, I was thinking the same thing. I wonder how this method will work for my peppers. Do you know if the peppers will reroot like tomatoes do if planted deep ? Thx
I found that peppers are perrenial! If you take them into a greenhouse maybe a small hoop, depending on your location in the Fall, you can have much larger fruit the next year. I'm hoping this works for me.
I've been using the solo cup method BUT this is the first time I've seen starting them with just a little soil in the bottom then adding soil! love it! thanks!
I purshased my red solo cups right after Christmas the prices drop plus I keep the the old ones easy to reused. I start all my fruits; vegetables & flowers in these cups .❤❤❤❤
Yup! Ive taken the double cup method one step further...and use a peat cup similar size inside of the sole cup..Cut the bottom off the peat cup and when ready for planting, pop the peat cup right in the ground or upsized container..works for me.
Love the tip about drilling holes in a bunch of cups at once! Agree with some others, the music is distracting as I have a hard time filtering it out and focusing on the words. Glad it had subtitles ! Otherwise, this is an excellent video and will change how I grow my tomato plants this year. Thanks! PS - Excellent tip about the vermiculite on the top to help prevent damp off!!!
I rarely have had a damp off issue since I began making a weak black tea infusion for watering the tomatoes for the first couple of weeks. My guess would be that the tannins in the tea acts as a natural fungus inhibitor, stopping the fungus from getting a toehold in the soil.
I love this system. I add one more hole, in the "bottom" cup, I add an extra hole to "limit" the level of water. So when the rain fills the cups is drains out the extra. When you "Overwater" the extra just drains into the tray.
Great idea. For anyone who didn't understand what you meant, it's like an overflow hole maybe just above the level of the stone or whatever you have in the bottom. I'm going to use offcuts of 1" pvc pipe!
I've been using this method for a few years now, with *fabulous* results. I do use premium Veg & Herb Pro-Mix potting soil as my medium, though. Not just for tomatoes, either - I start virtually *everything* that I don't direct sow into the garden this way. Thanks for the video - you've got a new subscriber! 👍
Straw bail garden bed, omg, this is so cool. This is something similar i was planning to do with my new raised garden bed this season. Ill fill it up with logs, branches, lots of last years leaves, of course ill add up some soil, but mostly it will contain grass, straw and leaves. Ill add some bacillus, trichoderma and hope that tomatoes and cuces will love their natural warm garden bed filled with beneficial bacteria
Great video! Last year I tried skipping the 2nd cup, and I kept that big tray that you have right now. Just fill the tray and it will automatically water everything. Thank you for sharing and happy gardening brother.
Try replacing the tray and plastic wrap cover with a translucent tote. All of the advantages, none of the disadvantages, and it acts as a mini greenhouse.
Thank you for sharing your experiences with gardening. I use solo cups for starting my tomatoes, too, and other plants. But, I only use one cup per planting. I will try the two-cup method. Keep bringing us your gardening experiences❤
It is faster to just use one cup and to water them all at once for sure. The advantage of the two cup method is that it leaves an air space between the plant and the bottom of the second cup to allow for better drainage.
Love this! I've been using the solo cups too with cannabis. Started using a disposable aluminum baking pan to hold solo cups and bottom water all at once. Gonna try the soil add with worm castings added to give them a little boost. Just separated a bunch of seedlings a few days ago.... I'll include this idea in coming videos. Excited to see how quickly the seedlings grow
I’m a Pro-Mix seed starter too. It’s what our local nurseries use and now they sell the large bags. A little pricy but the seed starting results are worth it. Can’t wait for March seed starting time. Zone 5
The seeking trays are used by businesses because commercial property is expensive to buy and taxes are high. They need to be as efficient with their space as possible. Home gardening allows you do what is best for you. Use all the space you can to make the process easier and more affordable. When I lived in FL, I used to use styrofoam cups for the insulation. (Yes, reused them.) I didn’t do double cups, but instead, put the drain hole an inch up the side reduce the need to water so often. I like your method!
This is clever. Thank you for sharing your method. Rather than the two-cups, I will likely just use one of my seedling trays to hold the plants, and water from the bottom that way. But that is just one way to do it. Yours seems to work quite well also.
Just stumbled upon your channel. It's not often that you find an actual short season grow youtuber. Though not zone 3.. I am 5 - 6a/b depending on which chart you look at. I would have never thought to use plastic wrap for humidity cover. THANKS from Spokane, WA
I've been using the red cups for many years,. starting them in shallow soil then building it up as the plants grow. I've been using single cups but put them in translucent totes which act both as a mini greenhouse, but also the water reservoir that your double cups provides.
If you use a square bottom party cup to plant the seedlings and a round bottom party cup it works great! The square will sit just about right in the round. Cut or drill the square bottom for the drainage holes. Have a happy day!😊
I recycle those rectangular juice bottles into self watering seed starters. Cut so the opening sits just above the bottom, and it actally snaps in place. Strip of an old towel for a wick. I like cutting weed barrier fabric as a "sling" under the dirt to lift it out later. Plant 3-? seeds, just thin out later. No repotting needed until they go out, and once they are underway I just have to remember to check them a couple of times a week.
Glad I found you because I struggle growing indeterminate tomatoes in my short season growing zone in Canada. Determinate tomatoes do great but my favourites are indeterminate and I try every year. Thank you.
What is going to happen next tripple cup method? I am a novice at tomato planting. I got me little tomato plants from grocery store, dug a hole and put some potting mix and watered. The results were good, plenty of tomatoes for my needs. Very basic and novice approach and got good results.
I help kill off soil gnats, fungus and weed seed by putting the moist planting mix in 1-gallon zip-lock brand FREEZER bags, leave a corner open . Lay bag flat and Microwave it 2 minutes, flip over, microwave another 2 minutes (should be steamy and warm now), flip and mwave 1-min, flip and mwave another 1minute, seal the zip,ock. As the steam collapses, the bag will appear to be 'vacuum packed', this way you can tell if it is still sanitized or not after storage.
Great tips! If I can give one back, use a pump sprayer or watering can when rehydrating hydrophobic old soil or peat. Have all of the soil in one container, preferably twice the volume of the soil and work the water in with your hands. This way you can squeeze test the soil until you reach correct moisure level. Wetting agent of some sorts does wonders for this too.
I did this last year with great success! We got sick and didn't get our tomatoes and peppers into the ground until about 6 weeks after they should have and they were all fine...we're in zone 7a.
The most simple and easy way to Grow tomatoes, is to put tomatoes of any variety on the ground in the fall and when weather is warm and right to grow the tomatoes will give you lots of plants! Cover in fall with few leaves like God gives for a cover to protect thru winter. You can do this also in early spring.
Love seeing this method used. I got some tips and tricks for ya in the original double Solo cup videos from a year ago. They will help you do even better. Murdock
I tried the method of potting in the solo cups and adding soil as the tomato grew. But my plants didn’t like it. Wasn’t too successful….yet it makes perfect sense. I wondered if the pots were just too big for the initial tiny plants. I hate the constant need to repot, but had more success with it. Maybe I’m doing something wrong which I can’t figure out. Nice to collaborate with a fellow Easterner in a short season and a low zone.
You can save a ton of time by just bottom watering into the 10/20 tray itself. No need for two cups, and instead of watering each plant individually, everything gets watered at once. I do it every year and it works fine. It takes a little "tuning" to figure out how much to fill the 10/20 tray, but basically to figure it out, you just add a 1/2" of water to the bottom at a time, once that water stops being absorbed into the cups, it'll start accumulating in the 10/20 tray. That's when you stop. I've never had a problem leaving a small amount of standing water in the 10/20 tray, it gets absorbed very quickly, within hours usually. If you add too much, just dump it out.
New Subscriber... why? Because you made a mistake (like I do), and you showed them. You kept it real!! I'll be seeding soon. Waiting winter months out is such a drag. Lol I do have an indoor hydroponics garden to keep fresh organic food on the table but I love the soil. Thank you for a very nice video.
I use the two cup method, too. But I plant in clear cups (with holes) and use undrilled colored cups under them. This way I can easily check the roots of each plant. I use this method for starting a lot of plants, as well as rooting plants from cuttings.
Great video 👍🏻 I take it a step further with the two cub/pot method, you could say, and cut the bottom out of the inner cup, and cut a slit up to about the middle of the cup. I make small drainage holes in the outside cup. As the seedlings grow and you top up the soil and remove branches, you can slide the inner cup up, giving you a much deeper pot to work with. I water from the top, just add some air circulation if gnats are an issue.
Thank you - I like the tip about the boiling water and fungus gnat prevention - last year was awful with the little beasts! Also appreciate the tomato method - I think it is time for me to experiment! Short season - well, last year no season - one long wet and wild session and looking for ways to combat all weathers!
This was a great video, partially because you made a few mistakes and fixed them easily, so it made me feel like I could do this too! I like your personality that shines through! Thank you for sharing!
This method is really good. We usually winter sow in the breezeway to get plants started. It is sunny there. Going to ise 2 liter pop juhs sp they cam grow longer there. Going to try a few tomatoes and peppers outside this year because they don't need hardened off.
To help with the wrap over the trays or cups you take a piece of Venetian blinds the length of wrap and tape the wrap to the blind piece. This will make it easier to work with and you can easily re-use them. It also helps hold wrap on top with that little extra wt.
Great idea! I use repurposed plastic though, not plastic wrap right off the roll, for environmental reasons. I also saw a tip that venetian blind slats (the thin metal type) could also be used to make tags to identify the plants.
I saw one where you cut a long strip out of an aluminum can. Use the inside (not the painted side) write with an ice pick or ball point that creases as you write. It will never wash off if its a dent. Fasten to a stick and jab the label into the dirt.
I think some gardeners just LOVE repotting plants & getting their hands in the soil. I have watched while they repot a new plant 4 or 5 times before it goes into the ground. BUT, everytime we repot, we run the risk of damaging the roots & losing the plant. Im going to start my seeds in double 18oz cups then repot 1 time into a 5gal growbag. One & Done. !
Glad I ran into this video, I live in Zone 3 in Minnesota, not many video for this far north. Getting ready to pot indoors. Years ago found a very big shelving unit at Home Depot, on clearance that can handle quite a few pots of different sizes. My plastic pots come with holes, I water the trays. That said, I need help for when they are ready to go outside.
Looks like you've got a winning plan! Inexpensive materials (especially if you can find used cups). Read comments and cinnamon looks like a good bet! Enjoyed your video - best wishes😂❤!!
Interesting! I've got my herbs in thicker-walled reusable solo-style cups from the dollar store, then tossed into a larger basin. Just dump water into the basin & they all soak it up from the bottom. Saves the time of dealing with individual cups.
I'm a breeder. It's easier to use a larger insert with a 1020 as the watering tray. I use a 32-cell insert that fits in the 1020. Each cell has a pot that is 2.5" x 2.5" x 3.5" tall. Common now. Check out Bootstrap Farmer. Much less space and easier to maneuver. Tomatoes are hardy once they get true leaves. You can leave them in a small pot till they are taller than 12"...and more. They won't root-bound in a detrimental way. You could literally cut all roots off and plant them in moist soil and they'll root again. That's extreme, but true only to point out that you can fiddle with the roots some at transplant, especially if buried deeply, and they'll bust out with growth. While in the tray, crammed together, they'll send roots down into the 1020 and suck water too. The critical part is having sanitized soil/mix. I microwave my mix until steaming. I use 1/3 peat, 1/3 coco, and 1/3 perlite. Absorbs and maintains moisture easily. Microwaving it kills disease and bugs. After, they get true leaves, use a very weak liquid fertilizer. My recommendation would be to spend a tad for the 1020 setup I mention and reuse year after year. No need to pot up and it's less space.
Your a great Gardner- this method I am trying. But. My but is the ease at which you tore off the plastic wrap. I may need a video on that, cause man, I really am not good at it.
I use the "free" gray cardboard egg cartons ! Great seed starters and by the time they get bigger, tear out each cup and plant in ground. Plus side, the cardboard breaks down !
Egg cartons would be great for starting seedlings but I think the plants would need potted up before they would be large enough for planting in the ground.
I make my own potting soil by letting red worms do it. Old manure, so it doesn't get hot, weeds before they go to seed, hay w/o weed seed, coffee grounds (worm aphrodisiac), forest soil for microbes. Layer it with some red worms out of old piles. Keep moist, not wet. Out of the sun. For winter cover with layers of plastic sheeting and hay between layers so worms won't go deep into the bare soil beneath. I used 3 layers. 30 below zero F.
I don't do any double cup. I use solo cups but only fill them 1/3 way up with soil and they go into old cookie sheets which I bottom water them through then I fill the cups with more soil as the plant grows. Yesterday 2/24 I planted my 2 foot tomatoes outside. I cover at night right now.
I had a nursery years ago. To soak peat moss 2 cu ft bags you punch a hole in it on top then fill the bag as full as you can with a water hose. Let it sit for a few hours or best til next day. It will soak up the water and is usable for potting. I suppose you could add water right to that bag and do the same. Just use less water.
I like the double-cups, but it is a lot of work keeping them watered. For many cups, I use an aluminum steam tray. If you wrap the steam tray with landscape fabric (double-wrap) and cut x-slots for the cups, then you can fit about 15 cups with holes and keep them all watered. The landscape fabric fights algae. For the double cups, you can also put a straw through a bottom hole (I cut a slot on the straw so it can reduce size to go through the hole) and a 1/4" funnel and squirt water in with a lab-type squeeze bottle. You can also just squirt into the side of the double-cups. A very versatile method! I use the straws and funnels with 6-cell trays, as well.
Use red round solo cups for the soil. Use the square bottom red solo cups for the bottom cup. When you insert the top cup into the bottom square cup it automatically gives you about a 1/2”space at the bottom instead of using marbles or stones😎
Yes, I saw that on a video recently. That's a good idea. Thanks for sharing.
What size cup do you use?
Thanks for the tip !
I use 16 oz cups
The bottom of my red solo round and square cups say 18.5 ounces😎
I like to use a clear cup for the inner cup. That way I can inspect the roots.
Oooooh! Now there's a good idea!
Ohh great idea!!
I always like to see how the roots are doing, but, having used this exact method (ie. Double solo) last year, I can assure you that you’ll soon be able to see the roots poking through the holes you made in the inner cup. The skill is in removing the plant from the inner cup, for final planting out, without damaging too many of those roots as you tug them out through the holes.
Great video, thank you, whetted my appetite for this year’s sowing; btw we got so many tomatoes last year, over 1200 from 10 plants, that we’re still using the ones we froze 😂🍾❤️
@@MikeFloutier This problem can also be solved. I simply use compostable coffee filters.
Smart!
Excellent tips! I've never seen anyone using the two cup method and I'm looking forward to trying it. I have a tip that's worked great for me over the years. I used to grow hundreds of tomato seedlings for friend's high tunnel. I read about a tip that I've been using for years now - once I've planted my seeds inside to get a jump start on the season, I liberally sprinkle cinnamon onto the top of the soil . The cinnamon is naturally anti-fungal, and I've never had a single seedling experience damping-off since doing this. I've probably grown more than 1000 tomato seedlings this way. I always water from below (with a seedling insert within a 1020 solid base tray) never disturbing the cinnamon-coated surface soil. I buy the big bulk-size cinnamon in the spice aisle.
Great tips. Tks
OOH! I'm going to try that. Thankyou!😊
Awesome tip going to do it 👍
The cinnamon has natural antifungal properties as well as a natural rooting compound also, it is probably why it works so well, I'll have to give this a go, getting ready to do seed's this week.
I found the double cup method arduous and time consuming for watering. now I use the single inside cup and use a larger container under them that can hold half a dozen cups or more. You can still water from bottom, but easier. Has worked for me the past two growing seasons.
Great idea as well!!
way easier this way virtually a kratky system.
That’s what I do too. Fill a tray with potting cups or containers and just use my plant water jug to put 1/4 inch of water at the bottom of tray
I do similar thing using single hole puncher to punch 4 holes at the bottom, pre-damp soil in a bucket with water, then fill up the cups to the top, push in a seed or two, set all cups in a tray, place under grow lights, leave all uncovered (no heating mats or covers needed) for 3 days. When the top soil is dry (it will have lighter color), pour water into tray, leave it for half hour or until the top soil changes color. Pour out excess water from trays.
Fertilize only after 2 leaves start growing.
I don't repot. Just water more often as plants grow.
@@Seriouslydavealthough I appreciate why you’ve said that it’s not really, as that method involves the roots leaving the seedling container and growing into the reservoir as the water levels fall. Hoocho does good videos on this.
This is a great technique. Going to try it with peppers as well. I like how you didn't sanitize your video. When you needed to fix something you just fixed it for all to see. 🙂
Yes, I was thinking the same thing. I wonder how this method will work for my peppers. Do you know if the peppers will reroot like tomatoes do if planted deep ? Thx
Peppers can be planted a little deeper than soil level but not to the extent of tomatoes. I think the cups are shallow enough. @@TheSeedsower107
No. Peppers do not like their stems to be buried. You can use the party cups but fill your cup to the brim with soil before planting.
@@shortseasongarden Thank you !
I found that peppers are perrenial! If you take them into a greenhouse maybe a small hoop, depending on your location in the Fall, you can have much larger fruit the next year. I'm hoping this works for me.
I've been using the solo cup method BUT this is the first time I've seen starting them with just a little soil in the bottom then adding soil! love it! thanks!
Glad to help
I purshased my red solo cups right after Christmas the prices drop plus I keep the the old ones easy to reused. I start all my fruits; vegetables & flowers in these cups .❤❤❤❤
Your impatience when watering made me smile as I'm the same way. Great video. Good tips.
I guess patience is not one of my virtues 🤣
I use clear plastic wine cups for humidity dome. they fit perfectly on the red cups
Its good to see the mistakes and how to do it better. I like the detail in your video. Im learning. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Yup! Ive taken the double cup method one step further...and use a peat cup similar size inside of the sole cup..Cut the bottom off the peat cup and when ready for planting, pop the peat cup right in the ground or upsized container..works for me.
Love the tip about drilling holes in a bunch of cups at once! Agree with some others, the music is distracting as I have a hard time filtering it out and focusing on the words. Glad it had subtitles ! Otherwise, this is an excellent video and will change how I grow my tomato plants this year. Thanks! PS - Excellent tip about the vermiculite on the top to help prevent damp off!!!
Agree with some others, the music is distracting
I've been using this Solo Cup system for years works beautifully. Northern Ontario zone 4.
@mammyoffgrid. Same here just no double cups. It's frigging snowing LOL
I rarely have had a damp off issue since I began making a weak black tea infusion for watering the tomatoes for the first couple of weeks. My guess would be that the tannins in the tea acts as a natural fungus inhibitor, stopping the fungus from getting a toehold in the soil.
New to gardening. If I get one tomato to grow I will be excited!
You can do it!
I love this system. I add one more hole, in the "bottom" cup, I add an extra hole to "limit" the level of water. So when the rain fills the cups is drains out the extra. When you "Overwater" the extra just drains into the tray.
Great idea. Tks
Thanks for the tip !
Great idea. For anyone who didn't understand what you meant, it's like an overflow hole maybe just above the level of the stone or whatever you have in the bottom. I'm going to use offcuts of 1" pvc pipe!
I've been using this method for a few years now, with *fabulous* results. I do use premium Veg & Herb Pro-Mix potting soil as my medium, though. Not just for tomatoes, either - I start virtually *everything* that I don't direct sow into the garden this way.
Thanks for the video - you've got a new subscriber! 👍
Thanks for sharing
After 3 years of failure I did this. They were beautiful tomato plants.
I used a soldering iron to melt the holes in the cups. Worked great. Thanks for the tips.
Yes, a soldering iron would work well. Might stick a little though. :)
@@shortseasongarden Surprisingly it did not. I love this double cup method.
Soldering irons zip right through easy in/out.
I use a soldering iron. The drill method seems quicker.
@@Cobizybone Just as an FYI. I did speed up that part of the video. 🤣 The soldering iron sounds like a great idea as well.
I used to use single use coffe cups. I like your planting them at the bottom first idea.
I enjoyed your video. Very thorough. I’m in no hurry so enjoyed how you showed each step. Thank you. Already have my cups so now I know what to do.
Glad it was helpful!
Straw bail garden bed, omg, this is so cool. This is something similar i was planning to do with my new raised garden bed this season. Ill fill it up with logs, branches, lots of last years leaves, of course ill add up some soil, but mostly it will contain grass, straw and leaves. Ill add some bacillus, trichoderma and hope that tomatoes and cuces will love their natural warm garden bed filled with beneficial bacteria
Great video! Last year I tried skipping the 2nd cup, and I kept that big tray that you have right now. Just fill the tray and it will automatically water everything. Thank you for sharing and happy gardening brother.
Oh and I find it easier to add your seed starting soil into a large paste tote (5 gallon bucket works fine too) then add water as desired.
Another good idea.
Try replacing the tray and plastic wrap cover with a translucent tote. All of the advantages, none of the disadvantages, and it acts as a mini greenhouse.
Brilliant. I’m getting it’s of ideas through these comments
@@canoedoctornumber one comment, excellent advice.
I will use 2 cups this year, too. Thanks for the tip on drilling holes through several cups at a time.
You are so welcome!
Thank you for sharing your experiences with gardening. I use solo cups for starting my tomatoes, too, and other plants. But, I only use one cup per planting. I will try the two-cup method. Keep bringing us your gardening experiences❤
It is faster to just use one cup and to water them all at once for sure. The advantage of the two cup method is that it leaves an air space between the plant and the bottom of the second cup to allow for better drainage.
Love this! I've been using the solo cups too with cannabis. Started using a disposable aluminum baking pan to hold solo cups and bottom water all at once. Gonna try the soil add with worm castings added to give them a little boost. Just separated a bunch of seedlings a few days ago.... I'll include this idea in coming videos. Excited to see how quickly the seedlings grow
I notice he has Promix. I love that starting mix!! I save any leftover to use for covering seeds sown directly in garden beds.
Great tip!
I’m a Pro-Mix seed starter too. It’s what our local nurseries use and now they sell the large bags. A little pricy but the seed starting results are worth it. Can’t wait for March seed starting time. Zone 5
Yes YES Canadian Gardening !!!!! I’m also in zone3 but recently move from AB to BC been gardening all my life .
Great work! Glad to see you sharing your expert knowledge with others.
Thank you
The seeking trays are used by businesses because commercial property is expensive to buy and taxes are high. They need to be as efficient with their space as possible.
Home gardening allows you do what is best for you. Use all the space you can to make the process easier and more affordable. When I lived in FL, I used to use styrofoam cups for the insulation. (Yes, reused them.) I didn’t do double cups, but instead, put the drain hole an inch up the side reduce the need to water so often.
I like your method!
Thank you
Great idea. Lots of strong roots before you set them out. Going to try it.
It does work well😄
Hellow. I'm also in eastern Canada. Those are some great tips.
Thank you
This is clever. Thank you for sharing your method. Rather than the two-cups, I will likely just use one of my seedling trays to hold the plants, and water from the bottom that way. But that is just one way to do it. Yours seems to work quite well also.
Just stumbled upon your channel. It's not often that you find an actual short season grow youtuber.
Though not zone 3.. I am 5 - 6a/b depending on which chart you look at.
I would have never thought to use plastic wrap for humidity cover.
THANKS from Spokane, WA
My first time growing tomatoes- thanks for your very informative video
Glad you enjoyed it
Ooooh I’ve been doing this for years and never thought to just start with a couple inches THANK YOUUU
Glad to help. 😃
I've been using the red cups for many years,. starting them in shallow soil then building it up as the plants grow. I've been using single cups but put them in translucent totes which act both as a mini greenhouse, but also the water reservoir that your double cups provides.
Great idea!
I do the tote method, too. Makes it easy to transport them outside to harden off!
Agree
If you use a square bottom party cup to plant the seedlings and a round bottom party cup it works great! The square will sit just about right in the round. Cut or drill the square bottom for the drainage holes. Have a happy day!😊
Thanks for the tip! Plan to do that this year. Also plan to use clear cup on the bottom instead of red so I can see when it needs water
Such a helpful video, thank you!
Thank you.
I recycle those rectangular juice bottles into self watering seed starters. Cut so the opening sits just above the bottom, and it actally snaps in place. Strip of an old towel for a wick. I like cutting weed barrier fabric as a "sling" under the dirt to lift it out later. Plant 3-? seeds, just thin out later. No repotting needed until they go out, and once they are underway I just have to remember to check them a couple of times a week.
This is genius ! I will be using this method this year. Thank you !
Glad I found you because I struggle growing indeterminate tomatoes in my short season growing zone in Canada. Determinate tomatoes do great but my favourites are indeterminate and I try every year. Thank you.
You can do it!😃
Excellent tomato potting solution. I love this!
Big game changer for me last year! Worked great!
What is going to happen next tripple cup method? I am a novice at tomato planting. I got me little tomato plants from grocery store, dug a hole and put some potting mix and watered. The results were good, plenty of tomatoes for my needs. Very basic and novice approach and got good results.
I help kill off soil gnats, fungus and weed seed by putting the moist planting mix in 1-gallon zip-lock brand FREEZER bags, leave a corner open . Lay bag flat and Microwave it 2 minutes, flip over, microwave another 2 minutes (should be steamy and warm now), flip and mwave 1-min, flip and mwave another 1minute, seal the zip,ock. As the steam collapses, the bag will appear to be 'vacuum packed', this way you can tell if it is still sanitized or not after storage.
Thanks for excellent presentation and information. I am in Zone 10a and we grow tomatoes year round. I love this double cup method. 👍🍅👍🍅👍🍅👍🍅
So nice of you
oh i never can bring myself to thin seedlings and always end up replanting and with tons of extra plants! lol. I wish i were as cold hearted as you!!
Sometimes a gardener has to be ruthless😂
Great tips! If I can give one back, use a pump sprayer or watering can when rehydrating hydrophobic old soil or peat. Have all of the soil in one container, preferably twice the volume of the soil and work the water in with your hands. This way you can squeeze test the soil until you reach correct moisure level. Wetting agent of some sorts does wonders for this too.
Awesome. Thanks. I’ve learned so much through comments on my videos😊
I did this last year with great success! We got sick and didn't get our tomatoes and peppers into the ground until about 6 weeks after they should have and they were all fine...we're in zone 7a.
The most simple and easy way to Grow tomatoes, is to put tomatoes of any variety on the ground in the fall and when weather is warm and right to grow the tomatoes will give you lots of plants! Cover in fall with few leaves like God gives for a cover to protect thru winter. You can do this also in early spring.
Love seeing this method used. I got some tips and tricks for ya in the original double Solo cup videos from a year ago. They will help you do even better.
Murdock
Thanks for the input. I did go back and watch your video and will make some adjustments to my method.🍅🪴😃
I tried the method of potting in the solo cups and adding soil as the tomato grew. But my plants didn’t like it. Wasn’t too successful….yet it makes perfect sense. I wondered if the pots were just too big for the initial tiny plants. I hate the constant need to repot, but had more success with it. Maybe I’m doing something wrong which I can’t figure out.
Nice to collaborate with a fellow Easterner in a short season and a low zone.
By all means try again. I did find it tricky in the beginning not to overwater and drown the seedlings.
I'm wondering if it was lack of lighting? Did you have them under grow lights? Or perhaps the seeds were too cold? Just trying to troubleshoot...🤔
@@nancythane4104the video does show him adding vermiculite, and also using grow lights.
You can save a ton of time by just bottom watering into the 10/20 tray itself. No need for two cups, and instead of watering each plant individually, everything gets watered at once. I do it every year and it works fine. It takes a little "tuning" to figure out how much to fill the 10/20 tray, but basically to figure it out, you just add a 1/2" of water to the bottom at a time, once that water stops being absorbed into the cups, it'll start accumulating in the 10/20 tray. That's when you stop. I've never had a problem leaving a small amount of standing water in the 10/20 tray, it gets absorbed very quickly, within hours usually. If you add too much, just dump it out.
Yes, the double-cup watering can be more time-consuming for sure. Thanks for the input.
You can also add the liquid fertilizer in that water every 2 weeks😎
The bottom of my red round and square solo cups say 18.5 ounces😎
Ok. Mine are 16 oz
New Subscriber... why? Because you made a mistake (like I do), and you showed them. You kept it real!!
I'll be seeding soon. Waiting winter months out is such a drag. Lol
I do have an indoor hydroponics garden to keep fresh organic food on the table but I love the soil.
Thank you for a very nice video.
Thanks for the sub!
I use the two cup method, too. But I plant in clear cups (with holes) and use undrilled colored cups under them. This way I can easily check the roots of each plant. I use this method for starting a lot of plants, as well as rooting plants from cuttings.
That's a great idea! Tks
Thank you. This will save me a lot of time and space.
Great video 👍🏻
I take it a step further with the two cub/pot method, you could say, and cut the bottom out of the inner cup, and cut a slit up to about the middle of the cup. I make small drainage holes in the outside cup. As the seedlings grow and you top up the soil and remove branches, you can slide the inner cup up, giving you a much deeper pot to work with.
I water from the top, just add some air circulation if gnats are an issue.
Thank you - I like the tip about the boiling water and fungus gnat prevention - last year was awful with the little beasts! Also appreciate the tomato method - I think it is time for me to experiment! Short season - well, last year no season - one long wet and wild session and looking for ways to combat all weathers!
Glad you got some tips. Wishing you better luck this year
This was a great video, partially because you made a few mistakes and fixed them easily, so it made me feel like I could do this too! I like your personality that shines through! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you😃
This method is just brilliant! I can't want to try it this year! Thank you ❤️
Have fun!
This method is really good. We usually winter sow in the breezeway to get plants started. It is sunny there. Going to ise 2 liter pop juhs sp they cam grow longer there. Going to try a few tomatoes and peppers outside this year because they don't need hardened off.
That's great!
To help with the wrap over the trays or cups you take a piece of Venetian blinds the length of wrap and tape the wrap to the blind piece. This will make it easier to work with and you can easily re-use them. It also helps hold wrap on top with that little extra wt.
Oh, I think I see what you mean. Using the slats as framework for the plastic wrap. Clever!😊
Great idea! I use repurposed plastic though, not plastic wrap right off the roll, for environmental reasons. I also saw a tip that venetian blind slats (the thin metal type) could also be used to make tags to identify the plants.
I saw one where you cut a long strip out of an aluminum can. Use the inside (not the painted side) write with an ice pick or ball point that creases as you write. It will never wash off if its a dent. Fasten to a stick and jab the label into the dirt.
Thankyou for sharing your experiences and knowledge
Your welcome
Congrats on this video going viral.🎆 Looking forward to more excellent videos
Thanks so much!!
I think some gardeners just LOVE repotting plants & getting their hands in the soil. I have watched
while they repot a new plant 4 or 5 times before it goes into the ground. BUT, everytime we repot, we
run the risk of damaging the roots & losing the plant. Im going to start my seeds in double 18oz cups
then repot 1 time into a 5gal growbag. One & Done.
!
I can certainly relate to the “getting the hands in the soil thing “. 😊
I use solo cups with bottom holes but put a bunch of them in an aluminum tray for quicker watering
Im up in southern interior of bc zone 4. Just found your channel and subscribed looking forward to getting more tips from you. Thanks!
I'm zone 5a in eastern Canada as well!
I tried last year with some success plan on it this year as well
I learned a lot from your video. Thank you Sir and I’m subscribing right now.
Welcome aboard!
With tomatoes...
Great idea to plant low and add soil as the plant grows. Helps form more roots
Yes it does!
Awesome idea, I'm sold! Thank you and GOD Bless!!!
Thank you
Glad I ran into this video, I live in Zone 3 in Minnesota, not many video for this far north. Getting ready to pot indoors. Years ago found a very big shelving unit at Home Depot, on clearance that can handle quite a few pots of different sizes. My plastic pots come with holes, I water the trays. That said, I need help for when they are ready to go outside.
Hardening off is the key, something that I didn’t really cover in the video.
Looks like you've got a winning plan! Inexpensive materials (especially if you can find used cups). Read comments and cinnamon looks like a good bet! Enjoyed your video - best wishes😂❤!!
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it
Interesting! I've got my herbs in thicker-walled reusable solo-style cups from the dollar store, then tossed into a larger basin. Just dump water into the basin & they all soak it up from the bottom. Saves the time of dealing with individual cups.
Great video! An amazing gardener and an even better grammar teacher!!😂
Thanks Wade😄
This is brilliant,going to do this this year
Thanks
I’m going to do this for my tomatoes this year! Thanks!
I like how you show your 'mistakes' , not just your perfect plants. I know I make plenty 🙂👍
Thanks 👍
Your tomato plants look nice and strong. I will try this method.
Let's get cooking.
Sounds great!
I use a lighter, quickly burn drain holes faster than the drill!!
Great video.
That's a good idea!
I use an odd old knitting needle over a candle. Necessity, etc. lol
I'm a breeder. It's easier to use a larger insert with a 1020 as the watering tray. I use a 32-cell insert that fits in the 1020. Each cell has a pot that is 2.5" x 2.5" x 3.5" tall. Common now. Check out Bootstrap Farmer. Much less space and easier to maneuver. Tomatoes are hardy once they get true leaves. You can leave them in a small pot till they are taller than 12"...and more. They won't root-bound in a detrimental way. You could literally cut all roots off and plant them in moist soil and they'll root again. That's extreme, but true only to point out that you can fiddle with the roots some at transplant, especially if buried deeply, and they'll bust out with growth. While in the tray, crammed together, they'll send roots down into the 1020 and suck water too. The critical part is having sanitized soil/mix. I microwave my mix until steaming. I use 1/3 peat, 1/3 coco, and 1/3 perlite. Absorbs and maintains moisture easily. Microwaving it kills disease and bugs. After, they get true leaves, use a very weak liquid fertilizer. My recommendation would be to spend a tad for the 1020 setup I mention and reuse year after year. No need to pot up and it's less space.
If you incorporate a wick into the system I mention, there's no need for a dome or to constantly water. It'll remain perfect.
Thank you for sharing Im going to try the double cup method 👍 🍅
You’re welcome 😊
Nice!!! I love the add more soil insyead of repotting❤
Me too!
Your a great Gardner- this method I am trying. But. My but is the ease at which you tore off the plastic wrap. I may need a video on that, cause man, I really am not good at it.
FYI. You can do a lot of editing and speeding up a video to make things look easier than they really are🤣
Wonderful idea and great video! Thank you!
Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it
I use the "free" gray cardboard egg cartons ! Great seed starters and by the time they get bigger, tear out each cup and plant in ground. Plus side, the cardboard breaks down !
Egg cartons would be great for starting seedlings but I think the plants would need potted up before they would be large enough for planting in the ground.
I make my own potting soil by letting red worms do it. Old manure, so it doesn't get hot, weeds before they go to seed, hay w/o weed seed, coffee grounds (worm aphrodisiac), forest soil for microbes. Layer it with some red worms out of old piles. Keep moist, not wet. Out of the sun. For winter cover with layers of plastic sheeting and hay between layers so worms won't go deep into the bare soil beneath. I used 3 layers. 30 below zero F.
I don't do any double cup. I use solo cups but only fill them 1/3 way up with soil and they go into old cookie sheets which I bottom water them through then I fill the cups with more soil as the plant grows. Yesterday 2/24 I planted my 2 foot tomatoes outside. I cover at night right now.
Good idea. Tks
I had a nursery years ago. To soak peat moss 2 cu ft bags you punch a hole in it on top then fill the bag as full as you can with a water hose. Let it sit for a few hours or best til next day. It will soak up the water and is usable for potting. I suppose you could add water right to that bag and do the same. Just use less water.
Good ideas. Tks
I used this method in 2023, had excellent results
Glad it worked for you
I'll try this method for Sunflower starts
This is very similar to what I do. I’m sharing this with my garden friends. Thank you!
Wonderful!
I like to heat a nail w/ a torch and melt the holes. At least 4 nested cups can be done at once.
I think I would just use a candle. But good idea.
I have seen where, if possible, to use a clear or near clear cup as the bottom cup so that you can more easily monitor the water level.
Thanks for this video! I've successfully grown in solo cups but will do this method in 2024.
Lazy gardening at its finest 😊
Thank you, I want to try this method.
Go for it!
Great video!! Thank you. Valuable information, I am going to do this!
Glad it was helpful!
I like the double-cups, but it is a lot of work keeping them watered. For many cups, I use an aluminum steam tray. If you wrap the steam tray with landscape fabric (double-wrap) and cut x-slots for the cups, then you can fit about 15 cups with holes and keep them all watered. The landscape fabric fights algae. For the double cups, you can also put a straw through a bottom hole (I cut a slot on the straw so it can reduce size to go through the hole) and a 1/4" funnel and squirt water in with a lab-type squeeze bottle. You can also just squirt into the side of the double-cups. A very versatile method! I use the straws and funnels with 6-cell trays, as well.
Great ideas. Tks