Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi Weed,
The trays that I used to use were in operation for over 18 years commercially at least 4 times each year. I Still use them but only the odd one or two now. But they cost me over £4 each all those years ago! They are really great but probably more modules than you would ever need. The ones I have are 126,
216, 240 and 576 modules respectively. I used to sow 20 x 576 leeks at a sitting by hand!
JB.

But Johnboy....Like you, I am old enough to know that back in those days quality was the byword

"Made in Britain" actually meant something

I really don't mind paying for quality....when I can find it

I'm also interested in people who've had problems with toot trainers.

We've probably had ours 5 years or so and they get used several times a year. Whilst some are staring to deteriorate, none had split or broken at the hinge. Probably the most fragile part of mine has been the transparent lid (one of which now leaks if used as tray - solved wth sellotape).

This got me wondering if some plants fill the root space more quickly and exert more strain on them than others.
For those people who've had problems, was there any pattern to it (eg. were you growing swedes & left them too long )

In the meantime, I like the idea of re-using newspaper for pots, but have yet to try it. Like many of you, I've tried other containers. The expanding peat Jiffy pots often work well, but with actual peat pots, I often found the roots had trouble getting through and the sides became dry & hard. In the end, I found that (for me) Root trainers just "work". However I may sow fewer seeds than others, so don't have to buy hundreds.


Colin

With regard to using loo roll tubes, how do you seal the bottom of the tube?

I do not seal the bottom of the loo roll but put them in either mushroom containers, multi-bite sized bakery snack containers or butter type spred containers,this holds the water and contains the loo rolls in small enough numbers to sow small batches of seeds

Hi Brooklynodog,
I do exactly the same as Belinda and my loo rolls are squared and 40 fit into a standard seed tray. This fills the seed tray and I place them into the seed tray then fill with compost.
JB.

Ah ha! I do exactly the same JB, but I never thought of squaring them. I usually fit them in as tightly as possible and then pack around them with compost to stop them drying out too quickly, but that's a good tip, thanks

So obvious when you think about it too

I use one of the paperpot makers from organic gardening catalogue, you can get 20 pots in a standard seedtray and 10 in a smaller one. Once filled with compost with a little falling in between the pots they help keep each other damp.

I use them for parsnips, carrots, celery, celariac, fennel, beetroot, brassicas etc - any small seeds that will get lost on the plot and then plant the whole pot into the soil when they are ready to go out,

I have done this for years with success

Kate

Do you not find them rather short Kate? The tap root on my parsnips grew so fast last time I tried with loo roll insides that I'm using the inside of kitchen rolls this year.

Before anyone says it, yes I did plant them out when they were very small but a gossamer fine root was clean out the bottom of each tube.

Hi Chantel, no I haven't found that a problem, I tease the bottom of the paper pot open and 'plant' it in the ground and off they go. If they have really fine roots there I open up the side of the paper pot slightly to let them grow down.

Haven't tried it for carrots yet, they are the one thing I can't grow so am going to try them this year in the paperpots and also in 'normal' pots on the patio at home.

I stopped using toilet rolls for planting in fairly early on as they do dry out and are difficult to re-wet and then take ages to rot down in my soil, which is light and free-draining.

Kate

allotment kate, your pot maker must be considerably bigger than mine as i can 40 in a seed tray (8x5)

Best root trainer/plug plant device I have found is from Marshalls seeds, the windowsill plug planter only £15 very sturdy plastic and holds 49 seeds

I lost lots of Courgettes growing happily in Rootrainers. They started vanishing overnight until I discovered some very well fed slugs hiding between the plastic. Otherwise I found rootrainers were brilliant last year.