Is it okay to start seedlings in empty water bottle?

[NickMode]

The water bottles are long and skinny and i need to fit 35 seedlings under 1 light with 2 42" fluorescent tube lights.

I normally would just go with the red cup, but only about 25 would fit because they are wide at the mouth.

This is the water bottles im using. 1 pint. Im just going to cut off the top and fill with soil.

So what im asking is it doesnt matter if its growing in a water bottle thats long and skinny instead of like a red cup with its short and wider.
Also does it matter that the bottle is clear? it wont affect the roots in anyway right?

Thanks.


the bottles are just like the picture but w/o the little indent in the middle.

 

[DeoXy]

Light to roots is bad in any situation if I remember correctly, but also I've seen ppl reuse/recycle the craziest of items and use 'em successfully as grow containers... aslong as they don't contain any chems/by products from manufacturing that could leak into the soil you should be fine... can also tape/black out the bottom half to protect against light leak to the roots.

 

[NickMode]

Light to roots is bad in any situation if I remember correctly, but also I've seen ppl reuse/recycle the craziest of items and use 'em successfully as grow containers... aslong as they don't contain any chems/by products from manufacturing that could leak into the soil you should be fine... can also tape/black out the bottom half to protect against light leak to the roots.

right on. i shall tape them with duct tape to block out any light. and well its just water bottles so no crazy toxins are going to get in the roots . thanks

 

[LUDACRIS]

You would be better starting with 4" proper pots. They are real cheap but if money is an issue it can be done but by the time you have bought all those bottles/soil/seeds and tape to cover them (to not exposing the roots getting light) and the time drilling drain holes i would definatelly consider investing in pots as its a far better option. Growing pots are a completelly different shape for a reason (to build roots) water bottles may restrict root growth and wont be easy to water without drowning the stems as the idea is to water around the rim of pots to make the roots reach outwards and keeping watering straight at the stem base that can lead to root/stem rot.
Think about the transplanting process and a bottle like that will have to be slashed open when you do transplant and will leave you with an odd shaped rootball.

 

[NickMode]

You would be better starting with 4" proper pots. They are real cheap but if money is an issue it can be done but by the time you have bought all those bottles/soil/seeds and tape to cover them (to not exposing the roots getting light) and the time drilling drain holes i would definatelly consider investing in pots as its a far better option. Growing pots are a completelly different shape for a reason (to build roots) water bottles may restrict root growth and wont be easy to water without drowning the stems as the idea is to water around the rim of pots to make the roots reach outwards and keeping watering straight at the stem base that can lead to root/stem rot.
Think about the transplanting process and a bottle like that will have to be slashed open when you do transplant and will leave you with an odd shaped rootball.

fuck.

 

[NickMode]

well i dont have any other choice right now. i need to veg all these 35 seeds under 2 42in fluorescent lights. Does anyone else know what could i grow in where i would be able to fit 35 plants under 2 42in fluorescent lights.

 

[NickMode]

itd be kind of like this but w/o the self watering method.

 

[DeoXy]

it's do able, believe me I know what its like to be strapped on cash lol.. you gotta use what you have, believe it or not I've used those cheap tuppers from the dollar store that I blacked out from the OUTSIDE and they worked just fine... not like your gonna keep them that LONG and flower em from same container lol.. another good thing I've used was rapid rooter plugs in a cheap $3 tray n dome... the plugs were like $8 for 50 of em.. and the tray allows for more to be packed in a small space.. they come in 50 and 72 site config..

 

[NickMode]

ill have to just try it and see. they only need to be in there for 3 weeks.

 

[NickMode]

and its not that im strapped on cash.. well i am.. but thats not the point here. its that im strapped on space. and those rapid rooter plus are too small. they need to develop a better root system before i transfer them to my outdoor plots

 

[reckon]

how ya getting them OUT of that? the ridges will hold the soil in the cup

I mean ya have enough trouble getting them out of a smooth pot DESIGNED for transplanting.

do what ya gotta do, but don't shoot yourself in the foot in the process, eh?

 

[lerellion]

I ran out of pots when planting my clones so I used those bottles, cut the top 3" off filled with soil, wrapped em with duct tape and they grew in there very well and one in fact grew like better than any other clone in there. Getting it out was a pain in the ass. I had to take the duct tape off to see the roots and carefull cut down and around the base of the bottle carefully pulling the sides of the bottle away from surrounding soil and roots.

 

[LUDACRIS]

Cups like these are ideal. Just stab some drain holes in them and when it comes to transplanting is real easy as you can cut the cups of with a knife/razor with ease leaving your rootball intact with little messing around unlike turning the normal plastic growing pots upside down to release the rootball.


http://www.plasticdrinkcups.com/

http://www.google.co.uk/products?rl...esult_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CB4QrQQwAA

 

[The WeedChucks]

It should work fine..I have used just about anything and everything t start seeds in. The only problem is getting them out when its time to transplant, unless you cut them open and then you always risk cutting roots..

 

[LUDACRIS]

It should work fine..I have used just about anything and everything t start seeds in. The only problem is getting them out when its time to transplant, unless you cut them open and then you always risk cutting roots..

Being carefull when cutting it wont be of any concern if a few minor roots get cut and if you use polystyrene cups you simply break them with your hands and remove the rootball for transplanting.

 

[woodie1369]

just the shape of the bottle will make it hard to transplant because the bottle gets skinny then big on the bottom.You wont be able to pull the big part through the skinny part .I did this with 20 oz mt.dew bottle and just the little difference on the bottom of the bottle where it gets just a hair wider made it impossible to pull out ,well not impossible but the root ball ripped to shit.you will have to cut the bottle down the side and then around the bottom.But you can use them if you want too???

 

[BubsNugs]

What if u cut them in half so they can fold open easily and then tape em shut, fill with dirt and seed, and once grown remove tape and presto you oughtta be able to open the bottle and remove seedling no probs. Of course i am saying cut in half vertically not horizontally in the center.

Peace

 

[NickMode]

What if u cut them in half so they can fold open easily and then tape em shut, fill with dirt and seed, and once grown remove tape and presto you oughtta be able to open the bottle and remove seedling no probs. Of course i am saying cut in half vertically not horizontally in the center.

Peace

great idea!

 

[LUDACRIS]

polystyrene cups.

 

[reckon]

you can get a sleeve of 10-12oz cups for $2.50 at any supermarket

you could find $2.50 in the sofa cushions, or your change bowl.