# Using soda cans for starters



## Slugmar (May 26, 2008)

I was wondering has any one ever tried cutting the tops of a soda can and using it to start plants in if it would work and not cause problems ?

any one ever tried it


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## postroad (Jan 19, 2009)

I have never tried it, but it should work if drainage holes would be punched in the bottom.

I would be concerned about cuts.


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## Slugmar (May 26, 2008)

yeah the cut thing is a possibility also maybe if you made four cuts in it and then rulled that part down would probaly solve the problem with the cuts.

I wonder how many weeks of growth I could get out of one if I started tomorrow I would need about 8 weeks before I planted in the ground.

Trying to find a cheap way to start about 7000 plants.


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## Humburger (Sep 13, 2007)

At our church, we have a meal every Sunday. I usually go around with a bag and have everyone throw their styrofoam cups in and that is what I use to start my plants. They work really well!


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Avoid sharp edges by using a military C ration can opener. That's the only one that I know of that can get down below the deep rim.

Martin


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## ||Downhome|| (Jan 12, 2009)

i seen a mag they where using eggshells to start seedlings in. as far as weeks of growth
Ive grown very large plants in a 4x4 pot of course it wasnt organic and you need to make sure it gets the water it needs (depends on conditions) good luck!


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## EDDIE BUCK (Jul 17, 2005)

I have tried the alum soda cans and they work good. My kitchen canopener opened the top fine.The plants grew well,the only problem I had was the inside taper of the top of the can. In order to get the plant out past the taper was to cut the side of the can till it opened enough to slide the plant and intact soil out.Other than that no problem. Eddie Buck


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## turtlehead (Jul 22, 2005)

Slugmar said:


> Trying to find a cheap way to start about 7000 plants.


You can use newspaper pots. The nice thing about them is they drain, you can water from the bottom, and at planting time you just put the whole thing in the garden (I tear the bottom off mine but you don't have to)











Step by step instructions with photos


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## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

turtlehead said:


> You can use newspaper pots. The nice thing about them is they drain, you can water from the bottom, and at planting time you just put the whole thing in the garden (I tear the bottom off mine but you don't have to)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I use these even though I have actual cell trays. (Often I transplant "old seeds I was trying but came up" from the trays to paper pots; squash and cukes planted in longer ones go right in the garden without transplant shock.) 

Cash in the cans and buy more seeds!


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## hiswife (May 30, 2008)

are tin cans too inflexible to do seedlings in? I worry that they would be hard to get the plant OUT!


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## Kstornado11 (Mar 17, 2006)

Good ideas! I've used empty mik jugs,too, cutting them in half & using the top for a mini-greenhouse.


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## SnakeRiver (Feb 7, 2009)

I saw some in Mother Earth new that were sprouted in egg shells. It looked pretty cool.


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## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

Those newspaper pots look really nice but the link didn't work.


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## gobug (Dec 10, 2003)

I have removed the tops from soda cans. They are tapered, so using it as a seedling pot would work as mentioned with a drainage hole, the only problem is transplanting the seedling from the aluminum can. It could be a challenge to ge the seedling out of the aluminum can. I use 3 and 5 oz plastic bathroom cups. They are about a buck for 50 at walmart. I drill a hole through a stack. They can be cleaned and reused.


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## EDDIE BUCK (Jul 17, 2005)

Paper towel and toiletpaper tubes are free and you can plant the whole shebang. Eddie Buck


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## Manny (Dec 26, 2003)

Why not forget about all this nonsense and just start using "soil blocks". Go to the attached site and learn about this technique. With no more than average creativity you can make your own "soil blocker", I did and I've been using soil blocks for years with great success.

http://www.pottingblocks.com/info.html


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## EDDIE BUCK (Jul 17, 2005)

Manny said:


> Why not forget about all this nonsense and just start using "soil blocks". Go to the attached site and learn about this technique. With no more than average creativity you can make your own "soil blocker", I did and I've been using soil blocks for years with great success.
> 
> http://www.pottingblocks.com/info.html


 Manny,thats interesting enough,i'm gunna give it a try.......Eddie Buck


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## Manny (Dec 26, 2003)

EDDIE BUCK said:


> Manny,thats interesting enough,i'm gunna give it a try.......Eddie Buck


If you remember, back in May 0f '07, I posted pictures of my homemade blockers per your request. Here is a link to that thread showing those pictures and some other related issues.

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?p=2268880&highlight=manny#post2268880


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## EDDIE BUCK (Jul 17, 2005)

Manny said:


> If you remember, back in May 0f '07, I posted pictures of my homemade blockers per your request. Here is a link to that thread showing those pictures and some other related issues.
> 
> http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/showthread.php?p=2268880&highlight=manny#post2268880


 Thats right,I had saved it on my computer and it started acting up and I lost all my info.I'm printing it this time, just in case.Thanks........Eddie Buck


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## jd4020 (Feb 24, 2005)

Not to be argumentive, but, aside from the sharp edge/cut factor, I don't like the thought of using aluminum. I don't use any aluminum-tools, pots etc that would pertain to growing our food. or does it matter?
jd


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

jd4020 said:


> Not to be argumentive, but, aside from the sharp edge/cut factor, I don't like the thought of using aluminum. I don't use any aluminum-tools, pots etc that would pertain to growing our food. or does it matter?
> jd


Plants have no trouble with aluminum. In fact, aluminum sulfate is often recommended as an organic solution to regulate or change soil pH.

Martin


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## Just Little Me (Aug 9, 2007)

Cut the top AND bottom off the can.Then set in a tray and grow seeds. Plant the whole can in garden and it will protect the stem from bugs.
Metal sissors will cut the can easy.

Use the discarded bottom on strings to keep the birds out of garden.


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## AnnieinBC (Mar 23, 2007)

I start most of my seeds in those styrofoam cups....if you have access to some for free, that would be great (if you work in an office maybe?) I had to buy mine, but they are very inexpensive...I try to be careful with them. 

I'm on my third year using them. They work great and I don't have to transplant the seedlings into anything else...they go in the cups and then out into the garden, it saves me time.

Annie


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## AnnieOakley (Aug 28, 2006)

gobug said:


> I have removed the tops from soda cans. They are tapered, so using it as a seedling pot would work as mentioned with a drainage hole, the only problem is transplanting the seedling from the aluminum can. It could be a challenge to ge the seedling out of the aluminum can. I use 3 and 5 oz plastic bathroom cups. They are about a buck for 50 at walmart. I drill a hole through a stack. They can be cleaned and reused.



I use the plastic bathroom cups from walmart too.


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## cjean (May 1, 2007)

This is a great pdf file on making your own newspaper pots:

http://www.wiserearth.org/file/view/ccb1dcc4cec71fbf7978de9b0e7afac4

I had to have my "origami expert" dd show me how to do one of the steps, but they work great.

You can even use single pages from those paper seed catalogs to make mini-pots!


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## kjmatson (Jul 22, 2008)

turtlehead said:


> You can use newspaper pots. The nice thing about them is they drain, you can water from the bottom, and at planting time you just put the whole thing in the garden (I tear the bottom off mine but you don't have to)
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Do you have a link on making those pots turtlehead? I tried your link and for some reason it wouldn't work. Thanks.


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## Guest (Mar 4, 2009)

7,000 plants is commercial production. Unless you have more time than money I'd bite the bullet and get the commercial plastic cell packs. You'll be glad you did when the time comes to do all the watering and moving about.

.....Alan.


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## qwerty (Jan 4, 2003)

Never used soda cans but have used regular cans.Cut out both ends. Bend the rim in on one end, push the cut off ends back in.the little crimps on the end will keep the end in place and the drainage will be around the edge.Put in soil and plant seeds. When plant is large enough to transplant push up from bottom.


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