My first year I used, I think the 9oz plastic ones. Those worked well, but even they dried out rather quickly... but then I may have over-sown. This year I'm using toilet paper rolls sown with only 2 or 3 seeds each. Probably about the same size as your 5 oz.

I honestly think that the wax coating on the cup will break down rather quickly. Have you ever let a to-go cup sit on a counter over-night? They start to leak, so imagine what ma nature might do to that cup? It might even break down some during the winter. Actually... you probably don't even need to take the bottom off... it just might fall off!

I plan to use a tool that is normally used for planting bulbs to make planting easier.

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They should work fine for seed starting, but you wouldn't use them for winter sowing, would you? I'm just starting in the winter sowing deal, but I believe we need to have at least 3" of dirt depth, and I would worry that the paper wouldn't provide the same insulating qualities that plastic does.

I've tried bottomless dixie cups as dividers inside a milk jug, but didn't like it very much. Too fussy overall.

I have seen people use the toilet paper rolls set into a sterlite-type plastic bin (that has holes drilled in it for drainage), with dirt both inside and around the rolls. I think Donn may have posted a photo a year or two ago like this. I've been thinking I may try it this year for the "little" batches of seed.

Seems like it would address the staying-moist issue and also keep the little things contained well as well as be more portable.

Anybody know where that photo is?? I know I saw it here...

--Tina

This is what I did last year & was very successful , There are 15 --- 8 oz foam cups in a sweater box from the Dollar General Store I poked 3 holes in the bottom of each cup with the ink pen that I wrote the date & name of plant with, also there are drainage holes in the sweater box . I covered the sweater box with plastic, added cuts for air vents, & just set back & waited for green ") The cups are perfect for small amounts of seeds, & also just the right size to give to family & friends. Some things germinated quicker than others so I put the ones that sprouted early together in a topless box & put the others back in a sweater box & recovered them till they sprouted also.
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For tomato plants I used 16 oz cups half full of potting mix & only one to two seeds per cup & as the plants grew I added more potting soil.
jan ")

When you plant from the styrofoam cup (or plastic jugs) into the soil, do you peel away all the styrofoam and split up the plants? When you transplant, how do you keep it together without the potting soil crumbling away from the roots? I mean how do you move the plants without hurting the root system?

I just squeeze the foam cup to loosen it & hold it upside down & it comes out very easy, if I have sow really thick like some of the ones in the pic, I divide into 2 or 3 parts, if I have sown lightly I pant the whole cup. The milk jugs I usually cut into 1 inch squares with a knife. By the time I get around to plantin, the babies are usually root bound. All the plants that I have winter sown always have more root then green plant. They are very tough little things.

Here's a lasagna pan filled with toilet papaer rolls.
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I have been saving my tp rolls even bringing the empties from work home with me LOL , now Nancy, do ya cover with plastic or use a clear bag?

I know this was posted a while ago, but I'm wondering if you (Nancy) have used TP rolls before? Because, my concern would be that they'd fall apart from the freeze / thaw and spring moisture and make separating the seedlings extremely messy. Looks like a neat idea, but how do you keep the tubes in one piece until planting-out time?

Indian_Blanket: Have you posted pics of the method you used for your red coreopsis? That was really brilliant. He used peat pots (with the bottom removed it appeared) but put them on top of a deep layer of soil inside a large plastic box so the roots had room to grow down.

I had a chance to meet Indian_Blanket today! I really enjoyed it and I loved getting a chance to talk to other wintersowing enthusiasts in person!

and I met Seedmama too!!! Yay!!! It was a grand day.

Lisa

I used several containers with the tp and cut up paper towel rolls. The idea is wonderful but am having some problems with a white mold (?) growth on the soil in the containers. I am not having the problem of this mold in containers where I am not using the paper rolls and all containers with the same fafard soil. I'm wondering if the paper is holding the moisture more than the containers without the rolls and thus encouraging a mold growth from the dampness. Although the containers without the paper rolls feel and look just as moist as the ones with the rolls. Neither of them is anything except moist.....not too wet or anything. Curious if anyone else has this problem????????????