Planting seedlings in diapers is the optimal solution in cases where there is clearly not enough space on the window for growing. In this case we are talking about the use of film for planting seeds. Let us immediately make a reservation that the method is unusual and was first tried by residents of Moscow. Which is not surprising, because in the capital, a square centimeter of free space is too expensive to clutter an apartment with containers of seedlings.
Planting seedlings in diapers
Today’s article will discuss how to sow and plant plants in film. First, let's look at the features of the method, its strengths and weaknesses.
About the features of diaper seedlings, advantages and disadvantages
If, while preparing for the coming summer season, you hear about seedlings in diapers, then do not think that we are talking about a children's cotton sheet, even though the principle of “wrapping” is similar for both cases. By plant wrap we mean PET film - for example, the one used to cover greenhouses and hotbeds. In some cases, instead of film, a simple transparent bag can be used, the dimensions of which on average are 20x30 centimeters. Such bags, by the way, are not recommended, as they can significantly deteriorate the quality of the grown seedlings.
Growing seedlings in diapers is a good way to save space on the windowsill
Be that as it may, the use of film allows you to avoid cluttering the window sills with numerous plastic cups, pots or seedling boxes.
Note! Due to the fact that it was the residents of Moscow who were the first to appreciate the method described in the article, one of its several options began to be called “Moscow style”. But that’s not what we’re talking about now.
As for the advantages of the method, these include:
- significant space savings when planting seeds;
- convenience of picking seedlings;
- reducing the required volume of nutrient soil mixture;
- the possibility of using it (the method) as a “plan B” in case nothing worked out with the main seedlings;
- protection of seedlings from diseases that are transmitted through the soil (for example, from blackleg);
- ease of checking the germination of seeds (especially last year’s).
Seedlings in diapers will save space on the windowsill
However, there are also disadvantages that should also be kept in mind; in particular, these include the following points:
- seedlings receive less light and therefore develop slowly;
- after the emergence of seedlings, picking may be required (much depends on the specific type of plant);
- Despite the intensive growth of the stems, the roots develop rather weakly.
Note! The use of diapers is applicable for most cold-resistant plants (not only flowers, but also vegetables). In the future, such plants will not require transplanting into separate containers before final rooting. As for heat-loving crops, they will have to be replanted in any case.
As mentioned earlier, there are several ways to “swaddle” seedlings. Some grow plants in film with soil or coconut substrate, while others do without them altogether. Also, only seeds can be packaged in film for the purpose of their subsequent transplantation into individual containers with soil. And so that you can choose the most suitable method for yourself, we will familiarize ourselves with all the existing options.
Seedlings in a diaper
By the way, regardless of the chosen method, you can always resort to a little trick. Take a strip of adhesive tape and write the number/name of the variety on it, then stick it on the diaper. You can also write directly on the film using a waterproof marker (here you need to wait until the writing dries). In this case, you will not only not get confused, but will also be able to observe the germination of different varieties.
Cups with seedlings are numbered
Method one. We use already sprouted seeds
First you must prepare everything you need:
- PET film;
- box;
- rubber bands for money;
- soil mixture;
- adhesive plaster;
- marker;
- scissors;
- actually, seeds (you can use tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, eggplants).
Seedlings in diapers with soil
Prices for PET film
pet film
Step 1. First of all, prepare and germinate the seeds (the specific method of germination does not play a special role here).
Germination of seeds
Step 2. Take the prepared film and cut out rectangles from it, the dimensions of which are close to the size of a sheet from a school notebook.
Step 3. Take one such rectangle and place a tablespoon of moistened soil mixture in its upper left corner.
Planting a sprout in polyethylene
Step 4. Place the sprout on top of the soil mixture, but so that the leaves are located above the film.
Landing in diapers
Step 5. Now once again place about one tablespoon of wet soil mixture.
Step 6. You can start “swaddling” the seedling. To do this, you must bend the bottom edge of the rectangle, and then form a roll from the film. Twist the roll loosely, otherwise oxygen will not flow inside.
Swaddling example
Step 7. All that remains is to fix the film so that it does not unfold. Use prepared rubber bands for money for this.
Note! You can place the “wrapped” seedlings closely in a pre-prepared box. Place the box itself on the windowsill, choosing a well-lit place for this. Using adhesive tape, make stickers for the seedlings.
Finished rolls in a box
You can also cover the box with cling film with ventilation holes pre-pierced in it. Alternatively, you can simply open the film every day for about 20 minutes.
Cassettes for seedlings
A seedling cassette is a block consisting of separate containers of different volumes (from 20 to 500 ml). The number of cells in a cassette can be different - from 4 to 390. A separate sprout is planted in each cell. Read more here.
Seed preparation
- Disinfection .
Most infectious diseases of tomatoes are transmitted through soil, containers and seed. Since the method of germinating seeds in a diaper does not require either a large quantity of substrate or a container, the issue of disinfecting the seed material comes to the fore. For these purposes, the seeds can be immersed for 20 minutes in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate (1 gram per 100 ml of water) or for 8 minutes in a 2–3% solution of hydrogen peroxide, heated to +40C. - Treatment . After disinfection, it is recommended to immerse the seeds in a nutrient solution of a growth stimulator to ensure a higher percentage of germination: you can use both purchased preparations (Epin, Zircon, Heteroauxin, etc.) and prepared yourself (aloe juice solution (1:1) or honey water (1 tsp per glass of water).
- Soaking . Experienced gardeners also recommend soaking the seeds for 12 hours in warm water (+25C) before sowing, which must be changed every 4 hours.
- Germination. And for one of the methods, which will be discussed below, you will need already sprouted seeds. For these purposes, you need to prepare a saucer, cloth, gauze or paper towel.
Moisten the fabric, place it flat on a saucer, pour tomato seeds of the same variety onto it and spread over the surface, cover the container with a plastic lid or plastic bag and place in a warm place (+23C - +25C) for 3 - 5 days.Important. All this time, it is necessary to ensure that the fabric is constantly kept wet, otherwise the seeds will simply dry out.
Method two. We grow “Moscow style”
This method does not require preliminary germination of seeds. But space will be saved significantly - for example, about 100 seedlings can sprout on one windowsill.
Growing seedlings “Moscow style”
Before you begin, you must prepare:
- seeds;
- marker;
- plastic film;
- scissors;
- toilet paper;
- patch;
- small containers (disposable plastic cups are an excellent option);
- rubber bands for money;
- spray.
After preparing everything you need, you can proceed directly to the work process. For the convenience of visitors, the instructions are given in the form of a small table.
Table. The “Moscow” method of growing seedlings - a step-by-step guide.
| Steps, illustrations | Description of actions |
| Step 1 | Cut the PET film into long strips, each 10 centimeters wide. To make cutting easier, you can lay the film on top of white toilet paper. The length of each strip should be about half a meter (it all depends on the number of seeds). Place one layer of the same paper on top of the finished strips. |
| Step 2 | Lightly dampen the toilet paper. If you have a spray bottle, you can spray the paper with it. |
| Step 3 | Place the seeds in 5cm increments approximately 1.5cm from the edge. Use tweezers for this, as in the image. |
| Step 4 | Cover it all with a similar strip of PET film. |
| Step 5 | Next, roll the resulting multilayer strip into a kind of roll. At the same time, try to minimize the displacement of the film layers. |
| Step 6 | Secure the roll with a rubber band. If required, sign it. |
| Step 7 | Place the roll in a plastic cup, then pour a 4-centimeter layer of water into it. |
| Step 8 | Place the glass in a bag, puncturing small ventilation holes in the bag. After germination, apply min. fertilizer (the concentration of the nutrient solution should be half that for standard fertilizing). The best option is humic seedling fertilizers. Maintain the original water level in the glass. After the first true leaf appears, apply a second feeding. |
| Step 9 | Grown seedlings need picking. For onions, for example, this is the period when developed roots appear, and for leafy vegetables, this is the time of the first true leaf. First, roll out the roll, then remove the top strip of film. |
| Step 10 | Divide the seedlings directly with the paper; when cutting, try not to damage the fragile roots. If some seeds did not have time to sprout, leave them for further growing, that is, put them back in the glass, after rolling them into rolls. |
| Step 11 | Plant the plants in cassettes or pots along with toilet paper. If we are talking, for example, about onions, then they can be planted directly in the ground due to their cold resistance. Therefore, sowing dates must be calculated with maximum accuracy (somewhere around mid-April, but the timing may vary depending on the time of planting in a particular region). |
| Step 12 | Water the planted seedlings with a small amount of water. |
Note! Further care in this case is not much different from growing ordinary seedlings. Therefore, we move on to the next method of “swaddling”.
Care
Every day the cellophane is removed from the crops for ventilation. Remove condensation. It’s even better to have 2 pieces of film for each container. One is removed to dry, the other is covered with tomatoes.
Water into a tray. The water should not rise too high to prevent the soil from soaking or the toilet paper to absorb too much moisture.
When the tomato seeds hatch, they are transferred for 7 days to a cool, bright room with a temperature of 14-16 ° C. The seedlings will already stretch out, but if this rule is neglected, they will turn into frail thin threads.
After a week, containers with diapers should be kept in a room with a temperature of about 20° C. Tomatoes will need lighting even on a sunny windowsill - the seedlings grow too crowded. The lamp should be placed not on the side, but above the seedlings.
For tomato seeds planted in the substrate, the nutrients contained in it will be sufficient for the first time. Diapers with toilet paper are fed weekly with a weak solution of humic fertilizers, added to the water.
It is imperative to monitor the liquid accumulated at the bottom of common containers. Ideally, drain it before each watering.
Method three. We use the substrate
This method is very similar to the previous one, however (due to the use of a small amount of soil when sowing) the film will be preserved until the seedlings take root in the garden bed. This stage can be skipped if the seedlings are subsequently planted under some kind of shelter and early. Similarly, seedlings are planted in diapers after diving.
The algorithm of actions will look something like this.
Step 1. First, prepare a moistened soil mixture, as well as film strips, as in the previous method. The film can be covered with toilet paper, although in this case it is not necessary.
The film is covered with damp toilet paper
Step 2. Plant seeds (any seeds, including germinated ones) or sprouts. The distance should be several centimeters.
Seeds are laid out on damp toilet paper
Step 3. Sprinkle some moistened soil on top, then cover with paper and film.
Step 4. Roll it all up, secure it with an elastic band, and place it in a tray.
Ready roll
Key features of growing vegetable seedlings
If you intend to grow cucumber seedlings, then the seeds should be soaked before “swaddling,” since their skin is too thick for paper, which is moistened by capillaries with water. The container can be made of glass or plastic; you must first place cotton wool or a piece of natural fabric on the bottom. It is also advisable to place material (pre-moistened) on top of the seeds, and then leave everything for 48 hours.
Soaking cucumber seeds
As for the hybrid tomatoes obtained from diaper seedlings, they branch strongly, so you can forget about even bushes. Therefore, it is advisable to plant only tomato varieties in film that retain their own varietal characteristics from generation to generation. In terms of yield, this will not give any result, but the plants will not look crooked and unkempt.
Tomatoes in diapers
The roots of tomato seedlings sown in diapers will not grow in depth, but in breadth (due to cramped conditions). In this case, there is no need to water bushes transplanted into the ground, since the root system will be able to get moisture everywhere.
Tomato seedlings in diapers
But with peppers everything is more serious - they do not grow long roots, and even the peripheral ones in the film will not be able to develop normally, so they need to be watered throughout the entire season.
Peppers in diapers
Note! While still in diapers, you can grow greens all year round (for sale or for your own needs). Soil is practically not needed, only fertilizer is required. At the same time, greenery will take up almost no space.
Description of the essence of the method
How to grow tomatoes this way? The method of germinating seeds in a diaper is quite simple. We plant tomato seeds in paper, which are distributed over a moistened paper strip, which, in turn, is located on a plastic strip of the same size.
A paper-polyethylene tape with seed material is rolled into a “roll” and immersed in a container, at the bottom of which there is always water. The principle of wrapping seeds is similar to the principle of swaddling an infant - hence the consonance of the names.
How to care for diaper seedlings, diving
Care in our case is not complicated and consists of the following points:
- timely removal of condensate;
- regular feeding (twice a week) with humic acids and half the concentration of the solution than usual;
- additional lighting (if there is not enough sunlight);
- regular but not frequent watering.
If we talk about picking seedlings from diapers, this is also a fairly simple procedure. Take the roll, unfold it and determine exactly where the roots are.
Unrolled roll with seedlings
Next, step back a few centimeters from this level, and then pin the root. Next, remove the second layer of PET film and transplant the sprout into a separate container along with the paper (the latter will quickly decompose in the future).
Picking seedlings into the ground
Video - Diving tomatoes into diapers
Step-by-step making of a snail with soil
Gardeners have already tried the innovation, although there are no concrete results or conclusions yet: the method is being tested. To make a snail, you need to prepare:
- substrate;
- soil or toilet paper;
- a transparent container, ice cream or mayonnaise buckets will do;
- rubber bands used to tie money;
- plastic bag.
Attention!
You can grow tomato seedlings with or without soil. The substrate is laid out on the work table. Cut a strip of the required length - no more than 15 cm. The width should be equal to the size of the paper. Moistened soil is poured onto the tape in a thin layer. There is no need to fill the entire length of the substrate, so as not to complicate the rolling later on.
The soil is irrigated with a spray bottle and compacted a little. Turning the top of the substrate towards you, lay out the tomato seeds. You need to step back 2 cm from the edge. The step between the seeds is 2-3 cm. You can work with your fingers or tweezers, as you prefer. As we progress, we add and moisten the soil, continuing to lay the seeds.
When the surface is full, we begin to roll, but not tightly, so that there is space between the layers. The result is a figure resembling a snail in shape. Hence the name. Don't be upset if some of the soil spills out from below. After completing the folding, soil will still have to be added. To prevent the snail from falling apart, secure it with a money rubber band.
After this, install the “nursery” in a transparent container. Water is poured to the bottom, and soil is added to the snail itself, which needs to be shed thoroughly, being careful. It is convenient to insert a sticker with the name of the variety under the elastic band. A plastic bag is pulled over the top and secured.
Attention! The container with seedlings is placed in the warmest and brightest window. From time to time the bag is lifted for ventilation. When the first hooks appear, the “greenhouse” is removed.
How to plant diaper seedlings in open soil?
Despite the ease of growing, seedlings in film are much worse off than in separate pots. Therefore, they need to be transplanted into the ground as soon as possible. You are lucky if there is a greenhouse on the site - in this case, the transplant can be done early, without the risk of freezing the seedlings. But in the absence of a greenhouse, things will be somewhat different.
Seedlings in a film diaper
If diaper seedlings are planted early in open soil, the plants will need protection from the cold, so make a “cushion” under the bed using paper, feathers (you will have to gut the old cushions), straw or sawdust. This way the seedlings will be heated from below. From above, if there is a threat of frost, cover the plants with film or use plastic bottles for this purpose. You can use burdock to cover young cucumbers.
Planting seedlings in open ground
As a result, we note that all the diaper methods of growing seedlings described above require a minimum of time, soil and space, and therefore are ideal for people who do not want to spend a lot of money or work. Of course, the plants turn out to be weaker, but with proper care they will produce the same high-quality harvest as in the case of growing seedlings in the usual way.
