The Double Cup Method to Start Seeds 

Thank you for your vid! I've been saving all the plastic cup used at any event we attend. I'm not to proud to pull them outta the trash. When people ask me what i'm doin I tell them. They all think I'm crazy but they sure enjoy the 'fruits of my labor" later in the year!

The Square Bottom Solo Cups are way better than the round ones. I don't poke holes at the bottom, I use Scissors and cut the corners of the cup. The Roots will eventually find their way through the sliced holes and act like a straw to get water.

When I started to grow veggies I forgot to buy zucchini plants. I did this with paper cups (there were no red plastic cups back then lol) I also used plastic over the top. The seeds germinated in just a few days. I never buy zuke plants anymore I always do it myself. You are right this is a great method.

I have also done this method and it does work great. I use a clear cup for the inside one so that i can take it out and view the progress of the roots.

Superb. Thanks. My two-cents: Use marbles, instead of pebbles, for a standard height. Poke a drain hole a desired distance above the top of the marbles for drainage. Thanks, again.

I did this for over 2 decades. I used the clear cups on the inside so I could watch root density without hurting the roots with light.

2:57 before I put soil into the cup, I place a net, which I cut out of the bags potatoes or onions are sold in, into the cup. When a seed has grown to a plant and it is time to plant it in the garden, the net will prevent the root bale from falling apart. It might be necessary to cutd a few holes into the net at the bottom so the bigger roots find a way down after putting the plant into the planting hole.

BIBI Peat pots. Been using the same cups for 3 years. It works well, Really well. You heard the man. USE IT!

I'm visiting my mother's house. I brought seeds of about plant species with me. We will germinate them using this method . It is suitable for those who do not have much space to sow. thank you

the best way to germinate almost any seeds with the best outcome is by soaking seeds in the water, first. for example, lavender seeds are one of the toughest seeds to germinate. i soaked these seeds for two weeks in a used water bottle until they swelled like sesame seeds. then i used the double cup method, instead of potting soil i used sand as the medium and within two weeks they germinated.

I've been doing this too but with radish seeds and it's working well, they have already sprouted in 4 days

Instead of buying holes in the bottom and putting toxic fumes in the air. I just take scissors and cut 2 or 3 strips out where the bottom of the cup meets the side.

Get a cheap soldering iron. I work over hundreds of cups for native plant seeds. I’m raising them in trays so I only use one cup. Great video!

I never knew you could start seeds like this, thanks.

I took a plastic cup, an ice pick, and punched out five holes in less than 5 seconds. Just sayin'.

I do it without the pebble, and I cut the bottom off the inner cup and then cut it in half. It's just to make transplanting easier. There's no transplant shock at all if you do it right. The outer cup is only there to hold everything together and keep moisture in

I do this but I use biodegradable cups so You can just plant them in the soil, and then they degrade away as the roots grow. No need to repot which disturbs the roots.

Thank you. This is simple and so smart.

I stack a few cups together and drill several holes per stack. I also grab old water bottles and cut them in half and put it in the cup to work as a greenhouse, initially I leave the lid on until germination and then remove the lid.

Excellent video. Thank you!

Only change up I would employ would be to let the inside cup drain until it quits dripping entirely even if thats an hour and then weigh it on a gram scale, write down that number on the cup so you know how much water isn't in there next time you want to check if it needs watering or not using the scale. The difference can be applied once the seedlings are robust enough for direct watering from above and you won't overwater with enough experience using wet weight method. I have put the inner cup on the scale and apply water with a small watering can until it almost weighs what is written on the cup. Sure speeds up the watering process while making it easy and not a chore you can mess up on.

This video is 3years old so it’s not like I can add anything that hasn’t already been said. But please, don’t burn plastic in your house, try not to burn it at all. The dollar store sells a 36 pack of Dixie cups, and thats what I use. Paper, not plastic. Anyways, thanks for sharing. Your video is still being recommended 3 years later.

Just subscribed. Glad I found your channel I was wondering how this method worked👍

2 cups 1 seed, I like it!

I grew some cherry seeds using the plastic film at the top of the pot. They germinated very quickly and required little watering as the water evaporates and hits the film and rewaters the plant. I didn't bother with the second cup and just top watered gently and let it drain before replacing the film. This probably takes up less room than putting the pot on a coaster.

EXCELLENT VIDEO

I use a single plastic cup and put a hole in the bottom. I put the potting soil in the cup and pack it down. I place the seed(s) in the cup and put another 1/4 inch of potting soil over the seeds and pack it down. Then I put the cups in a disposable tinfoil roasting pan and water the cups until water runs out the bottom. Then I put an inch or two of water in the pan. I always keep at least a inch of water in the pan. This does the exact same thing as using 2 cups. But it is easier to transport the cups.

If you make the holes larger and keep water in the bottom with a spacer holding the top cup just above the water the roots will find their way down to the water and you won't Believe the fantastic growth you'll get. I guess the small space of air above the water keeps the plants from drowning, but anyway it works.

Thanks!

Just cut slits on the bottom. Way easier and better drainage

Going to do this for seeds this year. Instead of leaving the gas on for a hot nail, I'll try it with the flame of a nicely fragranced candle. Win/win.

Use a clear cup as your insert cup. That way you can check your root growth. 🙂

This is an awesome method that I had never thought of, and will take up a little less room than using all of those peanut butter jar lids as coasters instead. I have extremely hot grow lights I made out of LED headlights (it keeps it 70 degrees inside my grow space), and I lose a lot of water to heat evaporation. This will do well in the angled area where I can't fit a tray under the cups.

Gonna try it tomorrow!!

What a great idea.

I use a small drill to make the holes and this works don't need peppels.

BRILLIANT THANKS

I can't wait to use this method of starting tomatoes seeds next year with my preschool class. Thanks so very much.

Does the double cup method require full sunlight? Or inside window light? Trying for first time with vegetable seeds. Thank You.

Great idea. ..Thanks.

Jaan daar saan daaar hai ye aap ka video🎉🎉🎉🎉, thanks a lot🌹🙏❤🙏

Great idea and I have been doing this for years now. The only problem is that when you shake off or throw the drained water away, so are you throwing the nutrients and minerals away. Keep that drained water full of nutrients and use it to re-hydrate the soil. I also just put a little water in the bottom cup so that the soil can absorb only enough without making the soil soggy.

A faster way to provide drainage is to use utility shears to snip the bottom circumference in a few places. You don't have to remove the slices of plastic.

I use a drill to drill holes in the bottom. You can do a number of cups at once too.

Very well done video !! This is basically a S.I.P method it works awesome too; I use the same with method except I use 5 gallon buckets; use a wick of some kind at the bottom for a wick(I like CoCo fiber) and perlite at thein the growing container for drainage.

I use a dremel to make holes.

Everybody PLEASE be so careful working with heating up plastics. Make sure you read the SDS on the specific plastic you work with to know at what temps it will begin to create toxic fumes and what possible side effects you may encounter due to inhalation. Stay SAFE

Awesome. I love how simple and straight to the point! Thanks so much for sharing!

This is great if you reuse the cups, other wise we are just contributing to the plastic problem.

Wow, can't wait to try this. Thanks for making this video and getting to the point without dragging it into a long video. I subscribed because of that.

I have used cups for my props for years. Anything small goes good in them. The one thing that I have learned is to use a cheap soldering iron to make the holes. I also use the iron for making holes in all my plastic pots. That way I don't have to bother the "Ole Man"

I know it can change but how often did you have to water them?

I save the little cups from coffee and use those for small plants.

Cool! I will be giving this a try! Thanks for the demo 🎉

I've not tried this yet, but this would encourage deep strong root development as the young plants reach down for water, so I'll give it a go. Just keep the top moist friends if using lights. Thanks for sharing!

Wood burner kit works awesome for the solo cup holes.

Thanks.

Using a soldering iron is a better solution for your holes

I use the for a while now but just a bit different. I use only a quarter of the cup with soil at first, and after the plant goes leggy, I just add soil.

If you poke a drainage hole in the side of the outside cup (approx 1" up) and put them all in a tray, then you won't have to worry about over watering as the extra water will leak out of the side and onto the tray.

OMG, I see you using a gas stove, you dont care about our Climate ? LOL. J/K. appreciate you sharing the info bro.

I use a 500ml yogurt cup and a 250ml pudding cup. The upper rim of the cups should fit into each other. In the pudding cup I drill a small hole and pull a watering wick through which it has about 6 cm in the pudding cup contact with the earth with a knot that it does not slip out the bottom and protrudes from the bottom of the pudding until it goes to the bottom of the yogurt cup when you put the pudding cup in the yogurt cup. That way you have a little self-watering. RU-vid Video „Selbstbewässerung in der Praxis bei Zimmerpflanzen“

I read years ago that some Parms have saw dust in it. So, I'm very selective with cheeses. Some of our children are going to learn what real food is when we're in a crisis.... unless parents already start teaching them about delayed gratification and that pure food doesn't come from stores and restaurants.

In all due respect, mint grows under just about all conditions other than desert. I planted one little pot 3 years ago and now I no longer have a lawn.

If you have a hot glue gun, many crafty people do, it works really well making those holes in the cup.

Use a screwdriver instead of nail and pliers.

Just drill holes in bottom😅

Nice video! Really good and concise explanation. Was the soil moist before you put it in the cup? Also, do you think it would work for peppers?

So how long do I keep the wrap on it for ? I’m trying to grow some watermelon but I think I’m lacking something lol. I did this method but then idk when to take off the wrap I normally use sandwhich bags.

A drill with the right size bit works great 👍🏼

would it work just as well if I were to use a single cup with no drainage and simply just mist it with a single mist of water every day? Will this bring a seed all the way to flowering with this method alone?

Need bigger holes in the bottom of the cup. It’s where the roots will be growing out of, tricking it to think it’s in a bigger pot so it can grow bigger. 🙃

I use a wood burning kit to make fast holes in the bottom .. I also use 3/4”x 3/4” piece of pine wood I cut. Use just one and works great

You can use pointy scissors to poke holes and use the edge of the scissors make the holes wider just poke through and spin the scissors

I use this method with smaller cup on bottom and have seed starting mix on top of my Main soil so transplanting in garden is the only transplant

This is a wonderful idea. I'm going to try it with some 32oz yogurt for my tomato seedlings.

I use one cup, install holes with a soldering iron about 1/4 inch above the bottom on the sides, add a part of a paper towel to the bottom to keep soil in the cup, and do the rest as you do. When the sprout shows up, I make a tray out of wood and line it with a cut up plastic trash bag such that the tray is 1/4 of an inch high, the same as the holes in the cup. I water gently over all the cups and let the water stay in the tray. That way the water in the tray serves as an added reserve of water for the growing seedling. I put the tray in a leveled earthen bottom cold frame with used bricks on the ground, kept level, and let the seedling grow to about 6 inches, then put them out in the garden. In the cup, I use seed starting mix or screened compost that gets large chips out of the seedling mix. I use regular compost for the first part in the cup, and at the last inch, I use the seedling starter mix or screened compost. The lack of large chips in the first inch gives better results for seeds to make it to the surface of the soil.

cool will try this year

Delighted with this as I have so many seeds and so little space. Thanks 🌾🌻🌼

Excellent tip, $ store here I come! Thanks for sharing.

smart.

Thank u I think this is a fantastic idea don't no why I didn't think of that

3:01 could have put some paper at the bottom to filter the water and make sure the soil is not washing out

If you use a square bottom cup underneath, you wont need a spacer, OR - cut slots w a hot knife across the edge of bottom & side so cup can drink while sitting in a pan of liquid. I am using Ferry Morse 72 cell tray only to set my solos in. !

How long do you keep the top cup in the bottom cup of water before dumping out the excess? Also at what point do you remove the plastic wrap and let the seedlings be exposed to air?

I use a tray of a different size so that water remains there to provide natural sub-irrigation

Hi! This sounds great. What would you recommend if you live in a country where there is very little sunshine? We don't have windowsills in our house either. I think someone mentioned that they still developed white/greyish mould. Is there anything that I could do to prevent this from happening? Did you ever find out why someone recommended not using pebbles for drainage? I would really appreciate it if you would please contact me. Thanks very much. Best wishes, Gigi 🦋🌷

Great video. Question: Where does one place the cups after finishing planting?

Excellent! Thank you for the detailed instructions. Cheers!

"Make sure these holes are fairly wide...." Just use a bigger nail! :D

I Guy, 2 Cups.

I use a soldering iron instead of a hot nail but they both work

Or you can water it on top soil

I always save drink cups my daughter wastes her money on, at least double use out of them. The problem I seem to have when I make a "greenhouse" is mold. May be too much water at first, perlite in the soil I think is the one that can do that. It would work if I had a better place to put plants. Cats everywhere, too cold, too hot, too much sun, too many cats... :/

Looks good, but don't like adding microplastics to my soil. 😢

Can u water like this the whole way thru or at least thru veg stage???

Thanks for the great tutorial on the double cup method

Good tip. I was thinking you could soak both cups in some warm water over the course of an afternoon to simulate a heat mat. Definitely gonna try this.

Very cool 😎👍💯🇺🇲🍺

"spooned into the cup" Really???? Try that with 50 seedlings or seed plants....oh Lord those "gardeners wanna be" really makes u wonder...🤣