J.C. wrote:
I start seeds in styrofoam cups. I do exclusively square foot gardening and
have several boxes going. I use the 32oz cups that I buy in bulk from Sam's
Club. I put about 1 inch of potting soil in the cup.

When it comes time to plant I just cut the bottom out of the cups and plant
the whole things. This leaves me the proper amount of empty cup to do the
watering called for in the Square Foot Gardening book.

Well, everything that happens, wilt, browning leaves, low yield, bugs,
disease etc., happens because I PLANT THE DANG CUPS, according to my wife.
She, and others, say this is a definate no-no. I disagree. What do you say
and why?




after reading everyone else's responses, I've come to the obvious
solutions. Styrofoam however cheap is wrong only because you're leaving
the cups around the young seedlings, and your thinking is probably as
protection against cut worms, but in this case, everyone whose response
is deffinate is dead on the money. Wilt is from lack of enough
nutrients, browning leaves are fungal which the styrofoam doesn't allow
the soil around the plants to breath, bugs attack distressed plants to
eliminate them. Only the stronger plants survive. Distressed plants
send out inaudible signals to the insects to "come and put me out of my
misery I'm not well!" And low yields are from cramped roots. Had that
happen myself with a trial growing of some plants from seeds that had
the exact same problems as yours.

So here's the simpler solution: Everyone has helped with alternatives.
You could use cheap paper cups that will break down if planted. (no
wax lined cup, it won't break down fast enough). Your best bet would be
to watch for Lowes or Home Deprived to have sales on their seed starting
stuff. The peat pots are great and with their over purchasing for
Spring, you can pick up everything more than half price at the leg end
of Spring. Or you can order bulk garden cheap starting seed stuff from
Garden Supply. Park Seeds is a bit pricey but you'd have quality stuff.
Same with Garden Supply. Or you could check out Gardens Alive! and
price their seed starting stuff. Or Lee Valley Tools is another
wonderful, reusable source for seed starting stuff.

Don't let this set back discourage you. Are you burying the whole cup
into the soil once you punch out the bottoms? If you are, that's a HUGE
part of your problem. Another source would be a co-op or old fashioned
hardware store that always has Spring seed stuff. I'm sure they'd have
stuff still on the shelves. But the best bargain if you're frugal is to
hit Lowes (I know about Lowes personally having worked there for a few
years) or Depot when they're at the end of their season and want to get
rid of the seed trays, six packs, 24 packs, expandable coins that expand
when you soak them in water and plant (you can bury them in the ground
and after I cut the sides a bit, the roots push past the little tiny
peat pot and attain impressive sizes).

Any pots you start that will break down in the soils for your square
foot gardens will have to be buried completely. Even the peat pots.
Because if you leave even a little bit sticking out of the ground, the
moisture will wick out faster.

I've done Square foot gardening for decades and it works wonderfully.
(it's also called intensive gardening). And one inch of soil isn't
enough for a 32 ounce cup! I'd go with alternatives. Cheap paper that
WILL break down once buried and bottomed out will work. Once the
seedlings are to size, you could cut slits into the sides to expedite
faster break down and allow the roots to escape, the cup would protect
against cut worms during the early growth periods. as for the
convenience of pouring a "specific amount of water on each plant" being
easier, consider the little micro climate you've made that caused all
sorts of wonderful homes for fungus, molds, disease and bound up roots
(low yields and unhealthy plants which draw bugs to off them quickly,
Nature is amazing).

Try these ideas and get back to us. Keep on Square foot gardening. I
still do. I grow tomato's and radishes and all manner of things in
containers on my deck only because I don't have enough ground on this
steep slope and too many trees to clear to provide a spot for a square
foot garden. I do have, however some self watering boxes a friend gave
me and I have now a spot I can clear out that will provide me over 7
hours of direct sunlight and next spring I'll have for the first time a
place for my veggie garden!! Woo hoo!! Good luck to you, keep us posted.

madgardener up on the ridge, back in Fairy Holler, overlooking English
Mountain in Eastern Tennessee, zone 7, Sunset zone still intensive
gardening after almost 28 years....................