You have a wide choice of containers if you want to grow your own seedlings, and they all have pros and cons. Here’s some info so you can make an educated choice:
Container type | Pros | Cons |
Plastic flats with inserts and lids | Easily available
No mess, easy to use Can be washed and re-used with care Can eventually be recycled Square units make the best use of tray space under lights |
More unnecessary plastic in the world
Cheap ones can be flimsy and not reusable |
recycled plastic eg yogurt pots | Free A good use for plastic pots before you recycle them |
Must poke drainage hole in the bottom of each pot Sizes are not optimal Shapes and sizes vary, don’t make good use of space |
recycled styrofoam cups | Free A good use for old cups Insulates root ball |
Must poke drainage hole in the bottom of each pot Hard to clean after use, hard to recycle or re-use |
cardboard tubes eg TP, paper towels | Free Good for seeds with long taproots Tall and narrow to fit plenty of plants in a small space Can be planted “pot and all” so good for plants which don’t like roots disturbed |
Tend to go moldy if they sit around damp for a long time Must plant carefully – wet thoroughly and rip off rim so it does not show above ground Don’t stack, so space-consuming to store |
Newspaper pots | Free Can be made with or without a commercial “potmaker” |
Time-consuming to make Tend to go moldy if they sit around damp for a long time Must plant carefully – wet thoroughly and rip off rim so it does not show above ground |
Advanced commercial plastic container setups | More sturdy than basic plastic inserts Can be self-watering and have other advantages |
Expensive – sometimes VERY expensive Even more plastic in the world. Styrofoam ones can be impossible to recycle |
Peat pots | Recommended for plants which don’t like their roots disturbed Breaks down in soil Very widely available |
Peat extraction is environmentally questionable, and alternatives exist. Must plant carefully – wet thoroughly and rip off rim so it does not show above ground |
Coir pots | Recommended for plants which don’t like their roots disturbed Breaks down in soil |
More expensive than peat Must plant carefully – wet thoroughly and rip off rim so it does not show above ground Material comes from far, far away |
Cow manure pots | Recommended for plants which don’t like their roots disturbed Completely disintegrates in soil North American product |
More expensive than peat or coir Must plant carefully – wet thoroughly and rip off rim so it does not show above ground |
Jiffy peat pellets | Recommended for plants which don’t like their roots disturbed | Peat extraction is environmentally questionable, and alternatives exist. Leaves netting behind in the soil May contain non-organic fertilisers Very little space for roots |
Coir pellets | Recommended for plants which don’t like their roots disturbed | Material comes from far, far away Leaves netting behind in the soil |
soil blocks | Recommended for plants which don’t like their roots disturbed No actual container at all Conserves space in trays and under lights Small blocks fit neatly into spaces in larger blocks for “potting on” |
Soil blocker to make the blocks is fairly expensive (but a one-time expense) Needs suitable soil mix Takes practice to make good blocks Some plants don’t like the compacted soil in the blocks |
Personally, I use a mix of basic plastic inserts I already own (re-used many times over, then recycled) and soil blocks. Both go in plastic trays I have had for years, mended when they start to leak, and eventually recycled when they fall apart completely. I plan to build wood trays from salvaged cedar when I run out of plastic trays. For clear lids, I use a mix of clear plastic purpose-made lids, and reused sheets of clear plastic from old 1970’s illuminated ceilings.