I held a Cow Pot co-op that was successful, to put it mildly. Now I was hoping everyone who ordered them could report back to see how well they did for everyone, and I didn't feel that should be in the Co-op forum so I put it here.
How do you like your Cow Pots?
I am going to experiment with one of mine and see how wet they can be before falling apart. I have tried those biodegradeable ones before and as soon as I water the plant it turns to mush and can't be handled at all.. the first watering in mine last night and they are just as sturdy as before I used them.
Tammie
I haven't even opened mine LOL. I plan to use them for my caladiums from the caladium co-op so they won't be too wet and I won't need them until April :) I got 25 though and have 40 caladium bulbs coming so I thought it would be a good test to compare to what they do in cowpots vs. plastic pots.
I know I was a believer because I used them last year... can't say enough about them... but here are some photos
lupines
So for I've only potted up basil in mine. I have peppers and tomatoes getting ready. Here's the basil I repotted on 2/28.
Some I repotted yesterday. They will probably do as well as the first.
DH used them for his tomatoes. He put them in a boot tray with some water because the greenhouse has been getting warm. The bottoms are remaining intact despite constant exposure to water. I am watching for root penetration. He'll be potting up some of these into gallon plastic pots, so I'll also be able to let you know how they decompose in soil.
I bottom watered last year and this year... no problems with them at all
more tomatoes
figured you guys might like to see this... lupine roots from the tiny babies
keep in mind I bottom water... and the pots are slightly breaking down and leaving a brown residue in the bottom of the trays... still holding together though
I bet that brown residue would be good to water your other plants with?
sounds about right... compost tea or sludge
:)
Thanks for your pictures you all I was wondering how they would hold up if you set them down in water :) I need to get my lupines started LOL Those look good! It just reminded me.
onewish1.. how long have you been bottom watering before they started breaking down. Anything over 1 day is amazing to me!
Tammie
I started those seeds feb 10th... germinated somewhere around 2 weeks after... been bottom watering since then
I have all mine planted and believe me, I won't use peat again....for one thing the peat bogs are being depleted so going to this or coir is better for the planet....I just love the feel of them, more flexible or natural feeling to me than the stiff peat ones....I will gladly participate in any co-op in the future and will order double at least of what I ordered.....Thank you for introducing me to these fellas...Deb
I LOVE my pots! I have rooted plumeria cuttings in the past, only to break the roots off when repotting.. I am going to first place them into these pots to root... even if I have to put them into another pot for stability.. they are rooted fairly dry so these will hold up long enough for them to root well so when I up pot them,,,... I will not break off the roots.. just pull the pot out and move to the larger pot... if I break any roots, they will be the longer ones growing outside the pots and not the main roots coming from the cutting... you can't imagine how many cuttings I have killed by breaking those roots.. they are soooo brittle. I have my brug cuttings in these now and am also bottom watering... so nice not to have them falling apart!
let them dry out a bit before moving and you will be good to go... I am actually thinking of putting in a second order if it isn't too late for next year... who ever told me to order whole cases was right
never said i was perfect
Yup, I'm kicking myself for not getting a whole case, too....I'll know next year....Deb
Hi all , I d-m Zarebeth to let her know about this offer on cow pots. I called Roger and planning on ordering a case, he said he will run the offer for a month. He's a real nice guy and I can't wait to get my cow pots : )
Happy spring to you all and Happy Easter coming up.
woo hoo... that's good news... thank you
I am back, and that was great of you to talk to Roger about extending the offer. The stuff I transplanted is going like gangbusters! I shoulda got a couple of cases myself, and I am glad it isn't too late.
Sorry, I wasn't in on the coop, but what do I need to do to get in on the special offer? Thanks, Jennifer
Jennifer, try this:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/811970/
: ) Thanks!
I got a case of 4" on the co-op. I'm going to call and get a case of 3". I love them.
Here's one way I'm using them. I have plastic bags (3"x5"x15"h) that I bought for winter sowing. The 4" pots fit in them just perfectly. Also, if you're a fan of the soil wafers (the compressed ones that expand when you add water), one of them just fills a 4" pot. So for plants I know will be fairly large before time to set them out, I sow them in the 4" pot. (I add 1/2 teaspoon of H2O2 to the water when I expand the soil wafer). Place the pot in the bag, fill with the expanded soil, plant the seeds, staple the top of the bag shut. It's like a mini greenhouse. Can be placed on a heat mat if seeds need extra warmth.
continued ;0)
then, when your seeds germinate, cut off the top of the bag so the plants get air circulation and don't mold. cut holes in the bottom of the bag so you can bottom water. you could probably remove the bag. I left them on because I thought it would keep the pot together, but from what everybody has reported, I don't think they would fall apart anyway.
here's a pic of 4 Texas red star hibiscus seedlings in a 4" pot
~ jan
Jan -- super nifty idea. you da woMAN LOL.. sorry couldnt resist.
Im gonna have to get me some of those bags... can't see me needing a 1000, but maybe we could get some peeps to split an order.
now i gotta get cow pots too. UGgggg ...
onewish1 -- i LOVE your labels!! you use your printer to make the tags, right [well, it's obvious] but what are the sticker part? and I think i've seen the plastic part [the actual markers] at wallyworld .... but then you reuse them every year??
Terese
ps -- LeBug ... thanks for pointing me to this thread.
I have been bottom watering mine for 2 weeks and they are just as good today as the day I planted my cuttings in the.. these things are terriffic!
Tammie
thanks, Terese. I also used some of them, set up the same way, for wintersowing some things. I've already used over 200 of the 1,000 bags. Probably won't use that many every year, but I may yet find other uses for them.
onewish, I'd like to know about your labels, too. they're neat! and can you use them outside, too?? I'm cutting up plastic takeout container lids because I ran out. It's free, but a total pain.
~ jan
Jan -- i have to admit... i have NO labels yet. **hangs head**
just my jugs are numbered.... that's it. I'll have to get something going before i plant out.
where do you get the bags?
What I use for labels is strips I cut from plastic milk cartons....they are rigid enough to push into the soil, easy to cut with scissors & I use a magic marker & they are free.....Deb PS: they don't look as professional as your's do, Onewish1, your's are really nice looking.....
tcs1366 I just got # to on containers , so your not alone. I been using mini blinds to label my plants inside, a little rough but they'll do untill I get some of those cool labels onewish1 is using.
I got one foot out the door ready to go to town and just hoping she will pop on and share. I hope I can get them at wally world or maybe Office Depot.
Oh dang hubbys haller'in, gotta go, have to check on those tags latter
Happy cow pot filling : )
I just put numbers on my jugs too the top and the bottom but when I transplant if I don't put them in the ground and just pot them up I use the plastic labels and write on them with a #2 pencil then at the end of the summer I have all of my plastic labels that I didn't plant with the plant and erase the pencil and start all over again using the same labels on next years plants, I used to buy a box of like 1000 labels that last forever that was about 4 or 5 yrs. ago now it's time to get more and they have went up at least $10, I think I got a box of 1000 for $20 and it seems like they are $30 now or a little more, everything is getting so darn high, everything! LOL The milk jug labels sound good Depsi :)
I don't use the mini blinds for labels in my jugs anymore I found the paint pens that they had a coop on last year will last all summer on my jugs.
Tammie -- i found the link to Jan's bags http://www.uline.com/ProductDetail.asp?model=S-8445&ref=160
here is the thread it came from... WS containers http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/809636/
she's got a pretty nifty set up.
Terese I bought this..... just this year.... so far it's great but the labels are kind of expensive... i have tried so many ways to keep the ink on those labels... the cheapest way i found was to put regular clear tape over the sharpie marker... but my hand writing stinks and it's hard for me to read my own writing on those small labels sometimes.... last year I hardened off my plants and every single marker .... the ink wore off.... i was about to cry ... i had all these plans for planting my annuals in height order .... not after that.... most were just thrown in a hole and pray the little ones weren't hidden by tall ones... of course it did not work out that way... i was on a mission for that not to happen again... once everything is planted I plan on collecting those markers and reusing them next year... but i have had one of those outside for 3 months now (just one i made up and parked outside) in the rain, snow and sun it hasn't faded one bit.... love it so far... other than the tapes run out fast... there is a lot of waste when you print them and can not control the excess... they are flipped over the back and come out about twice the size as needed... but i am happy i will be able to read what's on there this year
machine
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000X0XW2U
tapes
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001Y7PIA
Jan and Onewish - nice pics.
Jan, I especially like your cow pot greenhouses!
Just in case anybody wants to get fancy and look for other colors of tape besides the ones Onewish uses, do NOT buy the black writing on silver tape. It doesn't hold up in the garden for even 2 months before fading to nothing ness. I thought it would look good on my silver-gray colored Eon markers, and it did, until the writing faded. I think you can use Scotch tape over all, but I got disgusted by the sheer amount of wasted tape and the cost of the tape and gave the whole kit and kaboodle to a friend who wanted to label her shoeboxes (filled with shoes :)) She gave up on the typing part and used photos instead, so it looks like I'll have it back again.
I've been using an inexhaustible supply of white vinyl cut from cottage cheese containers, yogurt containers and butter tubs. (Yes, I guess we really do eat that much dairy!!!) I cut the strips, but the reason I like them better than mini blinds is because of the little roll at the top. It makes it easier for me to grab the tag. I dunno, I just got used to using them years ago, and still do. I write on them with a paint pen, an unltra thin one, so I can add color & height to the name.
Suzy
