I found the plastic egg cartons good for covering other containers (just open them up and tape them on with duct tape) but used by themselves, they are too shallow unless you have lots of time to ensure they don't dry out and you don't mind transplanting the seedlings very early in the process.

I found the best containers were the ones in which you could put 3 inches of soil in. Ice cream containers, margarine containers, 2 litre pop bottles, etc.

In terms of your Endless Summer Hydrangea, well I'm not too sure about the seeds, but you can get more via stem propagation. The stems root so easily that I have 7 more already rooted from a purchase this summer and will be planting them this fall. So easy to do this way that I wouldn't bother with seed.

tiffy_z5_6_can
I would love to learn more about how you rooted your hydrangea! I have an endless summer, and would like more. If there is a way to root a cutting, that would be great.

Can you share what you did?

Thank you
Jenny P

i've had great success with endless summer. you could do the EASIEST one(i think, anyway) and just dig a little trench, roughen the soil a bit, remove a couple leaves where the stem meets the trench, cover with soil and cover with a rock. i use potting soil in the trench just to make things lighter and easier for the stem (or stemS)to root. the ones i layered last fall at this time really weren't that well rooted this spring so i didn't transplant them until recently -- BUT, keep in mind, their actual growth hasn't been hampered in iny way during that time, so i just think it's a fool-proof method. i've also done stem cuttings, but they aren't as fool-proof....but i've had decent success with that too.

Hi claysoil
If you haven't already seen it, the thread 'WS'ing containers' may answer your original question.

Hi Clay
Here are a few pictures of how Yvette taught me to do my two liter pop bottles .. I find they work the best.

I use a sodering iron to melt the plastic but scisors to cut around the bottle.

Start with a clean 2 liter pop bottle

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Melt or cut drain holes in the bottom

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Cut around the bottle leaving enough room on the lower portion for at least 3 inches of soil.

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Moisten your soil to prepare it and fill the bottom portion with at least 3 inches

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Make a pleat in the upper half of the container and staple it to hold the pleat in place .. this makes it easier to put the lid on and off in the spring or for watering.

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Plant your seeds and place the lid back on ... ta da .. its a mini greenhouse!!

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This has to be the best way of doing it IMHO. You can bottom water .. recommended so you dont disturb the seeds. But you have time before you need to transplant as the pop bottle allows for a bit more room than some containers ... plus there are always tons of bottles in you neighbours recycling bins :o) I have yet to have any of my bottles blow over and roll away on me either :o)

Hope this helps
Laura

Hi Laura:
Thanks for your details for using pop bottles. I have a few saved that I intend to try this year for the first time, but from your pics. isn't it difficult getting the seedlings out? Or do you just cut the bottle open to get the seedlings out. I was thinking the best option for using them is either toilet tissue rolls or paper pots in the bottles. Anyone have any experience with this?
Northerner.

Northerner .. I just pop the stapes out and that expands the bottle give the bottle a little squeez and poof .. there are your seedlings :o) Its great if you are doing hunks of seedlings or even one at a time .. I havent lost many doing it this way. It gives the plant more room to grow and a larger root system.

Laura

If you're using the pop bottle, do you leave the cap off? With the drainage holes in the bottle, and the temperature/precipitation outside, do you still leave the cap off the whole time? Or do you start them with the cap on, and start taking the cap off to harden them off later on in the Spring?

Ooops guess I forgot to put that part in :o) Yes you start them without the cap. As the temps rise you can either lift the lid a bit in the morning and pop it back on at night if its going to get too cold ... I usually just leave the whole top off and toss a blanket over them if the temps are going to dip down that much.

What I have found to be great is to start these guys in the bottles and then in the spring move them to the Walmart four shelf mini greenhouse set ups. That way they are off the ground .. easy to water and can just be zipped up on cold evenings. I keep the top half of the bottle on until the seeds germinate and then off it comes .. no lifting 80 + lids every morning and putting them back on :o) I also make sure I have something under them so as to bottom water them. When all risk of frost is gone .. and I feel comfortable with the weather I just pull the whole cover off. By this time the babies are hardened off with little incident. Occassionally I will give the tops a good misting but all in all I really dont do too much to my babies.

Laura

Here is a pic of my Canadian Tire seasonal greenhouse that I set up on my deck to give my dormant brugs a boost in the spring .. but beside it is a small four shelf unit

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