disclaimer: My experience spans all of ONE season of planting seeds. I started out with the peat pots, not terribly expensive,(they seemed like the most likely thing to use, it is afterall what plants I have bought came in)... Later I ran out of the peat pots and went to the dollar store for styrofoam cups, meanwhile I have also re-used plastic containers from other plants and the trays that the 6 pack plastic thingies sit in...I had some with only small slits on the bottom, not the more open criss cross ones... anyway...the plants that were started in the peat pots are noticeably smaller and less developed than the ones transplanted into plastic. I'm convinced if for no other reason :)

I always appreciate low tech solutions to things. When using the deli containers/ clam shells etc. in my greenhouse, they failed miserably because when closed they fill up with water when I am watering everything with the hose. Finally someone pointed to the perfect solution. Use them upside-down. Put the soil and cuttings on the top half and that way the closure is protected from the hose or rain--if being used outdoors. Since the top half is equal in size and depth to the bottom half this solution works perfectly. So low-tech and yet, why didn't I think of it??? ;) Jon

If I'm using re-usable pots, I use cut up mini-blinds. One broken blind will yield tons and tons of markers. I can't do plotting maps to save my life with pots. Stuff gets shuffled around, or repotting gets expanded on... I end up forgetting to make up new maps or screw up marking maps, and... sigh... I use markers because then that way no matter how shuffled the pots get, I always have a marker in the pot. I've used toothpicks with flags in the past, but sometimes those can get knocked about or lost- particularly when I move the pots outside, and a nosy critter decides to check the pots out, lol. Mini-blind markers sink in deep and don't come out. This year I will be using some solo cups to hold my "unwanted" seedlings- I plan on setting up a table at the end of the driveway to sell them off. So for those I will write right on the cup what the kind is.

I've used some of my jiffy trays that are in their 4th year now and holding up fine. I'm always really careful with my trays though- I slide a cookie sheet under them when I want to move them, make sure I never leave them out in the elements for longer than necessary. I also try to move my trays as little as possible. I did pick up a couple extra trays from Menards this year- I wanted a few extra for holding solo cups. They are Planters Pride I think? Or at least the rest of what Menards has is that brand. Anyway, they are for sure much tougher plastic than the jiffy trays. They were 99 cents each, on sale, I think regularly they are 1.99. For some of my "off" plantings, like a couple pots or several toilet paper tubes- I use recycled lettuce containers. They are really sturdy, hold up well for years- and I can use a pair of them for a tray and tall dome when I need to. Sometimes I use those big round clear plastic tubs meant for putting under houseplants as water saucers too if I'm using toilet paper tubes or only doing a few pots of something. I have the deep wall kind that I picked up on clearance from a nursery a year or two ago. Some of the best water through trays I've ever used were bread trays. Those heavy plastic ones that bread gets delivered to the grocery store in. Man, those things were tough as nails, super solid and sturdy, and when I needed to make them a solid tray, I would just line them with a garbage bag and bam. I lost the couple I had a couple moves ago, I should see if I can't get more of those.