6 Cell Plant Trays - Biodegradable CowPots

These eco-friendly 6 cell plant trays are a natural, biodegradable alternative to plastic and peat. Made from cow manure, the plant trays enrich the soil as they break down and allow roots to grow through the porous sidewalls. The CowPots^® biodegradable 6 cell plant tray is designed to be planted directly into the soil which has four significant benefits to growers:

1. The porous plant tray walls allow roots to grow by eliminating transplant shock
2. Soil is enriched as the plant cells break down
3. Labor savings not having to remove plants to transplant
4. Zero waste – no plastic trays or trash to pick up and haul away.

Applicable Plants for the Eco-Friendly 6 Cell Plant Tray

Veggies with a quick turnaround prior to transplanting and spring flowering annuals are a perfect fit:

• Lettuce
• Peppers
• Eggplant
• Tomato
• Hot Pepper
• Cilantro
• Cucumbers
• Squash
• Pumpkins
• Marigolds

How To Grow in 6 Cell Biodegradable Plant Trays

Here are a few hints and growing suggestions to get the most out of your Biodegradable Plant Trays and be on your way to a sustainable growing operation.

• Sow or Transplant Seeds directly into the Biodegradable Plant Trays
• Water (top or bottom watered) and fertilize your seeds and plants as you would in any other plant pot
  • Manure naturally retains moisture, so less watering will be possible. You will want to give the pot time to harden between watering. (dark brown color when pot is wet; light brown color time to water)
  • Pot performance and plant health improve with a little space left between pots for maximum air circulation
  • Biodegradable Plant Pots are fragile while wet, so handle when the pot is dry
• Plant the individual Biodegradable Plant Cells directly into the soil when seedlings are ready for planting. Cover the entire cell with soil and then water

Decomposition of Biodegradable Plant Trays

Break down will begin within weeks of transplanting into the soil. As long as they are completely buried when planted, they should almost be completely decomposed by the end of the growing season. Factors that affect the rate of decomposition include moisture and bioactivity in your soil. Sandy soils and soils with few microorganisms typically display slower rates of decomposition. But not to worry. Roots will still grow through the biodegradable pot walls even if not completely decomposed. If you would like to enrich your soils to improve plant growth as well as increase the rate of decomposition, try applying our microbial root inoculant.

CowPots^® Container Choices

We carry a full line of Biodegradable CowPots^® in different shapes and sizes (always available to discuss custom size requirements and prototyping) including:

3” Square Biodegradable CowPots™ – 12 cu in volume
3” Round Biodegradable Plant Pots – 16 cu in volume
4” Square Wholesale Biodegradable Pots – ½ quart volume
4” Round Tall Peat Pot Alternatives – 5/6 quart volume
4” Square Tall Zero Plant Waste Pots – ¾ quart volume
5” Round Cow Poop Pots – ¼ gallon volume
5” Square Cow Dung Pots – 1/3 gallon volume
6” Square Large Biodegradable Pots – ½ gallon volume
6” Round Wholesale Bulk CowPots™ – 1/3 gallon volume
7” Square Bulk Biodegradable Pots – ¾ gallon volume
12” Square Large Biodegradable Pots – 2.2 gallon volume

How long will the Wholesale Biodegradable Pots last? CowPots™ are formed to last up to 3 months above ground in greenhouse growing conditions. Once planted, they will begin to break down completely in the soil.

Do I need to prep the Wholesale Biodegradable Pots before transplanting them into the soil? No.

Do the Cow Pots smell?  Ha!  Nope.

Is special soil or grow media required?  Nope.  Just fill your Biodegradable CowPots with good quality, sterile potting soil for seed starting.

How do I handle the CowPots?  Recently watered CowPots (noted by their dark brown color) will easily tear if you lift by the ‘lip’.  Using a tray makes it much easier to move wet cow manure pots.  When dry (light brown color) the plant pots are sturdy.

Is fertilizer needed?  Yes.  CowPots do not take the place of fertilizers.  Follow your normal feeding protocol.

How do the individual cells come apart?  They are VERY EASY to simply pull apart from one another.  Then each biodegradable cell is ready to be planted directly into the soil.