I have been practicing the double cup method for several years. What i have learned to do is, the outer cup is a red solo cup and the inside one is a clear one. This way i can monitor the root growth and then get an idea as to when to move to a larger cup system. Plastic yogurt containers are a great size for growing in soil, although using these, the inner cup is opaque. I can still lift up the inner one and add my nutrients into the lower one and the soil will wick up the nutrient solution as it wants to.
What are your thoughts on this? I’ve seen people doing the opposite with outer cup clear to monitor water levels and if roots start coming through (next level gardening) TH-camr.
Excellent video Brandon - what you just passed on to new growers is priceless, as this knowledge is typically only be gained through time and experience - an asset video to TH-cam IMO.
Thank you Marc, I appreciate the kind words! I’m relatively new to growing and I’ve been learning from both TH-cam and personal experience. A huge chunk came from TH-cam and I want to pass on any information that I can as I learn for myself!
What a quality video, wow spot on. I started with double cup and shifted to Mason jar kratky. I am growing them in my balcony making shoots slowly creep up around the railings for support. The cons of double cup method can be overcome by just slightly bumping up the budget. A little extra room for roots in Mason jar exponentially increases plant size and growth.
Hey thanks!!! I completely agree! I’ve used so many different things for kratky! Baby formula containers, coffee containers, water bottles, mason jars, dollar store containers, all sorts of things! I’m actually about to transfer about 9 plants over to a micro kratky system for a crossing project I’m working on! Super cost efficient way to grow plants healthy and quickly, that’s for sure! Thank you for watching!!
You can cut down on work by making a small kratky system for the seedlings to plantlet stage. Which, you can either stick with the solo cups (single) or actual net cups (3" recommended). Get a more shallow opaque plastic tub, ideally with a lid (or you have to make one). Cut holes in the lid for your solo cups or net cups. Plan it so you can have 6 / 8 / 10 net cups in the container. Therefore, you will only be topping up hydro nutrients about weekly. There are plenty of videos on the kratky method on YT.
Last year I did all my peppers in double cup and it was pretty time consuming but this year I only put my chinense in double cups and everything else went into regular containers. Seemed to work pretty well.
I’m going to do something similar next season I think! Like... I just did yard work for 3 hours and now I have to go feed all my peppers. So time consuming! I’m glad I’m not the only one!
Put a small rock in the bottom of cup I believe Starr mentioned that in one of his videos one gives a little extra room for nutrients and it also helps to keep top heavy plants for tipping over or I run self drip watering at the same time seems to help
I’ve tried the rock method but it doesn’t seem to give as much room as doing a square cup inside of a round cup. BUT the not tipping over part is nice 😂
Additional con: heat retention. I start seeds indoors before moving them to the outdoor garden beds. During the hardening off process the outer cup wasn't allowing excess heat to escape. I lost one seedling before I figured out what was going on. The other 2 got up potted to one gallon pots sooner than I would do it normally, and they were able to recover from it.
I don't use this method because a) It costs more than using one cup per plant b) I use a tray instead so I can bottom water all plants in one go. I just use single cup. I'm kinda old school when it comes to gardening, with not much desire to grow in greenhouses or hydroponics - we already have enough of that in agriculture producing crappy tomatoes with no flavour. Good video Brandon.
It isn't the method that's producing bad fruit. A grower should know better than that. Take quality seed and put it into Hydro and it will taste just fine if grown and fed properly. Use some kinda hybrid or something bred for transport and shelf vitality it's another story. I grow both ways and both are great in their own respects. Hard to beat Hydro Lettuce. Delicious and fast.
Great video! Your so right about budgeting your time and space. When you get better as a gardener, on germination, proper lighting and nutrition, you sometimes need to delay your starts by a week or two, especially when your dealing with hard frosts.
@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead I only do bottom watering with my seedling trays. Although not a true flood type of irrigation, I generally will prepare either my water and or my nutrient solution ahead of time. One of my biggest learning curves when watering and or feeding was making absolutely sure I warm the water/solution. This really cuts down on shocking the plants and 'dampening off' especially seedlings. My water temps are around 20/25C or 70/80F. My water pH hovers around 6.7 which is a blessing that I don't have to adjust it. One of the most overlooked aspects of gardening indoors or propagation is water quality. I also never use the hot water tap from the house as it is softened water. Always heating my water with an electric kettle and then check the temperature with a digital meat thermometer. Cheers and can't wait for your next video.
So happy I saw this. Started a few seeds super early just for fun. Planned on using the double cup method, and then transplanting them outside... Seeing how it's November I will be just doing straight soil. When I start my seeds in Feb for the summer season I'll use the double cup to get them along faster . Thanx for the advice
I live in 6B. I may end up planting some of my super hots a bit earlier in January or so, but who knows. I have a habit of jumping the gun and planting way too early sometimes 😂
TH-cam's Algorithm is Clutch yet again... I've got sixty pepper seedlings I grew after being challenged by my brother. You and answered a lot of questions I had, and the one root-bound specimen was really cool. It seems like it'll be best to ultimately plant them in the yard. However, you've shown me how practical it may be to double cup lettuce.
@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead Hey. My name is Elena. I am just considering growing my first anything, so thanks much for this video. You showed some really nice looking plants. I was thinking about growing microgreens with the double cup method. What do you think?
Thank you for this honest video. It was exactly what I was looking for giving me all the beginners info I need. I will be subscribing and looking at more of your videos,keep up the great work
Enoc D hey thank you, I appreciate it! Even with the cons, i still use it! I currently have about 20 plants in cups, but they are all being moved into fabric pots next week!
@@helensimpson7035 Glad I could help. Be careful not to overwater. That is a common mistake although you can easily catch it with the solo cup method by simply checking the water in the whole cup periodically and notice if it is getting a sour smell. That indicates an anerobic condition and you should let the plant root dry out a bit.
Great video, thank you for the information. This is my first year growing, I have 3 varieties. At first I planned on using the double cup method but ended up not doing it because using small plastic flowerpot was much easier for me. When getting plastic cups you must get a lot of them, like 50-100, but with the flower pots I could just get the 3 I needed. They are wider than cups and hold more soil so they are less likely to tip over. I don't really have an opinion on the double cup method because I am yet to try it, but I can say that so far (a week and a half after sowing seeds) just sowing in soil and letting it sprout in little flowerpots works great, even if you don't have a growing tent, heating mats and special lighting (I give it 15-60 minutes of direct sunlight depending on temperature, then move it to a shaded area. At night I bring it back inside so it won't get too cold) I will update this comment as my growing progresses and I might try double cups next season, if I don't get too lazy.
Definitely update me on how you do! Soil is a great way to go, especially if you use a good soil! It’s a lot less work as well! What varieties are you growing?
@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead Biquinhos, Aji Pineapple and Purple Cayenne. Once I get my spice tolerance up I'll grow hotter stuff, eventually I want to have some super hots 😁
Looks like a great start to me!! I have an Aji pineapple as well, I’m going to do some sauces with it I think! Super hots are fun for sure but they are definitely pretty wild and can be scary for sure.
I have watched this and several other double cup methods it is interesting , but I do at least 50ish cups and Im not going that route., but I am for the first time trying the method with starting the seed in the solo cups as opposed to the seedling trays , which talk about time consuming when a person needs to transplant. So Im starting the cups with about 2 inches of soil and add as the tomato plants grow.
It gets hyped up a lot and for good reason, you just can’t get carried away haha! I’m sure anyone who grows a decent amount of plants are on the same page as we are! Thanks for watching!
Next I’m only doing 50 plants tops as this year I’m at 100 in all solos as it’s every day watering for a hour. Next season I’m using 1gallon pots on 25 out of 50
That’s kind of how I’m feeling as well. I have like 12 in 1 gallon grow bags and I’m loving them! Either that or I will do small pots and grow the same amount... just in a way that is easy to water.
Double cup method can definitely be a pain when it comes to watering and feeding.. My peppers saving grace is since I'm single I get to keep mine in my bedroom, so I can look them over quickly as I dress for work in the a.m. each day
And I’m the exact opposite haha! I have a wife and two kids under 2! My wife and I both work full time but different schedules so if I’m not working I have both kids. On top of that my plants are in a corner in the basement 😂. I spend a lot of tired nights down there just kind of winding down and taking care of the plants. Thank you for watching!
Thank you for the videos, i always enjoy seeing some pepper plants! I hear ya man, my buddy works nights and his wife works days at the daycare their 2 children attend.. if she didnt start her plants in the basement next too the laundry room, I doubt she'd have the time to check on them..
Yep! At least she’s still doing it though! It’s a nice escape sometimes at the end of the day. The whole reason I got into it was because I needed something to get away and do while still being home. This was my solution and it’s been a great one!
You aren’t wrong. When I first started growing I loved it because I could grow mini versions of the plants, but as I got more involved it was just too much to keep up with. Now I do everything in 1020 trays and bottom water. Watering 15 plants at once is much easier than one at a time 😂
The root bound was my biggest issue this year. 28 varieties and they don't all grow at the same rate. But I feel that after this year I know which varieties I can start later.
Brandon Whitepepper yeah it again has its pros and cons! Algae being the main one. I recommend using a black tub to keep the light out. Also have to make sure there’s a gap between the bottom of the cup and the water level. Still a basic kratky method. I have thought about putting an oxygen pump inside the tub though. Once there’s 15 large plants in there the amount they drink is crazy! Last year I was putting about 20 litres in per week! I find then also because the roots don’t tend to circle around they are much easier the remove, even though they can be 2 foot long! I’m just starting the new seeds here in Australia now so I’ll use it again this season. I used plywood with holes and placed on top of the tub. (The plastic tub lid doesn’t take the weight)
Brandon Whitepepper oh and I almost forgot, if you’re growing in the colder months, make sure you use an aquarium heater! Keeps that water nice and warm, plants love it!
Hey thanks! Right now I’m indoors only but next year I will have my outdoor stuff! Definitely would go black tub for sure! Good luck, I hope your grow continues to do well!
So I've never done double cup but if the bottom cup is the same in all do a triple cup method. Make another set of bottom cups and pour your shots. Now you can fill them up in a central location. Use a shipping flats small pots holder you can get at big box store they throw away. Maybe even just leave them in the holder. Just pop your pack of plants into the new set of bottoms. ... just switch out your empty cups with the new cups. You might lose out on the last of the nutrients at the bottom of the old cup but just throw those out. It shouldn't be worth more than 20 minutes in lost time daily. After awhile the roots would be thirsty enough to drink it all up so maybe it just happens for a couple days until they get bigger roots to mop it up to empty
To everyone trying to find some marbles or rocks or whatever else to aid in making a proper void between the 2 cups, I think there's a much simpler way to go about accomplishing this. There's countless brands of these cups. They're not a uniform size. Go to different stores if you have to. Buy different brands. Point being, there's plenty of combinations you can put together where one brand's cup only fits so far down into another, leaving you with a perfect amount of space for the roots to grow. One more thing, who cares if you have to sacrifice a few cups by cutting out the bottom in order to save some precious roots come planting time. I mean, sure cups aren't exactly cheap these days but they don't cost THAT much, right? Just buy some more next season. No big deal.
Great video. You inspired me to try this method. If I could pick your brain for a minute: what should I do if my plant is a decent size (not as big as yours) but there are barely any roots coming out from the bottom? Should I transplant? I really want to experiment to get them to fruit in the cup like you did. I’m using the flora series like you are. Do all your plants get that big in the cup? I thought plants start to flower at a small size if they are in a small container.
If they are in the cup right now, leave them there! Make sure your holes on the bottom are big enough, and those roots will definitely get bigger. It took quite a while for my roots to build up like they did. As soon as the plant is somewhat root bound, it will start pushing out flowers like crazy, especially if you’re using the flora series. Let those roots get established for a little while longer and you should start seeing a lot more flowering!
Cheaper? I was wondering this a couple of days ago and checked. I found some plastic pots, five holes, similar size to Solo cups on Amazon. Then checked the Solo cups on the grocery website. Per cup, the Amazon plastic pots were 19% cheaper. Surprised me. Grocery store prices will vary by location, but for me, at least Amazon was cheaper. Did not check the Amazon price for Solo, though. Hmm
Thanks for sharing. Have you tried putting holes on the outside cup where your desired water level be and just dip every plant in double cups in a shallow container without removing the inner cup and let the water flood the inside through the holes and move them back. Let me know. Thank you!
I have not, but that is seriously an amazing idea! It took me a second to picture what you were talking about but the second it clicked I got excited about double cups again haha! Definitely a good one!
I’ve tried other things. The double cup method seems good cause you don’t transplant a ton. Using small seed starter trays seems like a lot of work compared to the double cup method. But maybe you do hydroponics or aeroponics and it takes less time. My thing is I could look into that but I plan on growing in soil in a garden snd I don’t have room to do any hydroponics even if I wanted to really.
Hi Brendon, love your work. When using the double cup method, how much nutrients should be in the bottom cup? Should the top cup be continuously sitting in nutrients? Thanks
The soil is just a basic potting mix from Lowe’s but I added some more pearlite for drainage when the roots weren’t reaching the bottom. When I do my outdoor stuff I’m going to get some better higher end soil and mix it with some compost and pearlite I think. I haven’t fully decided yet!
I’ll grow superhots in double cups since they take forever and could use nutrients while they harden out for outdoors. Everything else is grown in trays or cups in mass then thrown outside into their homes.
This year is my first year with trays! I have 50 varieties in cups at the moment waiting to germinate. Once they sprout they will move to 4.5in deep squares in trays. This year with upwards of 200 plants I didn’t want to deal with watering each one individually 😂.
Double cup is completely unnecessary. Its a rather byzantine approach to rectify issues that don't ever have to be issues in the first place. If new growers focused on soil, container size and adequate indoor lighting, they wouldn't need to do a lot of the hyped up methods and waste their time. Double cup is essentially an even smaller, more unnecessary kratky technique. It will never beat or outpace a good living, airy, perfectly balanced soil mix, plenty of of root space and lighting. It does have its benefits when it comes to space issues most indoor growers experience. Thats about the scope of it though. Thanks for your honest assessment!
@@thedestroyer3879 if you define fun by creating an unnecessary obstacle to overcome in your propagation method, sure. If you want roots growing out the bottom of your container, and you want to bottom feed, simply plant them in solid 1020trays with 3.5" deep version nursery pots and rigid inserts. A tray of 18 seedlings can be watered in about 5 seconds, bottom if you wish. Where as 18 double cups would take minutes at best, are more cumbersome to deal with, etc. If we are merely looking at this from an efficiency perspective, trays are objectively more effective and efficient. Does double cup have it's practical application? Sure. But not once you move beyond propagating more than a handful in your window sill. The ROI isn't there. No matter how bored you are.
@@PepperGuru roi seriously? Yes its cumbersome and i is not effective if you plant 20 or 30 but its a fun project to do with kids, test nutrients,and if you want to have a small pepper plant at you desk. Is it effective for a business standpoint? No, can someone make it fun yes.its all about perspective it can be ROI positive or negative depending on the use
@@thedestroyer3879 For sure. I've even grown in a sea shell before, so I get it. Novelty has its place in settings, no one is disputing that. This is a video on pros vs cons of the method. I gave input, that's all.
Thanks for this. Have you tried 3.5" pots in a 1020 tray and just bottom feeding into the tray? I have a little over a hundred plants right now. Going to try the double cup at the next year but I can't imagine feeding each one individually
I tried a bunch of those Amazon small trays to grow seedlings, but found them to be so akward to use and limited, so was thinking the cup method. Would you say that's the way or a better way? Say in a cup and put 6 or so cups in a tray that can hold water an nutrients?
Once the plant is of size, would it be possible to take a shallow bin, add a flat piece if floral foam as as spacer, set cup on top and fill tote with nutrients mimicking the 2nd cup, but not quite kratky?
Absolutely you could. Last season I had a plant get way too big in a double cup so I ended up just cutting a hole in the top of a coffee container and turning it into a krakty setup with a solo cup. I’ve actually had quite a few questions surrounding it so I think I might do a video of it once my new plants get a bit bigger!
What if you put one hole in the the bottom and have them in a 1020 tray to just pour nutes into the 1020 tray and fill the bottom cup? I never knew this was why people did double cup method
Once the roots are fully established through the bottom you should almost never have to water from the top. I probably gave it a small amount once a month or so from the top, but primarily I was just adding it into the bottom!
Normally if you make the holes big enough the roots will slide up and put with the plant! A time or two in some that I had, I did have to cut the cup with scissors to get it loose, but not the plant. Hope this helps!
I’ve definitely done it. I’ve had a lot of harvest out of my solo cups before when I’m limited on space! Just make sure they get plenty of nutrients and you’re good to go! Plants won’t get huge in the cups by any means, but you can keep them plenty healthy!
I’m sorry! Are you able to find something else to use in place of the red cups? I would love to see what other people use in different parts of the world!
Soil shouldn’t sit in water. Search double cup method with wicking as this keeps the soil out of the water whilst still delivering needed moisture to the growing plant.
Did you top off the nutrients every day? Or did you let the nutrients run out before you fill it back up? Im growing some pepper and basil and trying this method.
With double cup I was letting them dry up before re filling, but a lot of my plants that meant I was filling them every day! Depends on the size of your plant and how much it consumes!
I’m not totally sure. I went to Walmart and I got the cheap brand and the solo brand. The cheap brand is a bit smaller so I put the bigger cup into the smaller cup in order to have a bigger reservoir on the bottom
For most plants it was daily. I would add the nutrients to the bottom cup and wait for it to completely dry up before adding again. Once the plants got any decent size it was a daily thing. I kept 1 gallon jugs full of pre mixed nutrients. I ended up getting one of those fertilizer pumps with the spray nozzle and used that to add nutrients and it sped the process up quite a bit!
It’s funny you ask haha. I haven’t seen this shirt since shortly after the video and I really liked it. It was a gift from a friend. Literally two days ago I saw someone wearing the same shirt at a gas station and almost stopped to ask where they got it 😂. I feel like I’ve seen it at Kohl’s but I. Oils he completely wrong!
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So what I am hearing is, cons, they work to good, plants growing too fast, can't keep up with the growth. Doesn't Sounds like cons to me.
You definitely can! I did it a couple times but didn’t care for how the cup looked and I’m just nit picky haha. But absolutely you can do it and it works great!
Here is the link for the exact ones that I use! General Hydroponics Flora Grow, Bloom, Micro Combo Fertilizer set, 1 Quart (Pack of 3) www.amazon.com/dp/B017H73708/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_wfQlFbPGFC4CK
Duuuuuude how was I not even subbed to you?!?! Did I get you and the other double a confused? Either way I am now with the bell! After yard work I will binge haha! I can’t believe I did that!
![[TH] VALORANT Champions Seoul - Grand Final - EDG vs TH](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/WvObMc9VelI/mqdefault.jpg)
For those of you asking what nutrients I use when doing hydroponics or double cups, this is what I use.
amzn.to/3ox13KH
I have been practicing the double cup method for several years. What i have learned to do is, the outer cup is a red solo cup and the inside one is a clear one. This way i can monitor the root growth and then get an idea as to when to move to a larger cup system. Plastic yogurt containers are a great size for growing in soil, although using these, the inner cup is opaque. I can still lift up the inner one and add my nutrients into the lower one and the soil will wick up the nutrient solution as it wants to.
What are your thoughts on this? I’ve seen people doing the opposite with outer cup clear to monitor water levels and if roots start coming through (next level gardening) TH-camr.
@@innerjoninner is more important duh it's in your name
Excellent video Brandon - what you just passed on to new growers is priceless, as this knowledge is typically only be gained through time and experience - an asset video to TH-cam IMO.
Thank you Marc, I appreciate the kind words! I’m relatively new to growing and I’ve been learning from both TH-cam and personal experience. A huge chunk came from TH-cam and I want to pass on any information that I can as I learn for myself!
What a quality video, wow spot on. I started with double cup and shifted to Mason jar kratky. I am growing them in my balcony making shoots slowly creep up around the railings for support. The cons of double cup method can be overcome by just slightly bumping up the budget. A little extra room for roots in Mason jar exponentially increases plant size and growth.
Hey thanks!!!
I completely agree! I’ve used so many different things for kratky! Baby formula containers, coffee containers, water bottles, mason jars, dollar store containers, all sorts of things! I’m actually about to transfer about 9 plants over to a micro kratky system for a crossing project I’m working on! Super cost efficient way to grow plants healthy and quickly, that’s for sure! Thank you for watching!!
You can cut down on work by making a small kratky system for the seedlings to plantlet stage. Which, you can either stick with the solo cups (single) or actual net cups (3" recommended). Get a more shallow opaque plastic tub, ideally with a lid (or you have to make one). Cut holes in the lid for your solo cups or net cups. Plan it so you can have 6 / 8 / 10 net cups in the container. Therefore, you will only be topping up hydro nutrients about weekly. There are plenty of videos on the kratky method on YT.
Last year I did all my peppers in double cup and it was pretty time consuming but this year I only put my chinense in double cups and everything else went into regular containers. Seemed to work pretty well.
I’m going to do something similar next season I think! Like... I just did yard work for 3 hours and now I have to go feed all my peppers. So time consuming! I’m glad I’m not the only one!
Put a small rock in the bottom of cup I believe Starr mentioned that in one of his videos one gives a little extra room for nutrients and it also helps to keep top heavy plants for tipping over or I run self drip watering at the same time seems to help
I’ve tried the rock method but it doesn’t seem to give as much room as doing a square cup inside of a round cup. BUT the not tipping over part is nice 😂
I use wood chips, seems to be working well, can use wood chips as growing medium too and its easy to get water levels right, as the chips drain fast.
Additional con: heat retention. I start seeds indoors before moving them to the outdoor garden beds. During the hardening off process the outer cup wasn't allowing excess heat to escape. I lost one seedling before I figured out what was going on. The other 2 got up potted to one gallon pots sooner than I would do it normally, and they were able to recover from it.
I don't use this method because a) It costs more than using one cup per plant b) I use a tray instead so I can bottom water all plants in one go. I just use single cup. I'm kinda old school when it comes to gardening, with not much desire to grow in greenhouses or hydroponics - we already have enough of that in agriculture producing crappy tomatoes with no flavour. Good video Brandon.
You're not wrong haha! Outdoors I'm pretty old school... Indoors I like to turn into a science experiment haha!
It isn't the method that's producing bad fruit. A grower should know better than that. Take quality seed and put it into Hydro and it will taste just fine if grown and fed properly. Use some kinda hybrid or something bred for transport and shelf vitality it's another story. I grow both ways and both are great in their own respects. Hard to beat Hydro Lettuce. Delicious and fast.
Great video! Your so right about budgeting your time and space. When you get better as a gardener, on germination, proper lighting and nutrition, you sometimes need to delay your starts by a week or two, especially when your dealing with hard frosts.
This next season I’m definitely doing trays and bottom watering! And you’re 100% right, sometimes you really do need to delay your starts.
@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead I only do bottom watering with my seedling trays. Although not a true flood type of irrigation, I generally will prepare either my water and or my nutrient solution ahead of time. One of my biggest learning curves when watering and or feeding was making absolutely sure I warm the water/solution. This really cuts down on shocking the plants and 'dampening off' especially seedlings. My water temps are around 20/25C or 70/80F. My water pH hovers around 6.7 which is a blessing that I don't have to adjust it. One of the most overlooked aspects of gardening indoors or propagation is water quality. I also never use the hot water tap from the house as it is softened water. Always heating my water with an electric kettle and then check the temperature with a digital meat thermometer. Cheers and can't wait for your next video.
So happy I saw this. Started a few seeds super early just for fun. Planned on using the double cup method, and then transplanting them outside... Seeing how it's November I will be just doing straight soil. When I start my seeds in Feb for the summer season I'll use the double cup to get them along faster . Thanx for the advice
No problem! I will be doing my starts in about February as well and will use a double cup again!
@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead what region do you live in? I'm currently in 6A ... First time trying to time things right ...
I live in 6B. I may end up planting some of my super hots a bit earlier in January or so, but who knows. I have a habit of jumping the gun and planting way too early sometimes 😂
I need to try this technique for my peppers. Tq for sharing.
Even with the cons.. I still use it every year for my starts!
TH-cam's Algorithm is Clutch yet again... I've got sixty pepper seedlings I grew after being challenged by my brother. You and answered a lot of questions I had, and the one root-bound specimen was really cool. It seems like it'll be best to ultimately plant them in the yard. However, you've shown me how practical it may be to double cup lettuce.
Hey, I’m happy to be the video you landed on! Thank you for watching and good luck with your grow!
@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead Hey. My name is Elena. I am just considering growing my first anything, so thanks much for this video. You showed some really nice looking plants. I was thinking about growing microgreens with the double cup method. What do you think?
Thank you for this honest video. It was exactly what I was looking for giving me all the beginners info I need. I will be subscribing and looking at more of your videos,keep up the great work
Enoc D hey thank you, I appreciate it! Even with the cons, i still use it! I currently have about 20 plants in cups, but they are all being moved into fabric pots next week!
To add stability take a third cup and cut in roughly in half. Turn the top of the third cup upside down and use it as a wider base of the double cups.
Cutting a third cup in half to create a wider base is such a Great idea! Thanks. I am Just becoming familiar with growing my first anything.
@@helensimpson7035 Glad I could help. Be careful not to overwater. That is a common mistake although you can easily catch it with the solo cup method by simply checking the water in the whole cup periodically and notice if it is getting a sour smell. That indicates an anerobic condition and you should let the plant root dry out a bit.
Great video, thank you for the information.
This is my first year growing, I have 3 varieties. At first I planned on using the double cup method but ended up not doing it because using small plastic flowerpot was much easier for me.
When getting plastic cups you must get a lot of them, like 50-100, but with the flower pots I could just get the 3 I needed. They are wider than cups and hold more soil so they are less likely to tip over.
I don't really have an opinion on the double cup method because I am yet to try it, but I can say that so far (a week and a half after sowing seeds) just sowing in soil and letting it sprout in little flowerpots works great, even if you don't have a growing tent, heating mats and special lighting (I give it 15-60 minutes of direct sunlight depending on temperature, then move it to a shaded area. At night I bring it back inside so it won't get too cold)
I will update this comment as my growing progresses and I might try double cups next season, if I don't get too lazy.
Definitely update me on how you do! Soil is a great way to go, especially if you use a good soil! It’s a lot less work as well! What varieties are you growing?
@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead Biquinhos, Aji Pineapple and Purple Cayenne.
Once I get my spice tolerance up I'll grow hotter stuff, eventually I want to have some super hots 😁
Looks like a great start to me!! I have an Aji pineapple as well, I’m going to do some sauces with it I think! Super hots are fun for sure but they are definitely pretty wild and can be scary for sure.
I'm growing moonflowers and hibiscus in small flower pots with clear cups on the bottom. Works well for me.
My wife is dead set on growing some hibiscus! We will probably try that out this year!
Thanks for the info man,I have much to learn.
We are always learning! That is half the fun!
I have watched this and several other double cup methods it is interesting , but I do at least 50ish cups and Im not going that route., but I am for the first time trying the method with starting the seed in the solo cups as opposed to the seedling trays , which talk about time consuming when a person needs to transplant. So Im starting the cups with about 2 inches of soil and add as the tomato plants grow.
Use square bottom red solo cups so you have more room in between cups.use round for the outer cup.
Just curious why you wouldn’t be able to place the cups in a tray instead of the 2nd cup. It would be much easier to refill nutrients/water.
Well said! I have the same pro/ cons about using them
It gets hyped up a lot and for good reason, you just can’t get carried away haha! I’m sure anyone who grows a decent amount of plants are on the same page as we are! Thanks for watching!
Next I’m only doing 50 plants tops as this year I’m at 100 in all solos as it’s every day watering for a hour. Next season I’m using 1gallon pots on 25 out of 50
That’s kind of how I’m feeling as well. I have like 12 in 1 gallon grow bags and I’m loving them! Either that or I will do small pots and grow the same amount... just in a way that is easy to water.
I have to redo my update video as I was knocking down cups lol . Have to move a 1/4 of the plants and retake it lol
Good info. I definitely won't be starting so early next year and won't be using the cups.
Yeah, I will be waiting a bit longer for sure! I may do a few starts in the cups but I won’t be doing the same thing as this year, that’s for sure!
Use a timer a pump to feed your plants then have it drain back to same bucket. Close loop system and don’t have to worry about missing a feed
Sub irrigation can solve the constant watering problem if you set it up right.
Absolutely! That’s what we do now but rather than cups we use pots. Could be done with cups though!
Double cup method can definitely be a pain when it comes to watering and feeding..
My peppers saving grace is since I'm single I get to keep mine in my bedroom, so I can look them over quickly as I dress for work in the a.m. each day
And I’m the exact opposite haha! I have a wife and two kids under 2! My wife and I both work full time but different schedules so if I’m not working I have both kids. On top of that my plants are in a corner in the basement 😂. I spend a lot of tired nights down there just kind of winding down and taking care of the plants. Thank you for watching!
Thank you for the videos, i always enjoy seeing some pepper plants!
I hear ya man, my buddy works nights and his wife works days at the daycare their 2 children attend.. if she didnt start her plants in the basement next too the laundry room, I doubt she'd have the time to check on them..
Yep! At least she’s still doing it though! It’s a nice escape sometimes at the end of the day. The whole reason I got into it was because I needed something to get away and do while still being home. This was my solution and it’s been a great one!
Right... plus we get to grow stuff you'll never see in the grocery store..
DABGGGG! nice plant, thanks for sharing
The thought of having to water your plants everyday especially a lot of plants would take the fun out of it
You aren’t wrong. When I first started growing I loved it because I could grow mini versions of the plants, but as I got more involved it was just too much to keep up with. Now I do everything in 1020 trays and bottom water. Watering 15 plants at once is much easier than one at a time 😂
The root bound was my biggest issue this year. 28 varieties and they don't all grow at the same rate. But I feel that after this year I know which varieties I can start later.
I’m the same way. I’ve learned so much this year that I will apply to next years grow!
I have a large 60 litre tub with 15 holes in the lid that fit the cups into once the roots start to come through the bottom.
That’s awesome! I’ve thought about doing the same thing. Is it working well for you?
Brandon Whitepepper yeah it again has its pros and cons! Algae being the main one. I recommend using a black tub to keep the light out. Also have to make sure there’s a gap between the bottom of the cup and the water level. Still a basic kratky method. I have thought about putting an oxygen pump inside the tub though.
Once there’s 15 large plants in there the amount they drink is crazy! Last year I was putting about 20 litres in per week! I find then also because the roots don’t tend to circle around they are much easier the remove, even though they can be 2 foot long! I’m just starting the new seeds here in Australia now so I’ll use it again this season. I used plywood with holes and placed on top of the tub. (The plastic tub lid doesn’t take the weight)
Brandon Whitepepper oh and I almost forgot, if you’re growing in the colder months, make sure you use an aquarium heater! Keeps that water nice and warm, plants love it!
Hey thanks! Right now I’m indoors only but next year I will have my outdoor stuff! Definitely would go black tub for sure! Good luck, I hope your grow continues to do well!
Good information, Brandon!
Thanks happy pepper!
WOW 😳This Is Amazing Thank you For The Video
Thank you for watching!
Great tips, thanks for sharing
You’re very welcome!
Great video!
Use a clear outer cup so you can eyeball the water level.
Your plants look amazing! How do you remove the plants from the cup without damaging the roots?
So I've never done double cup but if the bottom cup is the same in all do a triple cup method. Make another set of bottom cups and pour your shots. Now you can fill them up in a central location. Use a shipping flats small pots holder you can get at big box store they throw away. Maybe even just leave them in the holder. Just pop your pack of plants into the new set of bottoms. ... just switch out your empty cups with the new cups. You might lose out on the last of the nutrients at the bottom of the old cup but just throw those out. It shouldn't be worth more than 20 minutes in lost time daily. After awhile the roots would be thirsty enough to drink it all up so maybe it just happens for a couple days until they get bigger roots to mop it up to empty
Super awesome! And those peppers in the cup 👀👀do you have an updated link to the nutrients you add? The one in description is no good
To everyone trying to find some marbles or rocks or whatever else to aid in making a proper void between the 2 cups, I think there's a much simpler way to go about accomplishing this. There's countless brands of these cups. They're not a uniform size. Go to different stores if you have to. Buy different brands. Point being, there's plenty of combinations you can put together where one brand's cup only fits so far down into another, leaving you with a perfect amount of space for the roots to grow. One more thing, who cares if you have to sacrifice a few cups by cutting out the bottom in order to save some precious roots come planting time. I mean, sure cups aren't exactly cheap these days but they don't cost THAT much, right? Just buy some more next season. No big deal.
Great video. You inspired me to try this method. If I could pick your brain for a minute: what should I do if my plant is a decent size (not as big as yours) but there are barely any roots coming out from the bottom? Should I transplant? I really want to experiment to get them to fruit in the cup like you did. I’m using the flora series like you are. Do all your plants get that big in the cup? I thought plants start to flower at a small size if they are in a small container.
If they are in the cup right now, leave them there! Make sure your holes on the bottom are big enough, and those roots will definitely get bigger. It took quite a while for my roots to build up like they did. As soon as the plant is somewhat root bound, it will start pushing out flowers like crazy, especially if you’re using the flora series. Let those roots get established for a little while longer and you should start seeing a lot more flowering!
Cheaper? I was wondering this a couple of days ago and checked. I found some plastic pots, five holes, similar size to Solo cups on Amazon. Then checked the Solo cups on the grocery website. Per cup, the Amazon plastic pots were 19% cheaper. Surprised me. Grocery store prices will vary by location, but for me, at least Amazon was cheaper. Did not check the Amazon price for Solo, though. Hmm
Thanks for sharing. Have you tried putting holes on the outside cup where your desired water level be and just dip every plant in double cups in a shallow container without removing the inner cup and let the water flood the inside through the holes and move them back. Let me know. Thank you!
I have not, but that is seriously an amazing idea! It took me a second to picture what you were talking about but the second it clicked I got excited about double cups again haha! Definitely a good one!
Lots of good info on this video but the audio needs to be improved--maybe having the microphone closer to you might help. Just a thought. Thanks!
Thanks a lot. Great vid.
I’ve tried other things. The double cup method seems good cause you don’t transplant a ton. Using small seed starter trays seems like a lot of work compared to the double cup method.
But maybe you do hydroponics or aeroponics and it takes less time. My thing is I could look into that but I plan on growing in soil in a garden snd I don’t have room to do any hydroponics even if I wanted to really.
Would be fun to try hydroponics and raising fish if ya had the space or setup for it.
Hi Brendon, love your work. When using the double cup method, how much nutrients should be in the bottom cup? Should the top cup be continuously sitting in nutrients? Thanks
What are you growing the seeds in ( soil type )
Your peppers look great
Awesome tips
thank you
The soil is just a basic potting mix from Lowe’s but I added some more pearlite for drainage when the roots weren’t reaching the bottom. When I do my outdoor stuff I’m going to get some better higher end soil and mix it with some compost and pearlite I think. I haven’t fully decided yet!
@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead Appreciate the reply
I need to get some pearlite
Thank you
No problem! It definitely helps with the drainage and compaction!
I’ll grow superhots in double cups since they take forever and could use nutrients while they harden out for outdoors. Everything else is grown in trays or cups in mass then thrown outside into their homes.
This year is my first year with trays! I have 50 varieties in cups at the moment waiting to germinate. Once they sprout they will move to 4.5in deep squares in trays. This year with upwards of 200 plants I didn’t want to deal with watering each one individually 😂.
super cool video !!
Thank you!
Double cup is completely unnecessary. Its a rather byzantine approach to rectify issues that don't ever have to be issues in the first place. If new growers focused on soil, container size and adequate indoor lighting, they wouldn't need to do a lot of the hyped up methods and waste their time. Double cup is essentially an even smaller, more unnecessary kratky technique. It will never beat or outpace a good living, airy, perfectly balanced soil mix, plenty of of root space and lighting. It does have its benefits when it comes to space issues most indoor growers experience. Thats about the scope of it though. Thanks for your honest assessment!
You make some good points! I know for me it taught me a lot and lead me to a lot of the same conclusions you came to!
Or to just have fun
@@thedestroyer3879 if you define fun by creating an unnecessary obstacle to overcome in your propagation method, sure. If you want roots growing out the bottom of your container, and you want to bottom feed, simply plant them in solid 1020trays with 3.5" deep version nursery pots and rigid inserts. A tray of 18 seedlings can be watered in about 5 seconds, bottom if you wish. Where as 18 double cups would take minutes at best, are more cumbersome to deal with, etc. If we are merely looking at this from an efficiency perspective, trays are objectively more effective and efficient. Does double cup have it's practical application? Sure. But not once you move beyond propagating more than a handful in your window sill. The ROI isn't there. No matter how bored you are.
@@PepperGuru roi seriously?
Yes its cumbersome and i is not effective if you plant 20 or 30 but its a fun project to do with kids, test nutrients,and if you want to have a small pepper plant at you desk. Is it effective for a business standpoint? No, can someone make it fun yes.its all about perspective it can be ROI positive or negative depending on the use
@@thedestroyer3879 For sure. I've even grown in a sea shell before, so I get it. Novelty has its place in settings, no one is disputing that. This is a video on pros vs cons of the method. I gave input, that's all.
Thanks for this. Have you tried 3.5" pots in a 1020 tray and just bottom feeding into the tray? I have a little over a hundred plants right now. Going to try the double cup at the next year but I can't imagine feeding each one individually
Hey, sorry for the delayed response! I have not tried that but I had planned to do the same thing. I think it would work perfectly!
Would you choose to wash the soil off of the roots and set up a Kratky system, so that you won't have to water everyday?
This is more of a hydroponic theme vs double cup isn't it? The cons don't apply to soil double cupping?
you could just top water if your short on time
I say start w two or three,,,
For two or three it’s great!!
Thanks for sharing your experience with DCM. Do you use grow lights with them?
Edit: Got to the 5:40 mark, and the answer is yes. :D
You’re very welcome!
You can cut your watering time down by mixing it all in a 2 gallon sprayer with a wand and just water that way. Just my 2 cents nice job either way.
I ended up doing exactly that!
I tried a bunch of those Amazon small trays to grow seedlings, but found them to be so akward to use and limited, so was thinking the cup method. Would you say that's the way or a better way? Say in a cup and put 6 or so cups in a tray that can hold water an nutrients?
Once the plant is of size, would it be possible to take a shallow bin, add a flat piece if floral foam as as spacer, set cup on top and fill tote with nutrients mimicking the 2nd cup, but not quite kratky?
Absolutely you could. Last season I had a plant get way too big in a double cup so I ended up just cutting a hole in the top of a coffee container and turning it into a krakty setup with a solo cup. I’ve actually had quite a few questions surrounding it so I think I might do a video of it once my new plants get a bit bigger!
What if you put one hole in the the bottom and have them in a 1020 tray to just pour nutes into the 1020 tray and fill the bottom cup? I never knew this was why people did double cup method
I just started my double cups. Should I put them on heat mats?
NICE VIDEO, BUT DID NOT SHOW HOW TO PLANT THE SEEDS, AND PLANT IN WHAT?, WHAT LIGHT DID YOU USE ?
This video was a follow up to an older video I posted about how to actually plant the seeds in double cups. I will find that one and post the link.
th-cam.com/video/MODblIhW8VQ/w-d-xo.html
In the double cup method should I water only from the bottom of also regularly from the top with water?
Once the roots are fully established through the bottom you should almost never have to water from the top. I probably gave it a small amount once a month or so from the top, but primarily I was just adding it into the bottom!
If the roots Grow through the holes in your cup, how do you transplant it without tearing off the roots?
Normally if you make the holes big enough the roots will slide up and put with the plant! A time or two in some that I had, I did have to cut the cup with scissors to get it loose, but not the plant. Hope this helps!
@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead ok
@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead ok
I need to ask your opinion can I grow them in double cup through out spring and summer like this if I had good base for the cup
I’ve definitely done it. I’ve had a lot of harvest out of my solo cups before when I’m limited on space! Just make sure they get plenty of nutrients and you’re good to go! Plants won’t get huge in the cups by any means, but you can keep them plenty healthy!
@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead awesome
That red cup is expensive in my country.
I’m sorry! Are you able to find something else to use in place of the red cups? I would love to see what other people use in different parts of the world!
Soil shouldn’t sit in water. Search double cup method with wicking as this keeps the soil out of the water whilst still delivering needed moisture to the growing plant.
Did you top off the nutrients every day? Or did you let the nutrients run out before you fill it back up? Im growing some pepper and basil and trying this method.
With double cup I was letting them dry up before re filling, but a lot of my plants that meant I was filling them every day! Depends on the size of your plant and how much it consumes!
@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead Thanks a lot for your fast response. Thats what i have been doing just want to check. thanks
No problem! I hope everything grows well for you!
What’s the size of that solo cup? Is it bigger than the 18 0z?
I’m not totally sure. I went to Walmart and I got the cheap brand and the solo brand. The cheap brand is a bit smaller so I put the bigger cup into the smaller cup in order to have a bigger reservoir on the bottom
Those are really nice plants. do you daily feed with the flora hydroponics fertiliser, or you have a weekly/biweekly schedule?
For most plants it was daily. I would add the nutrients to the bottom cup and wait for it to completely dry up before adding again. Once the plants got any decent size it was a daily thing. I kept 1 gallon jugs full of pre mixed nutrients. I ended up getting one of those fertilizer pumps with the spray nozzle and used that to add nutrients and it sped the process up quite a bit!
What type of hydroponics nutrients did you use?
I use the flora series from general hydroponics. It’s a 3 part nutrient and it’s always worked great for me!
Odd question, but where did you get your shirt?
It’s funny you ask haha. I haven’t seen this shirt since shortly after the video and I really liked it. It was a gift from a friend. Literally two days ago I saw someone wearing the same shirt at a gas station and almost stopped to ask where they got it 😂. I feel like I’ve seen it at Kohl’s but I. Oils he completely wrong!
So what I am hearing is, cons, they work to good, plants growing too fast, can't keep up with the growth. Doesn't Sounds like cons to me.
I grow over 300 plants..I stop the double cup when I reached over 50 plants..
I’m doing about 60 this year and it kind of gets overwhelming having to take care of them in the cups. I’m happy I’m not the only one!
what are the nutrients you keep talking about?
These are the nutrients that I use
amzn.to/3ox13KH
What's the nutrients you use for the solo cups
It’s the general hydroponics 3 part mixture. I just ordered them off Amazon. If you have any issues finding them let me know and I can find a link!
Couldn't you just krakty the cup after it out grew the double cup?
Exactly my thought! It looks so convenient to go straight to kratky
@@southoceann I did on a tomato plant and so far it's taken
@@jamesdunkerson2718 You meant its doing well? That's amazing to hear!
You definitely can! I did it a couple times but didn’t care for how the cup looked and I’m just nit picky haha. But absolutely you can do it and it works great!
Hi again... Do you balance the PH of watering?
I balance my hydro nutrients at around 6.0. sometimes a bit higher if I don't add enough ph down. Soil plants I don't balance though.
Brandon Whitepepper Thank you so much
Anytime, I'm happy to help!
Are your lights on 24/7?
I normally keep my lights on about 14 hours a day! I have them set up on a timer
What’s the nutrient for the this method?
Here is the link for the exact ones that I use! General Hydroponics Flora Grow, Bloom, Micro Combo Fertilizer set, 1 Quart (Pack of 3) www.amazon.com/dp/B017H73708/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_wfQlFbPGFC4CK
Slurp cup 711 bro gives you more room a lot more
Oh man, that could definitely come in handy! Thank you!
Good video... good information...
A styrofoam top cup would be easier to remove by hand later.
hmmm.. 2 cups 1 plant
Really good video ! Your plants look awesome ! Have you checked out any of my videos ?
Duuuuuude how was I not even subbed to you?!?! Did I get you and the other double a confused? Either way I am now with the bell! After yard work I will binge haha! I can’t believe I did that!
@@WhitepepperFarmshomestead That's cool , most people don't know and I just started . Thank you so much !
Everyone has to start somewhere! I will definitely be following along as you grow!
YOU CANT USE THE DOUBLE GULP CUP ON THE FUCKING SLURPEE
I mean... you probably could 😂
those cups are NOT organic.....bisphenol?