From the page: The can that yields music, cooking and art
Idea 8
Pot for foliage seedlings
Before plastic pots existed, seedlings traveled and awaited replanting in any adapted container — cans, gourds, jars. The logic is simple: a seedling only needs soil volume, drainage and light. A 400 g can perfectly holds cuttings of small foliage plants, which root directly in the substrate.
What you need
- Clean condensed milk cans
- A nail and hammer for the holes
- Light soil (potting mix or regular soil mixed with sand)
- Foliage cuttings: pothos, ivy, peperomia, small snake plant
- A container with water for prior rooting
How to make it
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1
Pierce the bottom of the can in 4 or 5 spots and wash it well; drainage is what prevents the new roots from rotting, as they are the most sensitive.
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2
Cut a cutting from the foliage plant with at least two nodes (the little dots from which roots emerge) and leave it in a glass of water for a few days until little roots appear.
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3
Plant the rooted cutting in the can with light soil — young roots develop better in a loose substrate, which doesn't suffocate them.
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4
Water lightly to settle the soil around it and keep it in indirect light for the first few days, while the plant adapts.
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5
When the seedling fills the can with roots, transplant it to a larger pot or leave it right there, if it's a compact foliage plant.
Finishing touches
Several cans lined up on a shelf become a charming mini-garden — and each one can start from a cutting asked from a friend. Pothos is the champion for beginners: it forgives forgotten waterings and grows visibly week after week.
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