Seed "snail" testing thread, 2025

I'm hoping to give gamcod a shot this year and it has me thinking about ways to do compliant seed starting.
I have seen the seed "snail" method come up and it looks like an option. ( it's basically a jelly roll of growing medium and fabric or plastic)
I like how space intensive it could be and that I'll be able to easily access and move seedlings.
I also am going to try and keep it as cheap and using reclaimed materials as much as possible.

We got a couple of full closets out of a house clearing auction and I've pulled a few pairs of cotton, denim and khaki, pants that I'm going to cut up for fabric strips. I also have a bit of 100% cotton left over from mask making and a bit of linen to try as well.
I've been collecting some metal baking trays and pans from other auctions and thrifting so I'll use those to keep the rolls in.

I'm going to try and keep this vaguely scientific so I will also be trying seeds in the regular plastic cells I've been given as well as some pressed peat pots and the handful of expanding starting peat disks that came in another box lot. I may do a couple of rolls with plastic strips as well. I have enough beds that these other trials can go there. Hopefully, this will give me some ideas about how well each method works!
I figured that since I was giving this a shot, I might as well share the process.

Thank you so much for sharing this method Dian! I think that it could be very useful to me too. I'd heard of something similar for starting cuttings, and it seems pretty straightforwards. This video gives an overview of the method and sates a few things to watch out for.



If you are using something porous like cloth, you may want a deeper pot so as not to lose too much moisture through the walls. I'm excited to see how you get on - and may give it a try myself!

Thanks for the video link Nancy!
I'm hoping to fill one of the high walled, round pans with fabric rolls so that might compensate for the porosity of the fabrics. We'll see.

I'd love to see how it works for you, if you give some a try!

I missed that video Ashley posted (Gardening in Canada)...I've been *trying* to limit my YouTube time with perhaps maybe limited success...so many rabbit warrens to explore....  She is a soil science grad of my alma mater.

Dian - I envision that looking like a pan of cinammon buns all nestled together...mmm...perhaps I need to do some baking before I consider seeding....

She Who Must Be Obeyed bought a heavy duty shelving unit that was used through the fall to store ripening tomatoes and other stuff in the front entrance...it has now been reassembled in the room where we intend to start seeds.  Part of her reasoning was to be able to get something we could hang some lights from as the seedlings grow.

Good on you for getting creative with the baking pans.  Whatever did we do before the scourge of plastic entered our lives? (tongue planted firmly in cheek)

I think that the number one benefit of this system over "plant cells and peat pots," is the soil depth. I've read several places that a minimum of 3" of soil helps to not just give healthier seedlings, but helps them not to bolt.

I suspect that the only reason that commercial companies can offer all those plant cell transplants is that they've got the whole system on automatic water and artificial fertilizer. I think I would struggle to find a healthy microbe in the whole batch.

What amazes me is how many small seeds put down a 3 inch root within about 3 days, so I totally agree that depth matters.

However, if you have more space than a roll needs, I'd suggest you consider paper pots. They can be made after dark to balance the time cost.
Here's a thread that shows both round ones and square ones: https://permies.com/t/225570/paper-pots

Support will be important for both the snail method and paper pots. I was using some upcycled plastic bins, but as they've gradually been dying, I'm on the lookout for metal restaurant warming trays. Taller pots definitely need higher support.

If you try swapping out plastic or waxed paper for something biodegradable, the seeds will try to send out lateral roots through the paper or cloth wall. How much this will be a problem partly depends on the seed, and partly depends on how quickly you plan to transplant them. The video implies that she will transplant them into a larger pot, but doesn't show what size she's planning to use. I get to skip that step, as my paper pots have enough soil to get many seeds to large enough plants that I can dig a hole and drop the paper pot directly in and not disturb an root that stayed inside. Yes, I often get roots growing out the bottom with things like peas and beans, but so long as I'm gentle, the plants don't tend to have a set back.

Looking forward to how the snails work out!