The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of substrate volume and types of containers in heliconia (Heliconia lingulata) acclimatization when cultivated in green houses, under micro irrigation. The experiment was carried out in the EMBRAPA Tropical Agroindustry Research Station located in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil (3º44’ S e 38º33’ W), during the period of February to April 2006. The experiment design used was randomized blocks with four treatments and four replications. Four different volumes and four types of containers were evaluated: small cup (100 cm3); small tube (180 cm3); large tube (300 cm3) and large cup (400 cm3). The seedlings were cultivated in media composed by dry coconut powder, organic fertilizer and soil, and were irrigated with depth of 3 mm day-1, divided into two times per day. The agronomic variables evaluated in the experiment were: height of the plant, number of leaves and stem diameter. The results evidenced that the volume of the container influenced the growth of heliconia. The large tube (300 cm3) and large cup (400 cm3) presented higher height, larger (diameters) stem diameter and higher number of leaves.