@Michael I've actually started seeds in them outside. I live in NE Ohio, so we do get the occasional rain in the summer. They STILL got moldy being outside in the 70-85* weather!
And I've dug up more than enough of these in my soil, not even close to properly broken down after almost 3 years. If you get to manage the mold issue these things barely get wet enough to get to break down. I even found some plants cant grow their roots through the walls of the cells properly.
They are great for peas and beans, you are not binding the roots, if you use good quality seeding compost then moUld isn't a problem. I would never use them for tomatoes or onions though, where root disturbance doesn't stress the plant so much.
I have not had much luck with the plastic starter trays being reusable beyond a few years on my homestead, but I did come up with a very durable, lifetime reusable plastic seed starter solution, which has served me well for ten years. I use a straight-walled plastic tote that's no more than 6" deep as a water reservoir. Personally, I like the shoe organizer totes you can get for around a buck, so they aren't too heavy and stack nicely, when stored. For the cells, I just cut 4" lengths of 1.5" PVC Pipe. I pour about 1.5" of sand into the tote, push the pvc pipe pieces into the sand as compactly and evenly as they can fit, buried about 1" deep. This gives you 3" to fill with potting mix. I use the top of a large plastic water or soda bottle 1-2 liters as a makeshift funnel to add my prehydrated potting mix to each cell, tamping the soil firmly into the pipe with a 1" dowel or piece of broom handle. Hold each cell securely, as you compress the soil. After all the cells are filled and compressed, use a skewer or craft stick to pierce the center of each cell and prepare the hole to accept the seed. Naturally, these measurements can be adjusted to accommodate any variety of seeds or starts. 4" pipes buried 1" in sand and filled 2.5" with compressed, enriched potting mix seems to accommodate most garden vegetables quite well. The reason I like this method is when it's time to transplant, it's easy to slide the PVC pipe off the soil blocks. If you use clear containers, like I do, you can gauge the water level by the wetness level in the sand. The sand provides drainage and an obstacle to minimize root tangles. You just lift the pipe and seedling together, at first, then push up on the sand, like a push pop to remove the seedling from the pipe. After planting the seedlings, you can put the pipe pieces into the same tote to soak in vinegar or bleach solution before drying and storing. I store the pipes in the totes for which they're used, and I keep the lid for each tote, so I can ensure pests don't disturb my seed nursrry cells when not in use. Hopefully, my comment inspires a few others. I love my results.
Some of us are a visual learners, A short video would be extremely helpful. Been really looking into transitioning to soil blocks but the one you can buy are kind of expensive.
I love your idea. I’ve always struggled to get plants out of the plastic containers without disturbing (destroying) roots. What do you use to water? I usually bottom water which I assume does not work here.
@@susanthomaspamperedchefcon2568 I use rainwater fertilized with worm castings from my intensive worm bed. I've raised worms for 30 years. I estimate around 10 million worms inhabit my planting beds. My intensive bed is where I compost kitchen scraps. I get rich worm castings to use as fertilizer. I just let them break it down for 6 months, screen the compost to within 1 cm, and use that with rainwater to aim for the ideal pH for whatever I'm growing.
I used the Giffy pots ....did a video on them too. I always put them in a large tray and use the under water method. I dont water them often. They are under a grow light so haven't got mold yet. I have transplanted a few into larger pots by burying the whole giffy under the compost. ..I must say it felt nice doing so. Plants are doing excellent.
The only downside to peat pots is they don't break down fast enough. I really don't understand how much water you guys are drenching these things to have them mold in direct sunlight. It's never once happened to me in 20 years.
For years I've started seeds in the recycled paper egg cartons, then transfer to the garden... or plastic containers, when large enough to need the space. Wrks great, for down here in GA.
@Irfan Hassan Peat pots damage the environment too....peat bogs, which are good sponges for carbon dioxide and a habitat for a variety of organisms, are destroyed in order to obtain the peat moss used to make these pots and potting mixes... Not all paper is made from chopped down trees, as most paper is made from cotton and recycled paper. The ink used in newspaper, is made from soybeans. I've grown many plants in newspaper and from what I've seen, they do just fine. They literally TEAR through the newspaper!!!
Me, too! I use the clear plastic ones, as well. The clear lid gives a nice greenhouse effect. Plus putting holes in the bottom makes the bottom-up watering a breeze.
I actually started my tomato plants this year in red solo cups with holes drilled on the bottom. My biggest plant killer last year was transplanting to a bigger pot. So I sowed the seeds straight into those solo cups. Plants doing well and ready for transplant right into the garden.
@@EmeryShae i do two seeds in each cup. I let them sprout and then thin the smaller one out. I am not the best with splitting the plants to transplant so that is why the solo cups work for me. I guess if you wanted you could put the two seeds on opposite sides of the cup and divide the two plants.
When transplanting did you wait till they had their true set of leaves? (the true set of leaves would actually be the plants second set of leaves) Just an idea, maybe they died because they were to tiny to transplant?
I also use the red solo cups. If it's a plant that is fussy about transplanting, I line the cup with a coffee filter and it helps keep the soil and roots in tact to transplant. Sometimes the filter wants to tear as you remove it all from the cup, so I do it gently, and take it away as I place it in the soil. It worked very well for me last year so I'm doing it again this year. On Next Level Gardening, he uses them for tomatoe seeding. He only fills the cup halfway. When the plant grows over the top of the cup, he removes the bottom leaves, and puts more soil in the cup to generate more roots from the fuzzy hairs on the lower stem of the tomatoe plant. Then, the plant has a more intense root system.
I think about this too. Spending most of the first 40 years of my life in Alaska makes me garden differently even now when I live in a milder climate. It never once occurred to me in Alaska to leave a plant in a peat pot. I always tore them away because that pot isn’t going anywhere for a long time. If I buy in a peat pot here that’s all I do is tear it away. I can’t imagine planting them.
I’ve had the same issue here in California. They don’t degrade and the plants get root bound and just don’t thrive. They sell herbs in the box stores in peat pots. I just remove the pot to replant the starts.
I used peat pots last year and I noticed the mold - I wondered if it was because they were close together but I'm glad to hear they just are super absorbent. I've been saving up toilet paper rolls in a bin to use as my starter pots instead!
Toilet paper tubes typically fall apart quickly. If you’re going to get them in the ground soon, it works, but don’t use them for things like tomatoes or peppers that will be inside for 6-10 weeks.
The jiffy pots (and jiffy strips) definitely are not for beginners but I have used them for the past two growing seasons with great success, here is some notes that I have found that worked for me. first I would only recommend using them if you live in a dryer climate, I live in Southern California and I do not have a mold issue with them at all. second is the stay on top of your watering but also only water when needed, no matter how dry your climate is over watering will still cause mold. Third if your going to transplant the entire pot into the ground or into a bigger container make sure you take a pair of scissors and cut the pots in half or quarters vertically. this will assist the plant in spreading roots outside the pot and should help increase decomposition. I will still use them in the future along side the plastic starter trays I already have but plastic is definitely the easier option.
I started many seeds with peat pots this year, their growth was stunted and 3/4 of them died off from disease. The remaining ones have green algea on them and are swarmed with mosquitos and gnats. I wish I started my plants in plastic pots, I used plastic ones when gifting seedlings and those seedlings grew fast and sturdy and HEALTHY. I thoroughly regret wasting money on peat pots and seeds that inevitably died due to my ignorance. I now know that next year I will grow healthy and beautiful plants ❤️ thank you for your honesty!
I have been gardening and starting flats of seeds for well over 50 years. And yes I quickly switched to plastic cells and have been re-using the same pots for over 30 years at least. I agree with Luke 100 %.
I used to use the peat pods for seed germination and I always took the cloth off. I switched over to using toilet paper rolls by cutting them in thirds and packing them with soil in place of the peat pods. It’s cheap, environmentally friendly and easy to use.
@@zhippidydoodah Not only that, the rolls unroll and are messy. Maybe they were useful long time ago? I tried making seeds containers from newspapers. Great idea but...it also didn't work out. In places where the newspaper was thicker, it stayed dry, and in thinner places stayed too wet. I think sometimes many of those "environmentally friendly" solutions/ideas, are coming out of some people ars :-) Most don't work, or might work for specific plants only. Beats me :-)
@@zhippidydoodah I bake mine in the oven at 250F for 5 min. Then I used elastic bands to group 4 together to form a bunch so they stand up right. so far it's been 3 weeks for my eggplant and no mould
They are also acidic in nature and if they don't hold moisture for too long, then they dry out too quickly. Many a good growing season has produced pathetic plants due to blasted curse of the peat pots. Arrr
I simply feel plastic containers, empty cups, empty washed-out whipped cream containers, butter containers, yogurt cups. And feel them with my Jiffy Mix soil starter mix, or Miracle-Gro starter mix or a combination of both. Works great
I feel! Never throw away those old yogurt and butter containers. Another recommendation is to put a piece of duck tape around the outside of any clear or somewhat translucent containers. I've found that the roots of seedlings reach the outer walls very quickly and once they detect light, they start to spend precious energy making physiological changes (greening). IOW The duct tape makes it nice and dark like roots like, so the plant can concentrate on producing vegetation.
I only use them for starting some cucumbers or long season squash early. Usually cut them off with scissors and compost them. Doesn't seem to disturb the roots much. Cucumber tend to just take up all the water from it, which works well enough.
I quit planting cucumbers inside and went to planting them straight in the garden and they are much healthier. They seem to be a just a little behind the planted cucumbers but caught up to them eventually and lasted so much longer. Last year they lasted well into October.
More often than not, I find myself peeling away the peat-pots during the final transplant outdoors. I also learned I have to peel the netting on the pellets. I've long ago lost any illusions that I can simply stick the whole thing in the ground and think the roots will grow through.
This is exactly what I ended up doing with my peat pots! The roots absolutely do not grow through them. I just use smaller rose pots that I use for so many other things when not gardening. Multi use is always a good thing
When I run low on seed trays, I use any kind of tin can. Drill some holes in the bottom and you're good to go! Heck, I've even used cottage cheese and margarine containers in a pinch and had no problems.
Agree! If you are concerned with buying plastic pots that you may feel is contributing to the plastic industry, use cut off milk jugs, juice containers, sour cream containers... Options are endless! Don't forget to cut drainage holes!
Try deli chicken containers with built in greenhouse cover, and make those holes above the bottom to save water. I don't put holes in everything because unless it is in the frequent rain and you don't over water then there isn't a need.
Tthanks for the information. After college, I worked for a major seed company at their trial farm in Pennsylvania with the flower trial manager. When she started at the company, they started all of their plants in 3" clay pots that were transported in wood flats. They later switched over to peat pots, still transported in wood flats. but they were not as heavy as what you are showing. As the plants developed before moving to the field, they would soften considerably. At planting we would tear the bottom off and even break up the peat pot. a bit to help the roots to spread out.
I’m so glad I just watched this. I just planted about 20 seeds and 2 of them I planted in the peat pots. They’re the only ones that didn’t germinate and I’ve been wondering why. They’re the only ones that got mold on them, too. Thankfully I only used 2 of them. I’m also very allergic to mold. I will not be using those anymore. Will replant those seeds in the morning. I love the little peat pellets. They worked great. They are hard to use with tiny seeds though. Thank you for shedding light on this. I couldn’t figure out if something happened with the soil or they were defective seeds or maybe mites, now it makes sense. 👍🏼
Perfectly timely video for me! I started gardening late last year, so I mostly sowed directly into my brand new, COVID-inspired garden. This year I'm starting a lot of my crops in peat pots to get a head start. A couple days ago (luckily after only starting a few plants), I got a TON of mold on the peat pots. I literally just got my hard plastic plug trays in today and will be re-starting everything in these reusable plug trays this weekend. I'm going to try your "ton-O-onion" method, too!
My favorite is the soil blocks. Its important to "block up" as the seedings grow to keep the roots from growing into the other blocks. Also bottom watering will keep the blocks from falling apart. Peat pots and those netted ones have been the worst by far! Plastic trays weren't bad but ended up root bound and with transplant shock more than I would like.
I've used those peat pots before. Won't use them again. I tend to stick with the expanding pellets. I do take a razor blade and cut the netting off before I plant them. I've also used a plastic bin and fill with soil to start seeds. I have a horseradish root growing in one right now. Keeping it in there until next month. I've also used cotton balls to start seeds. I had decent luck a couple years ago with them. My daughter who was 2 at the time, wanted to help daddy with the garden. I had to restart my seeds 2 weeks before the last frost that year
I recently started my seeds, half in plastic and half in peat pots. All the seeds in plastic are already sprouted but only 2 have sprouted in the peat pots. Wish i saw this a week ago 😪
yeah unfortunately I'm in the same boat. I started some seeds a week ago in peat starter kit. You absolutely can not water them from the bottom, I got moss growing. I'm trying to water them from the top, but because I'm trying to be careful, I'm having to error on the dry side.
@Irfan Hassan If you don't like plastic, I would suggest going with clay pots. Peat pots absorb too much water and Cannabis prefers a dryer climate than most plants. I have tried using Peat starters for cannabis and other seeds but peat holds too much water and in an indoor setting that is not a good recipe for success.
I’ve never heard of peat pots before, then I saw what he meant. My sister tried them last year and said it was a disaster. Above everything else, they’re so stinky she had to keep them in the garage. I’ve tried loo rolls and egg containers in the past - total failure. If you water they go mouldy very fast, if you don’t, they dry out within a few hours. However, those seed trays are ridiculously expensive here in France. (Well, everything is expensive in France). So I do what my mum and grandparents always did: I collect yogurt pots and drill a couple of holes at the bottom. And I use them year after year.
Luke, thank you so much. I've been using peat pots and last year I had so much mold and lost so many of my starts. You saved me from repeating that mistake again.
Just wanted to say thank you to the team. This is our second year ordering from y'all and we have had so much luck with your seeds and we love supporting you and this community. The great white tomatoes and pink celery we ordered last year were awesome. So was the lettuce and mustard but the great whites are highly recommended. Lots of folks say the cherokee purple is the tastiest tomato, we preferred the great whites.
Peat pot are good for squash and cucumbers as I just use them to get a couple of weeks head start at the beginning of the year. This help to cut down on plant shock from transplanting.
So I planted half my tomatoes and peppers in peat pots and half in plastic seed trays before I saw this video. First time growing from seed. So glad you did this video!! I definitely planted too many of the same thing, so I'm going to toss the peat pots now. My son has asthma so I'm not interested in risking mold. Thank you so much. This was super helpful for the novice gardener!
Hey! I ordered a bunch of seeds from you. The perennials I will be winter sowing this next week. I'm so excited! Your seeds germinate quickly and grow strong roots. Cant wait for spring, and in Minnesota i have a while to wait. They might as well be cold stratified while they wait for spring. Thanks for making such a great product!
I learned that when I first got them. My seeds never truly grew in these. I use seed trays and the pellets. Jiffy Seed Staring mix can easily grow mold as well if you are not careful... Thanks for the information! Be blessed! 💜
Thank you! Finally someone who dislikes peat pots as much as I do!! For years I thought I wasn't very good at growing even though I'd worked in garden centres for years. I didn't realize just how difficult these were to get right! More gardening newbies need to be told this!
I use the "tiny size" Dixie cups (or generic). I can get a TON of them at Costco. They are paper, so they will fall apart eventually (I just throw them in the compost when done with them). A watering tray will hold apprx. 40 of them. NOTE: You do have to snip or punch holes in the bottoms for drainage. You can plant the entire cup in the ground, or simply peel off the paper.
To keep them from getting wet and falling apart those also have a plastic coating that is not biodegradable, unless specified, and they should not be composted much like glossy paper shouldn't go on your compost pile either
You could mention for those folks that might not want to 'buy' plastic pots, there are SO many plastic containers you can recycle for starting plants, especially little yogurt containers ( poke drain holes) They might not nestle neatly in the trays, but too bad! Until they go back to (non-plastic) waxed paper containers, for yogurt, cottage cheese, etc, we need to reuse these types of things! ( I also DO use the black plastic pots and trays, I just clean them and reuse them for as long as I can) Thanks for your videos!!
This is the most useful information for beginner gardeners like me. Too bad that I'm just watching this now after planting most of my seedling in these Jiffy peats. Now I know why my allergies have been out of control in the last few weeks!! Thank you!
Lesson learned the hard way. I just spent many hours today transferring my seedlings out of the Jiffy pots and into the plastic cell trays. The pots were nothing but mold and algae and crumbling after 3 weeks. Never again. Hopefully this video catches someone else before they do what I did!
Amen! I work in a plant store and sometimes even “old hands” look at me like some sort of apostate when I suggest that peat pots are not wonderful. Like “rocks in pots for drainage,” they’re one of those things that sound really logical but just aren’t. They hold water but they also wick it away very quickly and cause loss of root tips unless they’re packed closely. And yes they’re biodegradable but I find that roots often don’t really penetrate them well either. The huge influx of new gardners and plant lovers is a great thing, and I hope it continues, but it also means we have to be vigilant when we help folks!
I use peat pellets and pot up to 4" plastic. I agree, you need to remove the netting from the pellets, fortunately that's really easy, as it peels away without a problem.
Last year I did a mix of using peat pots and re-using plastic containers from starters and I definitely noticed a difference. Most of my plants still grew fine but some of the ones from the peat pots had problems or barely produced anything. Definitely getting a reusable tray soon, thank you!
Thanks Luke - this validates my experience with peat pellets and peat pots! You're right - it's the easy option when just starting out and a lot of pots are needed. I've moved to soil blocks and had a good experience with them last year. I found the roots air-pruned if a little space is left between blocks, and the roots - for the most part - held the soil together until transplant time.
@Irfan Hassan Hello Irfan - thanks for your reply. My comment holds. (it seems you think I'm using paper for some reason) My experience is that peat pots do not work well, and I will continue to use soil blocks.
@@shirleysunshine3319 greenhouse megastore is rather cheap, and can get your foot in the door. Bootstrap farmer is where I understand, has sturdy plastic ones. I’m using greenhouse this year
After trying for a few years to make my own, I broke down and bought an expensive soil blocker. I don't know how I ever got along without it. But if I had to choose an alternative, I've had the best success with the hex cell trays....
I just started soil blocking this year, and I started all my Snapdragons this way. I am so sad because it was a huge fail. I don't want this to stop me from seed blocking, but it sure has stopped me as of now. I have been seed sowing in cell trays again.
I'm so happy someone finally agrees with me! I used peat pots the first year we gardened a few year ago, and I truly didnt like them. I purchased them assuming I could start seeds in them, and then plop them right into the ground with no issues. But like you said they held so much moisture that I found them getting green with algae and molding (thankfully mine were all outside). And then when I went to plant, my seedlings weren't taking off well, so in the next grouping I decided to tear the pot apart and just plant the ball and see what happened. They flourished. That's when I realized that plants cant grow out of the peat pot. Their roots arent strong enough to break through the walls and access the soil and nutrients around them. I now start everything in 6in rose pots so they have room to grow before being transplanted.
@Irfan Hassan I am 100% sure they were peat pots. Not paper. And when I dug up my original plantings 5 months after placing them in soil, along with the plants only growing so big because of their confind space, the peat was still very much in tact. It could be that they just don't do well in my area so it isn't the best option for me. And I'm sorry, I only share information that I have first hand knowledge in, or have seen with my own eyes.
@Irfan Hassan they were indeed jiffy pots. In my rural area the only place to really get items is at Walmart. And majority of what my Walmart offers if jiffy. We even only get 1 brand of seeds in the displays. There are also many people commenting on this video saying they are having the same problems with peat pots. As I mentioned before they may just not work well in my area, I live in a very humid environment. So mold is a big issue. I'd rather not have mold that could sicken me or my family. Please do not assume that I don't know what I am talking about when I describe my experience. I am very meticulous and document everything with much detail to be able to replicate or refrain from things I have done before.
I've been using soil blocks, and in my opinion they're superior to using plastic containers if you want to either create your own blocker or invest in a professional set.
Yes so true I love soil blocks definitely the best thing to do and plant root are not destructing once put in the garden bed I order 1 online which give 4 block , but I'm still new to it still trying to figure what best to germinate the seed alot faster I am trying poting soil plus top soil.. they top me I can add fertilizer but I dont know how much and what kind to add so I skip fertilizer
I’ve only been gardening for a few years. When you mentioned a soil block and I google it, initially I looked at it and thought that won’t work. Then I watched the video on it and my mind was blown how simple and efficient it looked. Thanks for the info, I think I might try that soon.
@@shadyfieldhomestead1974 Hi, you can UA-cam Jim Kovaleski, he uses soil blocks, showed a 20 minute video mixing the soilless mix, how to make the blocks and explained when to water them and what water to use. A true master. Zero transplant shock for the seedlings.
@@shadyfieldhomestead1974 the soil blocks also come in different side if u dont like alot work like me u go for bigger side I use the one with 4 block some use more all depend what size plant u trying to germinate.. but I were recommend 4 block the size good and u dont have to worry if plant root grow out block because it enough space and it very organized and so easy to move to flower bed.. not like plastic I got to yank my mustard plant out and the soil break apart today when I lay them in ground.. so we learning new trick everyday😁😁.
@@q2bunny860 I made my soil blocks out of pure compost. I have had good success so far, my first batch was made in the middle of January and I have not used any fertilizer since the compost will provide nutrients. My plants are growing large, deep green, and happy. To avoid the roots growing into the neighboring blocks I just spread them out a finger width apart in the tray. I'm missing out on probably another 12 blocks or so by doing that, but I'm okay with 32/tray to be able to keep them in there a little longer. It's also a lot easier for splitting things apart if you multi sow because they don't get as tangled around each other as they do in the little cell trays.
Started doing winter sowing this year and that's been great. I do use plastic but I'm reusing them. And yes I have that problem with the netting on the peat pellets. I remove them or try to as much as possible.
I had SUCH a different experience with peat pots! They dried out so fast and I had tons of seedlings die because of it, it was so frustrating, that and I really think the roots aren't happy in them
Luke, Thanks for the tip on the netting for the peat pellets. I start my seeds in them and transfer to red solo cups with holes cut in the bottom. I will start removing the netting when I transplant.
The pucks I'm using always seem to be dried out or water logged. Thanks for the heads up on removing the netting. I did on most of them but I was afraid of breaking the roots on some if I tried it. Plastic is great and you don't have to transplant as often but starting mix in that amount is expensive for me.
@The Pervy Prepper Most of them came off but the ones that had roots going through the bottom already, I was afraid of breaking the roots so so did cut the netting from top to bottom but left it on.
Thank you so much for this informative video! I just purchased a bunch of peat pots last night! Your video came just in time for me. I was going to plant them today. They are going to be returned to the store now! 😅
I tried those pots once and I won't do that again. And the plants that I get from home Depot or Walmart that have the peat pots I ripped the bottoms off because it never seems to degrade enough for the roots to go through well.
We have mold allergy issues in our family. My daughter told me she quit using the peat pots partly for that reason. She watches your videos. I agree about the peat 'pucks' with non biodegradable netting. Frustrating! Thanks for the info.
I appreciate you talking about this! I luckily figured out what was going on quickly the first time I tried peat pots. I moved to solo cups as soon as I saw all the mold. Great advice here.
Solo cups are great but I just went with the 4 inch plastic pots. Almost identical price and they already have the drainage holes. I save my Solo cups for...Adult Beverages haha.
Great points! I also use plastic containers doubled up *one with drain holes & other as watering tray. Works great & come with plastic lid (add air holes!) to speed up germination. Plastic reusable for years & easily sterilized!
Peat is also a non-renewable resource, so I try to use those non-renewable resources sparingly. I invested in some quality plastic pots with removable litte domes to help keep the seeds moist while germinating. Those plastic pots will last me...forever basicly. Also I only start about 4 dozen plants indoors as we have a long grow season in the south and I direct sow squash, cucumbers, sunflowers and some other assorted things I forgot about while writing this post outdoors.
Good points. New term: moisture inertia. When peat's dry it stays dry. When it's wet it stays wet. Video idea: how to best correct peat ph. Can it be done quickly or is it best to give it time?
When I worked at a nursery, the big pile of compost we used for up potting still had a bunch of the nets from some years back. They don't freaking degrade!
@@justuslightworkers Every year when I rework the soil in my garden, I still turn up those little non-degrading nets that surround the cursed peat plugs from years past when I've tried to compost them. lol. Not to mention the peat itself is on the acidic side which the little seedlings don't like. Everyone hates em' except for the people who swear by them, lol. smh
Luke is 100% accurate on this one. I wish I had seen a video like this before I started gardening last year, I made *waves hands frantically* ALL of these mistakes with peat pots and the peat pellets with the fabric around them.
I learned the hard way with Jiffy peat pots.☹ The Burpee peat pots aren't as compressed and thinner. Only thing I used them for this year was sunflowers
Hi from India. Very knowledgeable info. Thank you. I had started peppers in peat pellets and when I transplanted to pots, I left few with the netting as is and I transplanted others by removing them. Later, I noticed that the plants where I removed that little netting were growing well and the ones with the netting (supposedly biodegradable), were not developing well. I pulled them out, cut off the netting and replanted in the same pots and now they are doing fine. Proved your point. So, very useful info. Thank you
Same -- my seedlings that I transplanted from plastic pots to peat are struggling. The same ones in plastic still are not. I thought maybe the soil ... but ... maybe the pot.
I love this channel so much thank you!! I have been able to save my life with gardening in this 2020 wave of new homesteaders and divert my consciousness from all the crappy news and news analysis channels in order to focus on what is important and all this shared info will help me to avoid all the pitfalls that got me discouraged in the past. Thanks for all you share!!! My favorite part of the day lately is getting such clear info here!
OMG >>Thank goodness I watched your show on pots. I have 25 pots filled with seed soil as I am planting seeds on this day. Happy Easter. I am going right down stairs to dump those peat pots out and changing/buying plastic pots to take their place.That really sucks !! I have about 40 others that I have not used.Lesson learned. Thank fully all the others are in plastic.Really appreciate your show.
I have peat pots, peat pellets and plastic cell packs. So far I have some comfrey plants growing in 3" peat pots and so far so good. I guess I'll find out soon enough which ones work best.
I never used them before but this year I bought a 72 count tray of little ones and a 36 count tray of bigger ones. The big ones have a netting on them, but the small ones look a lot like paper towel or something... It's certainly not that same netting the bigger ones have on them, at least. I thought that was interesting and wondered which was the newer version. Guess it ain't the netting, huh!
I use a mix of soil blocks, peat pots, and pastic cells. my peat pots always get cut at planting time to allow root growth. I bottom water them all the time, but my greenhouse is currently around 85 degrees so they do dry out enough to avoid issues
Just started my peppers and onions I purchased from your online store. Used a lot of the advice I provided, tho I’m not a “new” gardener, we all can learn new techniques and improve our results.
Ugh... wish I watched this before I started my seeds this year (new to gardening)! Explains so much as to why my seedlings have stopped growing altogether. Is it too late to start over with seeds? I live in Pacific Northwest and the weather is warming up but still under 10°C at night. And I am growing in containers only. Thanks so much!
Its never too late to start more seeds! Container gardening is awesome! You can grow a TON of food in containers. I like the 5 gallon buckets. Good luck!
I bought peat pots this year, but have never used them in all my years of gardening. I will return to the store! Thanks for this video! 🌞 Happy Saturday! 🌞
@Irfan Hassan Im glad peat works for you- I won't use it. I like using Jiffy pods for seeds and they work very well for me. I can use and reuse the plastic containers, but the peat packs have to be continually purchased. Good luck to you 🌞
@Irfan Hassan I don't use Jiffy pots, I use Jiffy pods which are formed peat that expands when water is added to start the seed in. It is not a pot. When the seedling grows big enough, I remove the small casing around the Jiffy pod, and plant the seedling in soil in a pot (not a peat pot) 🌞 Don't worry about me...I have great success with my plants. 🌞 You may want to consider researching the fact that peat is a non renewable resource which many countries are banning 😉
@Irfan Hassan "The UK government plans to ban peat use among amateur gardeners by 2024. ... With the proposed ban and a pledge to restore 35,000 hectares of peatland across the country by the year after, retailers can no longer delay the transition to peat-free compost.May 19, 2021" In process of being banned.
Peat harvesting is a bit of an environmental disaster anyway. Peat pots are most definitely not environmentally friendly. Edit: I know Canada has millions of hectares of peat land and therefore it isn't an issue to the extent it is in the UK, but I just don't see one time use peat pots as a good product. And I acknowledge most plastic trays are not made as well as they should be, but reusable trays are the better way to go.
@Michael Because mining peat bogs is a massive emitter of greenhouse gasses, and it destroys imperiled habitats. Sphagnum moss is harvested the same way and it's completely unsustainable.
Agree! I just recycle plastic containers that would otherwise go into the landfill for all my pots (ramen trays, pudding/yogurt cups, salad containers, plastic take-out containers, buckets from local bakeries etc.)
Absolutely most plastic trays are made with little concern for longevity, there needs to be more pressure for better quality trays. I'm trying Winstrip trays for a second year, they're extremely expensive, but I'm hopeful they'll last 10+ years.
I have been growing my tomatoes and peppers and zucchinis, and flowers etc, from seeds in peat pots with no issues for decades. All transplant into the planters. All grow. All get harvested then become part of the soil.No prob.
I just stared gardening and all my current seedlings are under a grow light in peat pots but they're doing alright I think, nearly 4 weeks into it and cant complain
When you set them out, at a minimum I would tear the bottom off the pot and down the sides, or lift the plant out of the pot entirely and just crumble it (the pot) into the hole. The roots will most likely not make it through the pot in time for your plants to mature before the growing season is almost gone.
i just had this conversation with my sister, i have never had good luck with peat pots. the plants always seem to fail and they never seem to break down. ive found them the following year after planting i think its solo cups for me this year with holes drilled in the bottom
Omg so glad I saw this video! I just transplanted/separated seedlings into half plastic double cups and half jiffy.. tomorrow will get more plastic cups and correct my mistake! Thank you!!
So true about peat pots - I learned my lesson very quickly! I am based in the UK and I have the same problem with terracotta ceramic pots for my indoor cacti and succulents - they love growing white mould too, especially during the winter.
Ditto! Started with peat pots about 6 years ago and they grew mold. Then I tried making newspaper pots. I had the same issue with that when they were closely packed in trays. They might be OK if they are not touching. I switched to thick reusable plastic pots from bootstrap farmer. They are still going strong at year 4 this season.
I’ve put out peat pot potted plants in my garden and several weeks later the pot is still intact. Even though I had torn off the bottom of the pot I still believe that they restricted the roots from spreading out.
Last year I used Bonnie plants instead of seeds. Most of the plants were in peat pots, I ripped the bottoms off and planted. They did grow but not well. When ripping them up you could see on every plant where the roots coiled up around the peat pot. I'll never leave one on a plant again.
I agree with you completely on avoiding peat pots. I’ve been exponentially more successful with reusable plastic trays. Even old fast food take out containers, with drainage holes poked in them on a cookie sheet in a pinch :)
Just switched over to the Bootstrap Farmer cell trays (120 and 72 cell 1020 trays). The difference in strength and rigidity is life changing... My gardening life anyways. Highly recommend over cheapo trays.
I respect your comments about peat pots. Plastic does, however, provide a medium for molds & fungi, as well, when moisture accumulates. So thank you for stressing the need to control moisture.
I used the peat pods last year to start lettuces. Taking that mesh off wasn't a huge deal but I won't do it again. Those plastic cells are my favorite too and for the same reasons. 💜
For those who have already used them this year, you can control mold by adding food grade peroxide to your water. Edit to add: great for fungus as well.
Just what I was thinking....so many peat pots this year, bought on clearance last year....don't want to waste them....may spray the inside of the pot before I plant as well....
Wow today I got upset and threw out my new seeds in that thing bc I saw mold. I thought I had done something wrong since I’m a beginner. Thanks for this
I’m glad you mentioned the point of the containers. I’m 76 years old and am always learning. Thanks.
I've lost plants due to using peat pots. They're absolutely awful. Got all moldy super quickly. Glad you did a video on it!
@Michael I've actually started seeds in them outside. I live in NE Ohio, so we do get the occasional rain in the summer. They STILL got moldy being outside in the 70-85* weather!
And I've dug up more than enough of these in my soil, not even close to properly broken down after almost 3 years.
If you get to manage the mold issue these things barely get wet enough to get to break down. I even found some plants cant grow their roots through the walls of the cells properly.
@@eSheeep wow! I just found one from last year. Covered in green muck.
Lol
They are great for peas and beans, you are not binding the roots, if you use good quality seeding compost then moUld isn't a problem. I would never use them for tomatoes or onions though, where root disturbance doesn't stress the plant so much.
I have not had much luck with the plastic starter trays being reusable beyond a few years on my homestead, but I did come up with a very durable, lifetime reusable plastic seed starter solution, which has served me well for ten years. I use a straight-walled plastic tote that's no more than 6" deep as a water reservoir. Personally, I like the shoe organizer totes you can get for around a buck, so they aren't too heavy and stack nicely, when stored. For the cells, I just cut 4" lengths of 1.5" PVC Pipe. I pour about 1.5" of sand into the tote, push the pvc pipe pieces into the sand as compactly and evenly as they can fit, buried about 1" deep. This gives you 3" to fill with potting mix. I use the top of a large plastic water or soda bottle 1-2 liters as a makeshift funnel to add my prehydrated potting mix to each cell, tamping the soil firmly into the pipe with a 1" dowel or piece of broom handle. Hold each cell securely, as you compress the soil. After all the cells are filled and compressed, use a skewer or craft stick to pierce the center of each cell and prepare the hole to accept the seed. Naturally, these measurements can be adjusted to accommodate any variety of seeds or starts. 4" pipes buried 1" in sand and filled 2.5" with compressed, enriched potting mix seems to accommodate most garden vegetables quite well. The reason I like this method is when it's time to transplant, it's easy to slide the PVC pipe off the soil blocks. If you use clear containers, like I do, you can gauge the water level by the wetness level in the sand. The sand provides drainage and an obstacle to minimize root tangles. You just lift the pipe and seedling together, at first, then push up on the sand, like a push pop to remove the seedling from the pipe. After planting the seedlings, you can put the pipe pieces into the same tote to soak in vinegar or bleach solution before drying and storing. I store the pipes in the totes for which they're used, and I keep the lid for each tote, so I can ensure pests don't disturb my seed nursrry cells when not in use. Hopefully, my comment inspires a few others. I love my results.
half the time i pull from those factory trays i rough up the plant as they are often stuck in the tray. i like your set up
Some of us are a visual learners, A short video would be extremely helpful. Been really looking into transitioning to soil blocks but the one you can buy are kind of expensive.
I love your idea. I’ve always struggled to get plants out of the plastic containers without disturbing (destroying) roots. What do you use to water? I usually bottom water which I assume does not work here.
@@susanthomaspamperedchefcon2568 I use rainwater fertilized with worm castings from my intensive worm bed. I've raised worms for 30 years. I estimate around 10 million worms inhabit my planting beds. My intensive bed is where I compost kitchen scraps. I get rich worm castings to use as fertilizer. I just let them break it down for 6 months, screen the compost to within 1 cm, and use that with rainwater to aim for the ideal pH for whatever I'm growing.
Could you please add some photos?
I used the Giffy pots ....did a video on them too. I always put them in a large tray and use the under water method. I dont water them often. They are under a grow light so haven't got mold yet. I have transplanted a few into larger pots by burying the whole giffy under the compost. ..I must say it felt nice doing so. Plants are doing excellent.
Wow, I thought this only happened to me when I used peat pots. Glad to know I wasn’t alone. Lost a whole winters worth of seedlings.
Everyone hates the peat pots except for the ones who swear by em', lol. I don't understand those people at all. Something's not right.
@Irfan Hassan Good to know. Thank you 👏 I’ll try it one more time.
@Irfan Hassan thank you
The only downside to peat pots is they don't break down fast enough. I really don't understand how much water you guys are drenching these things to have them mold in direct sunlight. It's never once happened to me in 20 years.
@@KTPGNS1 probably too much
For years I've started seeds in the recycled paper egg cartons, then transfer to the garden... or plastic containers, when large enough to need the space. Wrks great, for down here in GA.
@Irfan Hassan Peat pots damage the environment too....peat bogs, which are good sponges for carbon dioxide and a habitat for a variety of organisms, are destroyed in order to obtain the peat moss used to make these pots and potting mixes...
Not all paper is made from chopped down trees, as most paper is made from cotton and recycled paper.
The ink used in newspaper, is made from soybeans. I've grown many plants in newspaper and from what I've seen, they do just fine.
They literally TEAR through the newspaper!!!
Me, too! I use the clear plastic ones, as well. The clear lid gives a nice greenhouse effect. Plus putting holes in the bottom makes the bottom-up watering a breeze.
I actually started my tomato plants this year in red solo cups with holes drilled on the bottom. My biggest plant killer last year was transplanting to a bigger pot. So I sowed the seeds straight into those solo cups. Plants doing well and ready for transplant right into the garden.
How many seeds do you put in each solo cup?
@@EmeryShae i do two seeds in each cup. I let them sprout and then thin the smaller one out. I am not the best with splitting the plants to transplant so that is why the solo cups work for me.
I guess if you wanted you could put the two seeds on opposite sides of the cup and divide the two plants.
red solo cups with holes in the bottom have become my go to! depending on the seed i might incorporate a pellet [with the netting off] into the cup!
When transplanting did you wait till they had their true set of leaves? (the true set of leaves would actually be the plants second set of leaves) Just an idea, maybe they died because they were to tiny to transplant?
I also use the red solo cups. If it's a plant that is fussy about transplanting, I line the cup with a coffee filter and it helps keep the soil and roots in tact to transplant. Sometimes the filter wants to tear as you remove it all from the cup, so I do it gently, and take it away as I place it in the soil. It worked very well for me last year so I'm doing it again this year. On Next Level Gardening, he uses them for tomatoe seeding. He only fills the cup halfway. When the plant grows over the top of the cup, he removes the bottom leaves, and puts more soil in the cup to generate more roots from the fuzzy hairs on the lower stem of the tomatoe plant. Then, the plant has a more intense root system.
Thank you Luke for sharing your gardening information! Peat pots don’t work in Alaska because they take YEARS to degrade.
I think about this too. Spending most of the first 40 years of my life in Alaska makes me garden differently even now when I live in a milder climate. It never once occurred to me in Alaska to leave a plant in a peat pot. I always tore them away because that pot isn’t going anywhere for a long time. If I buy in a peat pot here that’s all I do is tear it away. I can’t imagine planting them.
I’ve had the same issue here in California. They don’t degrade and the plants get root bound and just don’t thrive. They sell herbs in the box stores in peat pots. I just remove the pot to replant the starts.
Hows come no one talks about the acidity of peat moss. The little seedlings hate it. Makes em' turn yella and freeze like a statue
When I use peat pots, I bottom water and allow the pots to dry to the touch, which may take 4 days. It’s relatively effective at reducing mold
I am trying peat pots for the first time. How much water do you put in the tray? I am not sure if I would be safer to do Top or bottom watering.
I used peat pots last year and I noticed the mold - I wondered if it was because they were close together but I'm glad to hear they just are super absorbent. I've been saving up toilet paper rolls in a bin to use as my starter pots instead!
I did that one year and had the same moldy results as the peat pots.
Ditto with toilet paper rolls and homemade newspaper pots when packed in trays.
Toilet paper tubes typically fall apart quickly. If you’re going to get them in the ground soon, it works, but don’t use them for things like tomatoes or peppers that will be inside for 6-10 weeks.
Ditto on moldy toilet paper rolls.
I thought I did something wrong when I got mols in the TP rolls. Good to know I am not alone.
The jiffy pots (and jiffy strips) definitely are not for beginners but I have used them for the past two growing seasons with great success, here is some notes that I have found that worked for me. first I would only recommend using them if you live in a dryer climate, I live in Southern California and I do not have a mold issue with them at all. second is the stay on top of your watering but also only water when needed, no matter how dry your climate is over watering will still cause mold. Third if your going to transplant the entire pot into the ground or into a bigger container make sure you take a pair of scissors and cut the pots in half or quarters vertically. this will assist the plant in spreading roots outside the pot and should help increase decomposition. I will still use them in the future along side the plastic starter trays I already have but plastic is definitely the easier option.
So glad I watched this, I just bought peat pots. Will return for cell trays.
I urge you to use the peat pots! I just germinated my first grapefruit seed in one. I have used them for years. The roots love peat pots.
Just in time! :)
I started many seeds with peat pots this year, their growth was stunted and 3/4 of them died off from disease. The remaining ones have green algea on them and are swarmed with mosquitos and gnats. I wish I started my plants in plastic pots, I used plastic ones when gifting seedlings and those seedlings grew fast and sturdy and HEALTHY. I thoroughly regret wasting money on peat pots and seeds that inevitably died due to my ignorance. I now know that next year I will grow healthy and beautiful plants ❤️ thank you for your honesty!
I have been gardening and starting flats of seeds for well over 50 years. And yes I quickly switched to plastic cells and have been re-using the same pots for over 30 years at least. I agree with Luke 100 %.
I used to use the peat pods for seed germination and I always took the cloth off. I switched over to using toilet paper rolls by cutting them in thirds and packing them with soil in place of the peat pods. It’s cheap, environmentally friendly and easy to use.
How are you able to keep the tubes from moulding? I tried using them before and they always get mouldy and nasty.
@@zhippidydoodah Not only that, the rolls unroll and are messy. Maybe they were useful long time ago?
I tried making seeds containers from newspapers. Great idea but...it also didn't work out. In places where the newspaper was thicker, it stayed dry, and in thinner places stayed too wet.
I think sometimes many of those "environmentally friendly" solutions/ideas, are coming out of some people ars :-) Most don't work, or might work for specific plants only. Beats me :-)
@@zhippidydoodah maybe he uses it just to shape the soil
@@zhippidydoodah I bake mine in the oven at 250F for 5 min. Then I used elastic bands to group 4 together to form a bunch so they stand up right. so far it's been 3 weeks for my eggplant and no mould
Totally agree made mistake using pots they don't break down quickly in soil & they don't allow roots go grow out.
They are also acidic in nature and if they don't hold moisture for too long, then they dry out too quickly. Many a good growing season has produced pathetic plants due to blasted curse of the peat pots. Arrr
I simply feel plastic containers, empty cups, empty washed-out whipped cream containers, butter containers, yogurt cups. And feel them with my Jiffy Mix soil starter mix, or Miracle-Gro starter mix or a combination of both. Works great
I feel! Never throw away those old yogurt and butter containers. Another recommendation is to put a piece of duck tape around the outside of any clear or somewhat translucent containers. I've found that the roots of seedlings reach the outer walls very quickly and once they detect light, they start to spend precious energy making physiological changes (greening). IOW The duct tape makes it nice and dark like roots like, so the plant can concentrate on producing vegetation.
Fill*
I only use them for starting some cucumbers or long season squash early. Usually cut them off with scissors and compost them. Doesn't seem to disturb the roots much. Cucumber tend to just take up all the water from it, which works well enough.
Thanks. I had just bought some and was wondering what to do with them.
I quit planting cucumbers inside and went to planting them straight in the garden and they are much healthier. They seem to be a just a little behind the planted cucumbers but caught up to them eventually and lasted so much longer. Last year they lasted well into October.
@@jimstalf5367 Yeah cucumbers I usually start in the ground too. I am breeding squash right now, so I am using these for long season squash.
More often than not, I find myself peeling away the peat-pots during the final transplant outdoors. I also learned I have to peel the netting on the pellets. I've long ago lost any illusions that I can simply stick the whole thing in the ground and think the roots will grow through.
I have found the same with both also.
This is exactly what I ended up doing with my peat pots! The roots absolutely do not grow through them.
I just use smaller rose pots that I use for so many other things when not gardening. Multi use is always a good thing
When I run low on seed trays, I use any kind of tin can. Drill some holes in the bottom and you're good to go! Heck, I've even used cottage cheese and margarine containers in a pinch and had no problems.
I drill holes in solo cups
Yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, butter, even berry clam shells. Especially if you like to give starts away. I just drill holes in the bottom.
Agree! If you are concerned with buying plastic pots that you may feel is contributing to the plastic industry, use cut off milk jugs, juice containers, sour cream containers... Options are endless! Don't forget to cut drainage holes!
Plastic bottles cut in half work really good too, and it gives something that would otherwise be garbage a second chance to be useful.
Try deli chicken containers with built in greenhouse cover, and make those holes above the bottom to save water. I don't put holes in everything because unless it is in the frequent rain and you don't over water then there isn't a need.
Tthanks for the information. After college, I worked for a major seed company at their trial farm in Pennsylvania with the flower trial manager. When she started at the company, they started all of their plants in 3" clay pots that were transported in wood flats. They later switched over to peat pots, still transported in wood flats. but they were not as heavy as what you are showing. As the plants developed before moving to the field, they would soften considerably. At planting we would tear the bottom off and even break up the peat pot. a bit to help the roots to spread out.
I’m so glad I just watched this. I just planted about 20 seeds and 2 of them I planted in the peat pots. They’re the only ones that didn’t germinate and I’ve been wondering why. They’re the only ones that got mold on them, too. Thankfully I only used 2 of them.
I’m also very allergic to mold. I will not be using those anymore. Will replant those seeds in the morning.
I love the little peat pellets. They worked great. They are hard to use with tiny seeds though.
Thank you for shedding light on this. I couldn’t figure out if something happened with the soil or they were defective seeds or maybe mites, now it makes sense. 👍🏼
Perfectly timely video for me! I started gardening late last year, so I mostly sowed directly into my brand new, COVID-inspired garden. This year I'm starting a lot of my crops in peat pots to get a head start. A couple days ago (luckily after only starting a few plants), I got a TON of mold on the peat pots. I literally just got my hard plastic plug trays in today and will be re-starting everything in these reusable plug trays this weekend. I'm going to try your "ton-O-onion" method, too!
My favorite is the soil blocks. Its important to "block up" as the seedings grow to keep the roots from growing into the other blocks. Also bottom watering will keep the blocks from falling apart. Peat pots and those netted ones have been the worst by far! Plastic trays weren't bad but ended up root bound and with transplant shock more than I would like.
I've used those peat pots before. Won't use them again. I tend to stick with the expanding pellets. I do take a razor blade and cut the netting off before I plant them. I've also used a plastic bin and fill with soil to start seeds. I have a horseradish root growing in one right now. Keeping it in there until next month. I've also used cotton balls to start seeds. I had decent luck a couple years ago with them. My daughter who was 2 at the time, wanted to help daddy with the garden. I had to restart my seeds 2 weeks before the last frost that year
I recently started my seeds, half in plastic and half in peat pots. All the seeds in plastic are already sprouted but only 2 have sprouted in the peat pots. Wish i saw this a week ago 😪
It’s not to late! Just restart them in plastic
yeah unfortunately I'm in the same boat. I started some seeds a week ago in peat starter kit. You absolutely can not water them from the bottom, I got moss growing. I'm trying to water them from the top, but because I'm trying to be careful, I'm having to error on the dry side.
Curse the blasted peat pots! Arrrr!
@Irfan Hassan If you don't like plastic, I would suggest going with clay pots. Peat pots absorb too much water and Cannabis prefers a dryer climate than most plants. I have tried using Peat starters for cannabis and other seeds but peat holds too much water and in an indoor setting that is not a good recipe for success.
@Irfan Hassan which does no good in an indoor plant. It causes too much harmful bacteria to grow.
I’ve never heard of peat pots before, then I saw what he meant. My sister tried them last year and said it was a disaster. Above everything else, they’re so stinky she had to keep them in the garage. I’ve tried loo rolls and egg containers in the past - total failure. If you water they go mouldy very fast, if you don’t, they dry out within a few hours. However, those seed trays are ridiculously expensive here in France. (Well, everything is expensive in France). So I do what my mum and grandparents always did: I collect yogurt pots and drill a couple of holes at the bottom. And I use them year after year.
I just open the bottom or tear the whole pot off to plant. They don't keep moisture well and they can mold. I agree.
Luke, thank you so much. I've been using peat pots and last year I had so much mold and lost so many of my starts. You saved me from repeating that mistake again.
Just wanted to say thank you to the team. This is our second year ordering from y'all and we have had so much luck with your seeds and we love supporting you and this community. The great white tomatoes and pink celery we ordered last year were awesome. So was the lettuce and mustard but the great whites are highly recommended. Lots of folks say the cherokee purple is the tastiest tomato, we preferred the great whites.
Peat pot are good for squash and cucumbers as I just use them to get a couple of weeks head start at the beginning of the year. This help to cut down on plant shock from transplanting.
Really nice for longer season squash.
So I planted half my tomatoes and peppers in peat pots and half in plastic seed trays before I saw this video. First time growing from seed. So glad you did this video!! I definitely planted too many of the same thing, so I'm going to toss the peat pots now. My son has asthma so I'm not interested in risking mold. Thank you so much. This was super helpful for the novice gardener!
Might be transferring my peat pot seeds into solo cups ASAP. Thanks for the heads up
Hey! I ordered a bunch of seeds from you. The perennials I will be winter sowing this next week. I'm so excited! Your seeds germinate quickly and grow strong roots. Cant wait for spring, and in Minnesota i have a while to wait. They might as well be cold stratified while they wait for spring. Thanks for making such a great product!
I learned that when I first got them. My seeds never truly grew in these. I use seed trays and the pellets. Jiffy Seed Staring mix can easily grow mold as well if you are not careful... Thanks for the information! Be blessed! 💜
Thank you! Finally someone who dislikes peat pots as much as I do!!
For years I thought I wasn't very good at growing even though I'd worked in garden centres for years. I didn't realize just how difficult these were to get right! More gardening newbies need to be told this!
I use the "tiny size" Dixie cups (or generic). I can get a TON of them at Costco. They are paper, so they will fall apart eventually (I just throw them in the compost when done with them). A watering tray will hold apprx. 40 of them. NOTE: You do have to snip or punch holes in the bottoms for drainage. You can plant the entire cup in the ground, or simply peel off the paper.
To keep them from getting wet and falling apart those also have a plastic coating that is not biodegradable, unless specified, and they should not be composted much like glossy paper shouldn't go on your compost pile either
Aren’t those plastic coated?
This is my first year using Peat Pots and now know why some plants are not looking like others in plastic...
Great review... thank you!
Lol,I upcycle my plastic egg containers and they work great as a micro greenhouse. Ive reused some for yrs
You could mention for those folks that might not want to 'buy' plastic pots, there are SO many plastic containers you can recycle for starting plants, especially little yogurt containers ( poke drain holes) They might not nestle neatly in the trays, but too bad! Until they go back to (non-plastic) waxed paper containers, for yogurt, cottage cheese, etc, we need to reuse these types of things! ( I also DO use the black plastic pots and trays, I just clean them and reuse them for as long as I can) Thanks for your videos!!
I did onion seeds in peat pots and they did great (it was in an outside starting area though), way better than the ones I did in plastic.
This is the most useful information for beginner gardeners like me. Too bad that I'm just watching this now after planting most of my seedling in these Jiffy peats. Now I know why my allergies have been out of control in the last few weeks!! Thank you!
Lesson learned the hard way. I just spent many hours today transferring my seedlings out of the Jiffy pots and into the plastic cell trays. The pots were nothing but mold and algae and crumbling after 3 weeks. Never again. Hopefully this video catches someone else before they do what I did!
Amen! I work in a plant store and sometimes even “old hands” look at me like some sort of apostate when I suggest that peat pots are not wonderful. Like “rocks in pots for drainage,” they’re one of those things that sound really logical but just aren’t. They hold water but they also wick it away very quickly and cause loss of root tips unless they’re packed closely. And yes they’re biodegradable but I find that roots often don’t really penetrate them well either.
The huge influx of new gardners and plant lovers is a great thing, and I hope it continues, but it also means we have to be vigilant when we help folks!
I use peat pellets and pot up to 4" plastic. I agree, you need to remove the netting from the pellets, fortunately that's really easy, as it peels away without a problem.
Last year I did a mix of using peat pots and re-using plastic containers from starters and I definitely noticed a difference. Most of my plants still grew fine but some of the ones from the peat pots had problems or barely produced anything. Definitely getting a reusable tray soon, thank you!
Thanks Luke - this validates my experience with peat pellets and peat pots! You're right - it's the easy option when just starting out and a lot of pots are needed. I've moved to soil blocks and had a good experience with them last year. I found the roots air-pruned if a little space is left between blocks, and the roots - for the most part - held the soil together until transplant time.
@Irfan Hassan Hello Irfan - thanks for your reply. My comment holds. (it seems you think I'm using paper for some reason) My experience is that peat pots do not work well, and I will continue to use soil blocks.
Just a warning that some plastic ones are being made ultra thin so they're "disposable". Go for the more sturdy ones which are still cheap.
where do you buy yours? I wish he would have linked us to the products he uses.
@@shirleysunshine3319 greenhouse megastore is rather cheap, and can get your foot in the door. Bootstrap farmer is where I understand, has sturdy plastic ones. I’m using greenhouse this year
After trying for a few years to make my own, I broke down and bought an expensive soil blocker. I don't know how I ever got along without it.
But if I had to choose an alternative, I've had the best success with the hex cell trays....
I just started soil blocking this year, and I started all my Snapdragons this way. I am so sad because it was a huge fail. I don't want this to stop me from seed blocking, but it sure has stopped me as of now. I have been seed sowing in cell trays again.
I'm so happy someone finally agrees with me!
I used peat pots the first year we gardened a few year ago, and I truly didnt like them. I purchased them assuming I could start seeds in them, and then plop them right into the ground with no issues.
But like you said they held so much moisture that I found them getting green with algae and molding (thankfully mine were all outside). And then when I went to plant, my seedlings weren't taking off well, so in the next grouping I decided to tear the pot apart and just plant the ball and see what happened. They flourished.
That's when I realized that plants cant grow out of the peat pot. Their roots arent strong enough to break through the walls and access the soil and nutrients around them.
I now start everything in 6in rose pots so they have room to grow before being transplanted.
@Irfan Hassan I am 100% sure they were peat pots. Not paper. And when I dug up my original plantings 5 months after placing them in soil, along with the plants only growing so big because of their confind space, the peat was still very much in tact.
It could be that they just don't do well in my area so it isn't the best option for me.
And I'm sorry, I only share information that I have first hand knowledge in, or have seen with my own eyes.
@Irfan Hassan they were indeed jiffy pots. In my rural area the only place to really get items is at Walmart. And majority of what my Walmart offers if jiffy. We even only get 1 brand of seeds in the displays.
There are also many people commenting on this video saying they are having the same problems with peat pots. As I mentioned before they may just not work well in my area, I live in a very humid environment. So mold is a big issue. I'd rather not have mold that could sicken me or my family.
Please do not assume that I don't know what I am talking about when I describe my experience. I am very meticulous and document everything with much detail to be able to replicate or refrain from things I have done before.
I've been using soil blocks, and in my opinion they're superior to using plastic containers if you want to either create your own blocker or invest in a professional set.
Yes so true I love soil blocks definitely the best thing to do and plant root are not destructing once put in the garden bed I order 1 online which give 4 block , but I'm still new to it still trying to figure what best to germinate the seed alot faster I am trying poting soil plus top soil.. they top me I can add fertilizer but I dont know how much and what kind to add so I skip fertilizer
I’ve only been gardening for a few years. When you mentioned a soil block and I google it, initially I looked at it and thought that won’t work. Then I watched the video on it and my mind was blown how simple and efficient it looked. Thanks for the info, I think I might try that soon.
@@shadyfieldhomestead1974 Hi, you can UA-cam Jim Kovaleski, he uses soil blocks, showed a 20 minute video mixing the soilless mix, how to make the blocks and explained when to water them and what water to use. A true master. Zero transplant shock for the seedlings.
@@shadyfieldhomestead1974 the soil blocks also come in different side if u dont like alot work like me u go for bigger side I use the one with 4 block some use more all depend what size plant u trying to germinate.. but I were recommend 4 block the size good and u dont have to worry if plant root grow out block because it enough space and it very organized and so easy to move to flower bed.. not like plastic I got to yank my mustard plant out and the soil break apart today when I lay them in ground.. so we learning new trick everyday😁😁.
@@q2bunny860 I made my soil blocks out of pure compost. I have had good success so far, my first batch was made in the middle of January and I have not used any fertilizer since the compost will provide nutrients. My plants are growing large, deep green, and happy. To avoid the roots growing into the neighboring blocks I just spread them out a finger width apart in the tray. I'm missing out on probably another 12 blocks or so by doing that, but I'm okay with 32/tray to be able to keep them in there a little longer. It's also a lot easier for splitting things apart if you multi sow because they don't get as tangled around each other as they do in the little cell trays.
Started doing winter sowing this year and that's been great. I do use plastic but I'm reusing them. And yes I have that problem with the netting on the peat pellets. I remove them or try to as much as possible.
I had SUCH a different experience with peat pots! They dried out so fast and I had tons of seedlings die because of it, it was so frustrating, that and I really think the roots aren't happy in them
Luke, Thanks for the tip on the netting for the peat pellets. I start my seeds in them and transfer to red solo cups with holes cut in the bottom. I will start removing the netting when I transplant.
The pucks I'm using always seem to be dried out or water logged. Thanks for the heads up on removing the netting. I did on most of them but I was afraid of breaking the roots on some if I tried it. Plastic is great and you don't have to transplant as often but starting mix in that amount is expensive for me.
@The Pervy Prepper Most of them came off but the ones that had roots going through the bottom already, I was afraid of breaking the roots so so did cut the netting from top to bottom but left it on.
Thank you so much for this informative video! I just purchased a bunch of peat pots last night! Your video came just in time for me. I was going to plant them today. They are going to be returned to the store now! 😅
I tried those pots once and I won't do that again. And the plants that I get from home Depot or Walmart that have the peat pots I ripped the bottoms off because it never seems to degrade enough for the roots to go through well.
👍agree
Exactly
@Classic_rock1135 sounds like what I do pretty much. Great minds think alike
@Classic_rock1135 I could of sworn I saw instructions telling you to do that.
If the plants you got from Walmart in the peat pots were Bonnie Plants, rest assured that they have discontinued them.
We have mold allergy issues in our family. My daughter told me she quit using the peat pots partly for that reason. She watches your videos. I agree about the peat 'pucks' with non biodegradable netting. Frustrating! Thanks for the info.
I appreciate you talking about this! I luckily figured out what was going on quickly the first time I tried peat pots. I moved to solo cups as soon as I saw all the mold. Great advice here.
@Tanya Gray never thought of solo cups like that idea
Solo cups are great but I just went with the 4 inch plastic pots. Almost identical price and they already have the drainage holes. I save my Solo cups for...Adult Beverages haha.
Great points! I also use plastic containers doubled up *one with drain holes & other as watering tray. Works great & come with plastic lid (add air holes!) to speed up germination. Plastic reusable for years & easily sterilized!
Loved the "Kuchunk kuchunk kuchunk"! It was actually totally easy to image what that sound translates into haha!
Peat is also a non-renewable resource, so I try to use those non-renewable resources sparingly. I invested in some quality plastic pots with removable litte domes to help keep the seeds moist while germinating. Those plastic pots will last me...forever basicly. Also I only start about 4 dozen plants indoors as we have a long grow season in the south and I direct sow squash, cucumbers, sunflowers and some other assorted things I forgot about while writing this post outdoors.
My feed store Carrie's cow pots. They are made of compressed cow manure. They work well.
Good points. New term: moisture inertia. When peat's dry it stays dry. When it's wet it stays wet. Video idea: how to best correct peat ph. Can it be done quickly or is it best to give it time?
I threw mine in compost with my dead seedlings. Bought plastic containers instead
When I worked at a nursery, the big pile of compost we used for up potting still had a bunch of the nets from some years back. They don't freaking degrade!
@@justuslightworkers Every year when I rework the soil in my garden, I still turn up those little non-degrading nets that surround the cursed peat plugs from years past when I've tried to compost them. lol. Not to mention the peat itself is on the acidic side which the little seedlings don't like. Everyone hates em' except for the people who swear by them, lol. smh
Luke is 100% accurate on this one. I wish I had seen a video like this before I started gardening last year, I made *waves hands frantically* ALL of these mistakes with peat pots and the peat pellets with the fabric around them.
I learned the hard way with Jiffy peat pots.☹ The Burpee peat pots aren't as compressed and thinner. Only thing I used them for this year was sunflowers
Hi from India. Very knowledgeable info. Thank you. I had started peppers in peat pellets and when I transplanted to pots, I left few with the netting as is and I transplanted others by removing them. Later, I noticed that the plants where I removed that little netting were growing well and the ones with the netting (supposedly biodegradable), were not developing well. I pulled them out, cut off the netting and replanted in the same pots and now they are doing fine. Proved your point. So, very useful info. Thank you
Thanks for the tip. For sale 150 peat pot cups.
Same -- my seedlings that I transplanted from plastic pots to peat are struggling. The same ones in plastic still are not. I thought maybe the soil ... but ... maybe the pot.
I love this channel so much thank you!! I have been able to save my life with gardening in this 2020 wave of new homesteaders and divert my consciousness from all the crappy news and news analysis channels in order to focus on what is important and all this shared info will help me to avoid all the pitfalls that got me discouraged in the past. Thanks for all you share!!! My favorite part of the day lately is getting such clear info here!
Wow. I wish I saw this sooner.
Yep, I just got my pet pots in the mail 4 days ago for my seedlings. Oh well.
Me too
Had to buy a load of plants cuz my stuff all died.... cuz of my peat pots 😥
OMG >>Thank goodness I watched your show on pots. I have 25 pots filled with seed soil as I am planting seeds on this day. Happy Easter. I am going right down stairs to dump those peat pots out and changing/buying plastic pots to take their place.That really sucks !! I have about 40 others that I have not used.Lesson learned. Thank fully all the others are in plastic.Really appreciate your show.
I have peat pots, peat pellets and plastic cell packs. So far I have some comfrey plants growing in 3" peat pots and so far so good. I guess I'll find out soon enough which ones work best.
Thank you for sharing your experience with peat pots to raise awareness. I've never successfully grown anything in peat pots without damping off.
The jiffy peat pellets switched from that netting mentioned in this video to a cornstarch covering.
I never used them before but this year I bought a 72 count tray of little ones and a 36 count tray of bigger ones. The big ones have a netting on them, but the small ones look a lot like paper towel or something... It's certainly not that same netting the bigger ones have on them, at least.
I thought that was interesting and wondered which was the newer version. Guess it ain't the netting, huh!
I use a mix of soil blocks, peat pots, and pastic cells. my peat pots always get cut at planting time to allow root growth. I bottom water them all the time, but my greenhouse is currently around 85 degrees so they do dry out enough to avoid issues
great, you tell me this 2 days after I bought peat pots.😁
2 months after mine lol
Just started my peppers and onions I purchased from your online store. Used a lot of the advice I provided, tho I’m not a “new” gardener, we all can learn new techniques and improve our results.
Ugh... wish I watched this before I started my seeds this year (new to gardening)! Explains so much as to why my seedlings have stopped growing altogether. Is it too late to start over with seeds? I live in Pacific Northwest and the weather is warming up but still under 10°C at night. And I am growing in containers only. Thanks so much!
It’s never to late to start seeds over
Heat mats can help germinate faster
Its never too late to start more seeds! Container gardening is awesome! You can grow a TON of food in containers. I like the 5 gallon buckets. Good luck!
@Irfan Hassan thats why I said everyone should use soil blocks
@Irfan Hassan I really don't give a beep anymore about the environmentalists preaching.
I bought peat pots this year, but have never used them in all my years of gardening. I will return to the store! Thanks for this video! 🌞 Happy Saturday! 🌞
@Irfan Hassan Im glad peat works for you- I won't use it. I like using Jiffy pods for seeds and they work very well for me. I can use and reuse the plastic containers, but the peat packs have to be continually purchased. Good luck to you 🌞
@Irfan Hassan I don't use Jiffy pots, I use Jiffy pods which are formed peat that expands when water is added to start the seed in. It is not a pot. When the seedling grows big enough, I remove the small casing around the Jiffy pod, and plant the seedling in soil in a pot (not a peat pot) 🌞
Don't worry about me...I have great success with my plants. 🌞
You may want to consider researching the fact that peat is a non renewable resource which many countries are banning 😉
@Irfan Hassan "The UK government plans to ban peat use among amateur gardeners by 2024. ... With the proposed ban and a pledge to restore 35,000 hectares of peatland across the country by the year after, retailers can no longer delay the transition to peat-free compost.May 19, 2021" In process of being banned.
Peat harvesting is a bit of an environmental disaster anyway. Peat pots are most definitely not environmentally friendly.
Edit: I know Canada has millions of hectares of peat land and therefore it isn't an issue to the extent it is in the UK, but I just don't see one time use peat pots as a good product. And I acknowledge most plastic trays are not made as well as they should be, but reusable trays are the better way to go.
@Michael Because mining peat bogs is a massive emitter of greenhouse gasses, and it destroys imperiled habitats. Sphagnum moss is harvested the same way and it's completely unsustainable.
Agree! I just recycle plastic containers that would otherwise go into the landfill for all my pots (ramen trays, pudding/yogurt cups, salad containers, plastic take-out containers, buckets from local bakeries etc.)
Neither is plastic? They are only reusable for a short time.
@@mojavemoons9208 True but a lot of plastic is recyclable, if we invested in recycling programs.
Absolutely most plastic trays are made with little concern for longevity, there needs to be more pressure for better quality trays. I'm trying Winstrip trays for a second year, they're extremely expensive, but I'm hopeful they'll last 10+ years.
I have been growing my tomatoes and peppers and zucchinis, and flowers etc, from seeds in peat pots with no issues for decades. All transplant into the planters. All grow. All get harvested then become part of the soil.No prob.
I just stared gardening and all my current seedlings are under a grow light in peat pots but they're doing alright I think, nearly 4 weeks into it and cant complain
Sounds like you're monitoring the water level closely, then.
When you set them out, at a minimum I would tear the bottom off the pot and down the sides, or lift the plant out of the pot entirely and just crumble it (the pot) into the hole. The roots will most likely not make it through the pot in time for your plants to mature before the growing season is almost gone.
Good information. I've had good years with the peat pots, and bad years but I never stopped to analyze it because of so many other factors.
i just had this conversation with my sister, i have never had good luck with peat pots. the plants always seem to fail and they never seem to break down. ive found them the following year after planting
i think its solo cups for me this year with holes drilled in the bottom
Omg so glad I saw this video! I just transplanted/separated seedlings into half plastic double cups and half jiffy.. tomorrow will get more plastic cups and correct my mistake! Thank you!!
also, epic gardener showed some really solid trays on his channel.
So true about peat pots - I learned my lesson very quickly! I am based in the UK and I have the same problem with terracotta ceramic pots for my indoor cacti and succulents - they love growing white mould too, especially during the winter.
Never had a problem with pete pots in 40 years of gardening.
He made up a “mistake” to make a video
You'd actually have to use them to have a problem with them. Anyone with an IQ over 7 that has used them, knows that they are junk.
Ditto! Started with peat pots about 6 years ago and they grew mold. Then I tried making newspaper pots. I had the same issue with that when they were closely packed in trays. They might be OK if they are not touching. I switched to thick reusable plastic pots from bootstrap farmer. They are still going strong at year 4 this season.
I’ve put out peat pot potted plants in my garden and several weeks later the pot is still intact. Even though I had torn off the bottom of the pot I still believe that they restricted the roots from spreading out.
Last year I used Bonnie plants instead of seeds. Most of the plants were in peat pots, I ripped the bottoms off and planted. They did grow but not well. When ripping them up you could see on every plant where the roots coiled up around the peat pot. I'll never leave one on a plant again.
We use single serving yogurt containers. We drill holes in the bottom and they work well. Also makes the containers not single use plastic.
I agree with you completely on avoiding peat pots. I’ve been exponentially more successful with reusable plastic trays. Even old fast food take out containers, with drainage holes poked in them on a cookie sheet in a pinch :)
Just switched over to the Bootstrap Farmer cell trays (120 and 72 cell 1020 trays). The difference in strength and rigidity is life changing... My gardening life anyways.
Highly recommend over cheapo trays.
I love peat pots! Been using them for years.
Good to hear. I'm a newbie with seed starting and bought these!🤷
I've never had a problem with them either!
I respect your comments about peat pots. Plastic does, however, provide a medium for molds & fungi, as well, when moisture accumulates. So thank you for stressing the need to control moisture.
I just lost all my seed starts that I started in peat pots. All the other containers are doing well.
I live in Karachi Pakistan I like your comments thanks
Too much water!
@@jaleo1369: Perhaps but my water meter would disagree.
I used the peat pods last year to start lettuces. Taking that mesh off wasn't a huge deal but I won't do it again. Those plastic cells are my favorite too and for the same reasons. 💜
For those who have already used them this year, you can control mold by adding food grade peroxide to your water. Edit to add: great for fungus as well.
Thanks; great tip! What ratio?
I do this for my pepper's roots each year.
great to add to microgreen water and to your sprouts to keep them healthy and happy...and us too ; )
For 3% peroxide, like you can get at CVS use 1 tablespoon in a cup of water, 2 tablespoons in a pint, or a 1/4 cup for a quart.
Just what I was thinking....so many peat pots this year, bought on clearance last year....don't want to waste them....may spray the inside of the pot before I plant as well....
Wow today I got upset and threw out my new seeds in that thing bc I saw mold. I thought I had done something wrong since I’m a beginner. Thanks for this