Peat Pellets for seeds....

Ed of Somis · January 14, 2015

Have you guys used peat pellets (Jiffy makes some) for germinating/growing your tomato seeds? They look pretty easy...do they work well?

heirloomtomaguy · January 14, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed of Somis

Have you guys used peat pellets (Jiffy makes some) for germinating/growing your tomato seeds? They look pretty easy...do they work well?

They work pretty alright but coco coir pellets work better for me. I have also used rock wool with great success. Rock wool also prevents any possibility of damping off.

rwsacto · January 14, 2015

They are almost foolproof for me, especially good for growing just a few of many different varieties.

I always slit the net across and down one side with a box cutter before expanding. Expand with H2O in tray, plant seed in the dimple, then put on the clear cover. I use a very small pinch of vermiculite (or peat moss) to cradle the seed (primarily to keep moist). Keep warm and keep a light on over the tray.

Once germinated, move the pellet to an open tray under light. spray with H2O2 if mold develops. You can spray the side of the pellet when dry or bottom water the tray. Remove the net when transplanting.

To transplant into a Styrofoam cup (with holes in the bottom), hold the cup slightly downward and slide the plug up into the bottom of the cup. I usually remove the bottom half of the pellet with the net before transplanting.

I like the fact that I can move individual seedlings through the process as they grow up at different rates.

Hope this helps,
Rick

amideutch · January 14, 2015

ED, That is all I use for starting seeds. I use the Hydrofarm "Jumpstarts". Here is a thread that might help.

Ami

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=30602

PaulF · January 14, 2015

I have tried the peat pellets several times and did not have success any of the times. Soilless mix for me for seed starting.

KarenO · January 14, 2015

I like them, have used them for years with success. Great if planting only one or two plants of each variety.
Karen

MikeInCypress · January 14, 2015

I've used them for over 30 years. Over 95% successful. I use Jiffy Brand. I re-pot into Styrofoam cups when I have 2 true leave. I use 2-3 seeds per pellet. Sometimes I cut off the extras when I re-pot the pellets, sometimes I separate the extras and plant the bare root plant in its own cup.

Good Luck.

MikeInCypress

Sun City Linda · January 14, 2015

I use them and have for many years. I think they are great for small home growers like me who want to seed only a few of many varieties.

Ed of Somis · January 14, 2015

Awesome info....thanks. I too am doing 8-10 varieties with only 1 or 2 per variety. Convenience is cool...if it works good. So, after a couple of "true" leaves I mix the pellet in with soil- less mix in a pot? How is it people re-use these peat pellets?

MikeInCypress · January 14, 2015

I use Jiffy 7's. when the plant gets big enough, I take off the netting.
Then I take my 16 oz Styrofoam Cup that I have poked 3 holes in the bottom using a pencil, place a small amount of soil-less mixture in the bottom, then set the plant including the whole pellet into the cup, and then I fill the cup with soil-less mixture so only the true leaves are above the planting medium.

MikeInCypress

Ed of Somis · January 14, 2015

M...so that sounds logical to me. When you plant out...doesn't all that pellet and soil-less go in the ground? How would someone save the pellet and re-use???

rwsacto · January 15, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed of Somis

M...so that sounds logical to me. When you plant out...doesn't all that pellet and soil-less go in the ground? How would someone save the pellet and re-use???

The expanded pellet is about 2 inches tall. When the seedling is ready to transplant, its tiny roots are mostly in the top half. Remove the net, break the pellet in half, transplant the top and reuse the bottom.

Nothing to it!

Cuts you annual pellet costs in half!

MikeInCypress · January 14, 2015

I never re-use the pellets. Don't know how you could do that.

MikeInCypress

Sun City Linda · January 14, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeInCypress

I never re-use the pellets. Don't know how you could do that.

MikeInCypress

haha, I was wondering about that myself but I thought maybe you knew something I didn't

By the way your seed went out this morning.

guruofgardens · January 15, 2015

We use the pellets similar to everyone - never reuse the pellets.

To help keep away from fungus gnats, I usually boil water with a teabag of Chamomile tea per cup, let it steep, and then reheat to boiling before adding to the pellets. With the HOT water, the pellets plump up quickly.

I use the Jiffy brand and remove half of the netting before planting 2-3 seeds per pellet. When ready to transplant, remove all netting.

When the plant has 2-3 sets of true leaves, I fill 18 oz. Solo cups (with drainage holes) about half way with Happy Frog mixed with coir, split the pellet in half or 3 parts, add the plant to the cup and fill about 3/4 of the way up to the first leaves. I've heard they first leaves are important to the health of the seedlings. Who knows?

-- When we 'make' the potting soil, we either add diluted Bt or the Chamomile tea as there are usually fungus gnat eggs just waiting to hatch in the Happy Frog or other potting soil. And once they're potted up, water from the bottom.

Trial and error. Many of the latter.

January 14, 2015	#1
Ed of Somis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Somis, Ca Posts: 649	Peat Pellets for seeds.... Have you guys used peat pellets (Jiffy makes some) for germinating/growing your tomato seeds? They look pretty easy...do they work well?

January 14, 2015	#4
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	ED, That is all I use for starting seeds. I use the Hydrofarm "Jumpstarts". Here is a thread that might help. Ami http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=30602 __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

January 14, 2015	#5
PaulF Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brownville, Ne Posts: 3,296	I have tried the peat pellets several times and did not have success any of the times. Soilless mix for me for seed starting. __________________ there's two things money can't buy; true love and home grown tomatoes.

January 14, 2015	#7
MikeInCypress Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 963	I've used them for over 30 years. Over 95% successful. I use Jiffy Brand. I re-pot into Styrofoam cups when I have 2 true leave. I use 2-3 seeds per pellet. Sometimes I cut off the extras when I re-pot the pellets, sometimes I separate the extras and plant the bare root plant in its own cup. Good Luck. MikeInCypress __________________ "Growing older, not up"

January 14, 2015	#10
MikeInCypress Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cypress, TX Posts: 963	Peat Pellets I use Jiffy 7's. when the plant gets big enough, I take off the netting. Then I take my 16 oz Styrofoam Cup that I have poked 3 holes in the bottom using a pencil, place a small amount of soil-less mixture in the bottom, then set the plant including the whole pellet into the cup, and then I fill the cup with soil-less mixture so only the true leaves are above the planting medium. MikeInCypress __________________ "Growing older, not up"

January 14, 2015	#3
rwsacto Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Sacramento CA Posts: 288	They are almost foolproof for me, especially good for growing just a few of many different varieties. I always slit the net across and down one side with a box cutter before expanding. Expand with H2O in tray, plant seed in the dimple, then put on the clear cover. I use a very small pinch of vermiculite (or peat moss) to cradle the seed (primarily to keep moist). Keep warm and keep a light on over the tray. Once germinated, move the pellet to an open tray under light. spray with H2O2 if mold develops. You can spray the side of the pellet when dry or bottom water the tray. Remove the net when transplanting. To transplant into a Styrofoam cup (with holes in the bottom), hold the cup slightly downward and slide the plug up into the bottom of the cup. I usually remove the bottom half of the pellet with the net before transplanting. I like the fact that I can move individual seedlings through the process as they grow up at different rates. Hope this helps, Rick

January 14, 2015	#6
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,931	I like them, have used them for years with success. Great if planting only one or two plants of each variety. Karen

January 14, 2015	#8
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	I use them and have for many years. I think they are great for small home growers like me who want to seed only a few of many varieties.

January 15, 2015	#15
guruofgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: zone 5 Colorado Posts: 942	We use the pellets similar to everyone - never reuse the pellets. To help keep away from fungus gnats, I usually boil water with a teabag of Chamomile tea per cup, let it steep, and then reheat to boiling before adding to the pellets. With the HOT water, the pellets plump up quickly. I use the Jiffy brand and remove half of the netting before planting 2-3 seeds per pellet. When ready to transplant, remove all netting. When the plant has 2-3 sets of true leaves, I fill 18 oz. Solo cups (with drainage holes) about half way with Happy Frog mixed with coir, split the pellet in half or 3 parts, add the plant to the cup and fill about 3/4 of the way up to the first leaves. I've heard they first leaves are important to the health of the seedlings. Who knows? -- When we 'make' the potting soil, we either add diluted Bt or the Chamomile tea as there are usually fungus gnat eggs just waiting to hatch in the Happy Frog or other potting soil. And once they're potted up, water from the bottom. Trial and error. Many of the latter.