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Jiffy Pots

chilliman64

chilliman64

anyone use them? I have read that some love the pots (not plugs) and some hate them. I have been considering using them for the intermediate potting stage (after initial germination in a heated mini-greenhouse), but I cannot find anywhere that tells me how long they will stay together before disintegrating or whether they help or hinder plant/root growth.

I have come across some Jiffy Trays which look like a good idea:

http://www.gardenexpress.com.au/media/Jiffy_Pots_&_Tray_Set.jpg

they would spend some time in this tray under 18w grolux lights until ready for transplanting outdoors.

any comments?
 
AHA!!

I used them this spring and to me personally where the best dam choice I made!!..All seeds germinated!! and the humidity effect it does wit the tray top is excellent!!..The secret was dat I left the tray downstairs while i was drying clothes on top of the dryer..! WHILE MAKING A FEW LOADS..ITS AWESOME!!

But now my 2 cents..!

ITS GREAT!! but watchout imaguitargod will come and debate me hahaha!! but listen to his side too..!! :)
 
Will depend on the ground you're going to plant them in I think - regular good soakings, naturally moist fertile ground are going to have them deteriorate & fall apart to let the roots out easily. If the ground is dry, clay, hardened (like I've got) it's going to hinder the health of the roots.
I have about 40 100 mm plastic pots that get reused between seedtray and planting out or larger pot. I sit the pots out where I plan to plant them, when the roots show out the base, dig a hole 300 mm, use the same potting mixture in the hole. Water it in & forget about it until you see ripe pods.
Not to mention that I also see disposable pots as extra unnecessary $ between me and my desired pod munching.

Hey someone mentioned 2 cents :)
 
There's nothing wrong with Jiffy pots, it's a personal preference thing. I've used all kinds of things to start peppers, and I like the Jiffy Pots, but you do need to get them in the ground or repotted before they become root bound.

I break up the pots as I plant, and the act of peeling away the moist peat usually breaks off the growing tip of each root stem, which in turn stimulates the lateral roots to grow and branch. This is a Good Thing, not a Bad Thing.

The peat pots won't disintegrate in the weeks it takes a pepper to out grown them unless you really man handle them.

If you leave them in the pots too long, and they're touching in the container, you will have a mess of tangled roots. They'll grow to the outside of the other peat pots, and into the neighboring ones.
 
I find that Jiffy Pots don't break down fast enough and cause the plant to become rootbound.

Jiffy Plugs are also crap because they are VERY low in esential nutrents that baby plants need.
 
All the plants that were started in these did fine once they were in the ground but I always pinch open about 1/2 the container. I'm afraid the roots won't break through.

I did however get tired of these pretty quick with some of my slower growing plants because they seemed to suck all the water away from the soil.
 
imaguitargod said:
Jiffy Plugs are also crap because they are VERY low in esential nutrents that baby plants need.
Click to expand...


I personally recommend the plugs to everyone. I hatched all of my plants this year in the plugs. Absolutely no problems at all. As soon as the seed leaves opened up they got moved into cups and all was fine from there. They are easier for me since you can transplant the plug rather than try to dig up the seedlings and possible damage the delicate roots.
 
Pam said:
There's nothing wrong with Jiffy pots, it's a personal preference thing. I've used all kinds of things to start peppers, and I like the Jiffy Pots, but you do need to get them in the ground or repotted before they become root bound.

I break up the pots as I plant, and the act of peeling away the moist peat usually breaks off the growing tip of each root stem, which in turn stimulates the lateral roots to grow and branch. This is a Good Thing, not a Bad Thing.

The peat pots won't disintegrate in the weeks it takes a pepper to out grown them unless you really man handle them.

If you leave them in the pots too long, and they're touching in the container, you will have a mess of tangled roots. They'll grow to the outside of the other peat pots, and into the neighboring ones.
Click to expand...

good tips, thanks Pam!

Poisonette said:
All the plants that were started in these did fine once they were in the ground but I always pinch open about 1/2 the container. I'm afraid the roots won't break through.

I did however get tired of these pretty quick with some of my slower growing plants because they seemed to suck all the water away from the soil.
Click to expand...

more good tips!!

gardenkiller said:
I personally recommend the plugs to everyone. I hatched all of my plants this year in the plugs. Absolutely no problems at all. As soon as the seed leaves opened up they got moved into cups and all was fine from there. They are easier for me since you can transplant the plug rather than try to dig up the seedlings and possible damage the delicate roots.
Click to expand...

I knew this thread would be good value! thanks to all for your advice.
 
Gardenkiller, I think you have hit the nail on the head, for me anyway. I transplanted around 400 seedlings last year and that adds up to a lot of hours if i could just grab the peat pellet and transplant into bigger pot that would save me alot of time. i think I will try it next year for at least some of my seedlings to see how it works out.

Dale
 
Dale--
If you are going to do that, wait until the fall clearance sales hit. I can get those pellets at the big box stores for about half price if I shop at the right time.
 
Yes I believe i will do that That is how i got all my pots from home depot they had them on clearance this spring for 2.50 apiece and I got the manager and told him that i would take all he had for a dollar apiece he went for it then i went to another one by me and showed them my receipt and they gave me all of thiers for a buck also. I love being cheap I mean frugal.

Dale
 
They make some similar pots that are made from compressed animal poop. As well as being biodegradable, they come from a renewable resourse and they have fertilizer built in. I've used a lot of jiffys and peat pots over the years but I really prefer plugs.
 
i use the little plugs to start all my seeds as to they help reduce transplant shock. i start about 300 hundred a year the only thing that i do not like about them is that you cant lable the plug itself. and i have noticed that my popsicle stick move around on there own. i used the pots once and i will never use them again. i bottom water all my plants and it caused the pots to mold. can you imagine a dinning room full of 300 moldy jiffy pots.
nick
 
POTAWIE said:
They make some similar pots that are made from compressed animal poop. As well as being biodegradable, they come from a renewable resourse and they have fertilizer built in. I've used a lot of jiffys and peat pots over the years but I really prefer plugs.
Click to expand...

I've never heard of the compressed animal poo pots, where did you get them? I think that's a great idea. I have seen the poo pets, the animal shaped poo bits that you put in a pot with a plant as fertilizer, but never a poo pot.
 
I have used the jiffy pots but only because someone said I should. 'Splain me this Lucy...if the peppers are going to wind up in a say..5 gal pale anyway, why not just start them there? When planting in the field with seeds, the commercial cats don't start them in jiffy pots and then graduate larger and larger, so why is it necessary for me to do so?
 
texas blues said:
I have used the jiffy pots but only because someone said I should. 'Splain me this Lucy...if the peppers are going to wind up in a say..5 gal pale anyway, why not just start them there? When planting in the field with seeds, the commercial cats don't start them in jiffy pots and then graduate larger and larger, so why is it necessary for me to do so?
Click to expand...


Because in areas where the growing season is short....like here in Iowa....if I tried to just plant seeds in the pots I would end up with nothing but 1 or 2 green pods by the end of the season. I start mine indoors very early and still sometimes only get a few fully mature ones by then end of the season. Not to mention that if a few of the seeds didn't germinate in the 5 gallon pot then I will just have a dirt bucket that could have been used for something else. Also potting up from seed trays to pots allows you to take the best looking specimens rather than whatever happens to grow/not grow in the pot. I do completely understand what you are saying, and in areas blessed with long seasons that isn't an all bad idea.
 
texas blues said:
I have used the jiffy pots but only because someone said I should. 'Splain me this Lucy...if the peppers are going to wind up in a say..5 gal pale anyway, why not just start them there? When planting in the field with seeds, the commercial cats don't start them in jiffy pots and then graduate larger and larger, so why is it necessary for me to do so?
Click to expand...

It's not necessary for you to start seeds in Jiffy Pots or anything else but 5 gallon buckets. If it works for you, go for it!

For me, however, space is an issue. Even in our mild winters it's too cold to start most of the seeds outside. I grow tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and flowers from seed; but I don't have a greenhouse or even a basement. My small spare bedroom has my seed starting rack in it, and just about every flat surface inside has some sort of plant or seed tray on it in the spring. I start my seeds in waves, planning on having those that are tolerant of cool weather out in the cold frame by the time the next set is ready to go. So, I need to start each set of seeds in the smallest container that will allow a healthy seedling to develop.
 
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