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media Jiffy Peat Pellets....Never Again.

E

EBHarvey

So I had started a thread a while back asking what the heck was wrong with my then 3 week or so old seedlings, which were growing extremely slow and whose cotyledons and then leaves were shriveled and curled up. The consensus seemed to be that there was too much moisture in the soil and after a week or so of slow drying they seemed to recover somewhat and even the most sickly pulled-through. Around that time I planted another round of seeds just to be safe in solo cups with a much looser potting mix - one of the miracle grow varieties with loads of vermiculite in it. Well, those seedlings quickly caught up to and overtook the original peat pellet batch and this past weekend when i transplanted everyone into 16oz. cups I couldn't believe what I saw...

The seedling in the peat pellets, now over 6 weeks old, in addition to being tiny compared to the others had virtually non-existent root systems. The others were almost root-bound in their 5oz. cups but the pellet ones didn't even have roots visible when I peeled back the mesh, and in several cases the entire bottom half of the 3-inch tall pellet fell off to reveal that the roots hadn't even penetrated halfway down into the block of peat as if the stuff was made out of cement.

For whatever reason, my tomatoes seem to be doing just fine in them, but I'm never planting peppers in those silly things again. Anyone else have a similar experience with the Jiffy pellets/pucks?
 
Ive always had really good luck with the Jiffy Pellets. Of course a lot of it depends on how moist they are kept. It's odd that they grew that slowly for you. As mine quickly out grow the pellets and I have to pot them in solo cups or very small pots.
 
I experienced the exact opposite. Pepper plant roots grew through the bottom mesh before first true leave emerged. Roots also grew from their own peat pellet to neighboring pellets before the second set of true leaves fully opened. No root issues here :)
 
As with Dunken and megahot, I had great root growth in jiffy pellets this year, with almost two inches of root out of the pellets on some of them with only the hint of true leaves.
 
Never used Jiffy Pellets but my tomatos use a lot more water than my peppers when planted in the same way, if that relates in any way.
 
Did you soak the pellets for 15 minutes before use, then drain off the extra water? If they were like cement in the middle, it sounds like they were never fully hydrated.
 
I found it hard to keep the pellets at the right hydration, they were either too wet or dried to fast compared to just regular soil. I still have quite a few left, but I'll be using them for other stuff than my peppers.
 
They work fine for me too. If there not moist they are like bricks tho. In the end of my germ i stopped caring about the last 5 or 6 and they were pitched in the trash. Maybe they will sprout wherever they end up was my thought. Lol
 
sample 1 of my 3 batches. in the end I only have 1 jiffy pellet that didnt sprouted. my large 7pots gave me 30/30 germination. just saying ;)... and i never soaked my seeds before i put them. i just water the pellets at least 50 degrees celcius on the first absorb. this pic was taken 12 days after sowing the seeds. first seed popped after 8 days.
 
Did you say you pealed back the mesh around the pellets after 6 weeks? That's supposed to come off when transplanting right after germination. They won't grow much if those stay on. Just checking.
 
I hate pellets with a passion. I used them for the first time this season. There are definitely not even close to enough benifits to ever use them again; there are plenty of negatives to never use them again.
 
No jiffies for me :)

I used them last few seasons, but the jiffies sold overhere are very low quality.

They get dry to fast, you have to water them every day, and every year few of them get mold.

I got good percentage of sprouts from them, but then again - I had that with every other starting/pot mix.
I see no advantage in jiffies, or in special germination mixes.

I use one soil mix this year for all stages of growth, I have no problems and it's much easier this way for me :)
 
I had used Jiffy's until this year. I always had really good growth with them, but one thing that I noticed being a problem is freshness. The big box stores (Lowes, Home Depot) put out their old stock first, so if you buy them in Feb/March you are getting really old pellets that don't seem to hydrate well and seem to get the green mold really quick.

I started buying them by the case from a nursery supplier, 1700 to a case, and they were outstanding! In warm water they will hydrate fully in about 90 seconds, if yours take longer than that, then they are most likely old stock. I realize not everyone is going to have a way to use that many, but maybe if you can find a few friends to split a case, I think they were about $75 last year.

Once I started going through 2-3 cases a year I realized I was better off just using sifted Pro-Mix and vermiculite to start seeds, it was a heck of alot cheaper on that scale.
 
I've been using Jiffy's for two seasons now. Work great and the roots explode out of the pellets..no problems there.

But, If you overwater them, you'll get yellowing cotyledons and damping off for sure.
 
44ad9c7e-be28-4155-b2ac-356498d7f0de_300.jpg
+
cup.jpg
= Same thing

But better! Cost less, water less, use longer, reusable, lable-able

Hell, add some pearlite and myco, maybe a little bit of worm castings to prevent damping off ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60hmY4GLicU
 
Cayennemist said:
44ad9c7e-be28-4155-b2ac-356498d7f0de_300.jpg
+
cup.jpg
= Same thing

But better! Cost less, water less, use longer, reusable, lable-able

Hell, add some pearlite and myco, maybe a little bit of worm castings to prevent damping off ...
Click to expand...
I did this to some of my plant, i wonder if it is better to poke a hole on the bottom of the cups or no?
 
Use boiling water to hydrate them initially and then allow to cool to Luke warm temp and then place seeds in and you will have no fungal issues and guaranteed full hydration of pellets. I personally also leave the mesh on with a simple tear down one side.
Never missed a trick as long as you keep them nice and warm and in humidity with even moisture levels. Each to there own though
 
With jiffies, I dont catch the roots early enough and they grow through the mesh. When I try to pull the mess of I loose those roots.

Yes I take off the mesh! I feel like it restricts the roots true potential. With a solo cup, just take it out and plant it...
No worries.
 
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