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media Jiffy Pellets

gasificada

gasificada

Does anyone have any pics or can explain what a jiffy pellet should look like when just moist enough? I get a little paranoid at times that I am leaving mine to dry out too much... but then when I give them even a light watering, they can appear very wet.

I let them get to about this stage before watering:

IMG_0962.jpg


Too dry? Or just dry enough?
 
I agree it is a bit dry. I usually set mine in a container and let them soak up water then dump the excess water. I have lost alot less seedlings this way as opposed to trying to water the peat pellet.
 
like rds040800 said, just put them in a tray and let them soak up the water,
don't let them dry out too much between waterings when they're seedlings it will damage the roots
 
I really wouldn't worry about them drying out some. Last year was my first year using them and I wasn't very careful with them. Some of them got completly dry between waterings and I didn't lose any seedlings that way. They all turned out to be great plants too. I did check them each day so they weren't completly dry for too long. I wouldn't suggest doing it this way but don't sweat it so much. The plants want to grow. Just don't let them be completly dry for an extended period of time. Then I did as others have suggested and set them in water until they were saturated and then removed them from the water. They would get so dry that the pellets would float. I just had to hold them down for a short bit until they didn't float any more.
 
Just a suggestion regarding Jiffy Pellets - I too use them because they're just so easy. However, I have found that when you "Pot Up", be sure to carefully remove the netting. I've found that they have prevented root growth in certain cases.
 
i usually remove the netting as i sow 2 or 3 seeds in each pellet.as each then contains 2-3 good seedlings, i really need to cut the membrane to separate the seedlings to pot on anyway.
 
just some advise. check some of the gardening sites on the web for information on starting seeds most people will not use jiffy pellets for anything, way to acid for small plants.use seed seed starting soil in small pots,i start everything in 2"x2" plastic pots and water with ro water till first true leafs.all kinds of storys about starting seeds.
 
I've actually had the best germination rates using Jiffy Pellets (probably about 80%). Using seed-starting mix hasn't been very successful for me yet (maybe 50-60% tops). Of course, that's not to say that I may be using a poor seed-starting mix or one that isn't really suitable for germinating chillies.

So far I've observed that those growing in the Jiffy's tend to grow a little faster and look healthier too.

I've also observed that those started in Jiffy Pellets appear to do better after transplantation. That might have something to do with my poor transplantation skills though... :oops:

At least with the Jiffy's, I can just remove the netting and just plop them into the ground :cool:

All in all, they are working quite well for me at the moment, I think I will stick with them for now ;) Although I do plan to experiment a little more next growing season...
 
I used the jiffy pellets one year. Had excellent germination rates. Plants grew great with not problems. My only complaint was after seeing pictures of the roots contricted on the netting, I removed the netting on 144 pellets. Talk about time consuming. Now I use the seed starting flats and seed starting mix. In the past I have used Jiffy, and Miracle Grow seed startingmixes. Jiffy works good, the Miracle grow did not. I usually use a 72 cell flat, but this year I will use 98 cell so I can start more seeds at a time. Both ways work good, but the pellets are just more work IMO.

I believe that the mix used in the peat pellets is the same as the jiffy seed starting mix. It has a Ph of 5.3. That is a little low but the tomatoes and peppers I have grown in them did just fine.

jacob
 
At one stage I tried expanding the Jiffy Pellets, braking them up, then combining them with a seed-starting mix. It worked quite well and I got the same good results as using the Jiffy's on their own. Unfortunately, in the end though, my poor transplantation skills reared their ugly head again........
 
I never had a problem with transplanting. Never lost a plant to that. Hardening off though, that is a different story. I've had sunburn on the plants, an unexpected rain storm nearly drown them, wind blow the plants about 10 feet......it's a miracle I get any of them in the garden.:lol: Never fails that I go on 12 hours a day at work right at plant out time and have to take chances.

jacob
 
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