Peat Pots

[Magiccat1978]

I tried them this year as the pound shop were selling 48 little ones in a pack but to be honest I wont buy them again. As others have said its a constant struggle to keep the moisture level right and I found that my toms that I left in them when I potted on are not as big as the others that were potted on without the peat pot. Dont know if its just coinsidence but I feel they have been a bit of a waste of money.

[GriffR]

Many thanks for the feedback, think I will just avoid peat pots from now on !!

[Bigmallly]

At the end of the day Griff, you do what feels right for you.

[Nykied]

Oh dear, I sowed my sweetcorn seeds into these at the weekend. No problems with germination though, as 10 out of 12 have started to grow and the other two are just under the surface.

I won't try them next year though, after all this!

[Bigmallly]

Oh dear, I sowed my sweetcorn seeds into these at the weekend. No problems with germination though, as 10 out of 12 have started to grow and the other two are just under the surface.

I won't try them next year though, after all this!

Why not?............100% germination & you're ready to pack them in. Try to keep them moist, if that fails then ditch the idea.

[LolaLou]

I used them for the first time this year (just small ones) - for my onions after I'd pricked them out of their seed trays - worked a treat for them as the pots were packed into empty seed trays so retained their water and made it very easy to plant out the onion seedlings last week BUT I tried to sow some french beans into them and just had the pots loose and they dried out within minutes then blew away (think it was a sign). So I'd definitely use them again for the onions for ease but anything else, plastic works for me (especially root trainers - have become obsessed with the things this year)!

[winstonwobble]

not had any luck with them at all wont bother with them again will give what i'v got left away stick to plastic pots

[Welsh Wizard]

I quite like them for sowing robust seeds like broad beans in. They do need more watering than plastic.

[Snadger]

I don't buy them because I actively avoid using peat based products wherever possible but my dad always used them for his runner beans. Not sure why but it seemed to work for him.

Thats a valid point! Why do a lot of us avoid using potting compost based on peat, then go and buy peat pots? For some reason there doesn't seem to be such a stigma to buying peat pots or pellets (Jiffy 7 ) as there is for compost?

[SarzWix]

I don't use peat pots, I use FIBRE pots - same idea, different materials used in manufacture.

This year I sowed half my peas in fibre pots and the other half in root trainers 2 days later. The root trainer ones germinated faster, were bigger plants and had a better root system when planting out. On the other hand, they were a right faff to get out of the root trainers and a few of them got damaged, whereas the fibre pot ones were all planted out intact.

I manage keeping them moist by sitting them in a big watering tray, and making sure that they're sitting in at least 1cm of water first thing in the morning.

[maypril]

I use peat/fibre modules for my sweetcorn. It's like a normal module tray but made of fibre. The sweetcorn tap root grows out of the bottom and they can be planted directly to avoid root disturbance.

I don't use the larger 3" peat pots because I don't see any difference in plants that are grown in them. Plants grown in plastic pots and planted out seem to do just as well as those planted in peat pots