Make your own peat pellets with no netting

13 years ago

The internet is certainly great for imaginative ideas.

You can make your own peat pellets using gelatin as the binder, instructions here. Many have noticed that the netting on commercial pellets can cause root binding.

Though the author doesn't mention it, the small amount of gelatin that will be present in the pellets is also a source of nitrogen for the seedlings.

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Comments (9)

taz6122
13 years ago
Most seedlings don't need extra fertilizer and it can inhibit some seeds from sprouting. I use the 6oz yogurt cups with sphagnum peat moss and a little sand or perlite. The plug releases easily enough from the cup.
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anney
Original Author
13 years ago
Hi, taz!

Since so many people use the commercial peat pellets, I thought it might be useful information if people would rather make their own. I usually use cups to germinate my seeds (with ProMix BX as the growing medium), too, but if I have a lot of seeds I want to start, it's handy to be able to start them separately so they aren't disturbed with transplanting. Even the smallest cups (or cell paks) take up more room and require more fiddling later on than I'd like.

The amount of nitrogen in one packet of gelatin mixed into a 10-pound bag of growing soil will hardly cause the seeds any trouble! It's about a teaspoon, IIRC.
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Something has changed with the product over the years. I am now finding the netting that holds the peat does not break apart and ends up girdling and killing my seedlings. I remember when the netting had a perforated side that allowed the plant roots to break the netting.. Now the perforated side is gone. I just dug up some easy to grow marigolds grown in peat potsthat are stunted. The netting was extremely tight and did not break away allowing the plant roots to seek out water and nutrients. I have cut and removed the netting in the hope to save my seedlings. I don't recommend this product at all now and won't use it again. No doubt the change in the product was to increase profits. I also noticed the jiffy pellet growing kit has an extremely cheap and flimsy plastic cover that barely works and makes the grower prone to dropping the tray. What a disappointment in a product.
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I might have something to do with the soil I've used, my climate or watering, but I've never had a problem with the pellets. Last year, I took the nets of half of them and saw absolutely no difference. This year, I tried some tomato sized pellets that are twice as tall. I thought that they would be easier to manage, and take less watering. I think the surface area cause them to dry out as fast or faster so I put them in cups with coco coir/perlite pretty quickly. I started taking the netting off and the pellets fell apart. By the third one, I saw that I split the taproot and I stopped taking the netting off. They are still seedlings, but the ones with the net still on are doing great. I'm not saying pellets are better than straight mix, or some other method, or that everyone should leave the net on. In my case though, the pellets are very easy for starting a small number of plants, and so far, the netting has not been a problem.
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I've been using peat pellets (Jiffy pellets) for two seasons now, but last year, I noticed some of the plants never really grew enough through the netting around the peat, and they just pulled out of the ground too easy even after a month or two. This year, I carefully peeled the netting off (or just peeled it down and left it attached to the bottom if too many roots grew through the bottom). I think that worked much better. The netting got fragile enough that it peeled off easily and didn't seem to break off small root tips growing through the sides. I'll probably keep using them in that manner. One thing I HAVE TO remember when using peat as a growing medium, though: I tend to leave the seedlings in it for too long and they don't grow much once they've put out their first true leaves. Peat is nice for moisture retention and for its fine texture for planting seeds, but it doesn't have much (or maybe any) nutrition for the young plants. I just finally potted some Japanese maple seedlings that have been sitting in six packs of peat for three months (I've been busy!), and they didn't grown ONE INCH after getting their first real leaves. I'm glad they didn't die while waiting for me to put them in some real potting soil. With all the flowers I grew from seed this year, none of them really started growing until I potted them up into 4" pots with a potting soil.
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Well, if you all want to get upset, I guess that's OK. Get some blood boiling. Anyway, it seems to me that the suggestion that I have some connection with Jiffy may carry some "negative implications". It's certainly unsupported by any evidence. But that's OK. It's not factual but believe it if you like. lunita: That's right. No side by side comparison. I didn't start out looking for one. I do think though, that a year-to- year comparison, in light of what some folks have to say about pellets, is not without validity even if anecdotal. "all the variables"...""different results"... granted but there wasn't really that much different, if anything except the use of potting soil instead of pellets. It's not a heavy potting soil with low nutrients, at least in my judgment and according to the purveyor. I don't believe I overwatered; at least the soil is not sodden and did dry out a bit between waterings. I'm very glad you have good results with what you are doing. So do I, but a big surprise this time. taz: I might point out that "Jiffy" pellets by themselves would not produce "a much larger, healthier plant/root system" They are obviously too small but I have consistently had a very good root system at the stage of 1/2" to 3/4" true leaves, which is when I repot, and certainly an order of magnitude better than what I saw this year. My plants have always gone on from there to have a very good structure (in potting soil by the way) and quick growth until ready to set out. I'm afraid I don't understand why you would want your seedlings to have "much longer to develop" if you could get them growing and outside sooner. To me, my objective is to get them out into the garden soil and sunlight as soon as I can. (Less time, less trouble) Then again, if you're happy with what you do, then I applaud you. digdirt: I haven't had the privilege of finding or seeing any such "photographic evidence with controls included" If you can refer me to the post or thread containing such information, I would like to see it.
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taz6122
13 years ago
It was a good thought and come to think of it I did use some MG potting soil this year and got decent germination with some seed. I'm not really sure what types of seeds didn't germinate in MG vs peat and will probably loose a few next year too. I need to take better notes on those type of things instead of trying to remember it all. I'm sure it's costing me a little more for seeds and supplies that I could be saving. I do know tomato, pepper and cucurbit seeds do well in MG and herbs do better in peat.
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hoodat
13 years ago
Thanks for the link. I've often wondered why they don't use cotton for their netting so it will break down. I've pulled plants in the Fall and found roots choked of in that plastic netting they use.
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anney
Original Author
13 years ago
taz

Do all MG growing soils contain fertilizers? Would you believe that I don't think I've ever used anything of Miracle Grow's, so I don't know! I also like the idea of making whatever size pellets I'd need.

Actually if I decide to make some of these pellets, I don't think I'd use pure peat. I think that pure peat would dry out too quickly and one would risk losing some seedlings if they weren't watched very carefully. I assume that with the gelatin the ProMix would work.
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anney
Original Author
13 years ago
hoodat

Did you see the photo someone took of a "mature" pepper plant with the roots bound up in the netting? It's been posted on GW a couple of times that I know about. Some people say they've never had any problems with the roots getting bound in the netting while others say they just don't want to risk it.
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taz6122
13 years ago
As far as I know all MG soils have fertilizer. I've only used the potting mix and garden soil. Pellets made from peat should always be in some kind of container that holds extra water IMO. I even use trays with the yogurt cups and poke 2-4 small holes in the side right at the bottom of the cups and keep water in the trays.
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tracydr
11 years ago
Dimitrios, that was pretty ingenious!
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Edymnion
11 years ago
Silly me, I just take a pair of scissors and cut off the netting before I plant. Heck of a lot easier than trying to make my own pellets (when I don't just use loose coir to start with).
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Make your own peat pellets with no netting

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Make your own peat pellets with no netting

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