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.

I'm not too experienced at starting from seed, only done it four years, going on five. I started with pellets, because that was the system I found available, well explained, and conveniently packaged in local stores. So, I have always used a somewhat hybrid method. Being cheap and not having vast amounts of heated space available for seed starting, I always planted 2-4 seeds per pellet. When they sprout and at least one seedling needs transplanting, I cut the net down the side, and use a knife blade to dig out that seedling to transplant into a small cup mostly filled with starter mix containing fertilizer, then fill in around the edge of the pellet piece with more starter mix. The rest of the pellet with un-sprouted seeds and/or newer seedlings is re-wrapped in the net and put back in the starter tray. So, using this method, I end up in the same condition I would have by starting in loose fill, but have the (perceived?) benefit of initially having the net to keep the mix together and seeds from floating away when watering, hopefully avoiding unidentified plants. I have thought about starting in loose mix, but have never found a good explanation of what kind of tray is used, or whether starter mix and seed floating away and intermixing is a problem. If I knew all that, loose mix would probably be a time saver, as the pellets seem to take a long time to wet, and should also be more economical. But then, I pay little attention to economics when it comes to gardening, or I would not have acquired a greenhouse, compact utility tractor, or Merry tiller. Tom

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.

You may be starting those cucumbers to early. I dont know when you can plant them out, but 3-4 weeks is the longest you really want to have them in pots. They are susceptible to lots of fungal diseases and will also stunt easily if you keep them in pots to long. Most people have to do some transplanting/potting up. You will get better with practice. I start them 2-3 seeds in little 3oz plastic cups in a domed tray, them divide them as soon as they get their first true leaves. At that size the roots havent developed much so its easy to pull them apart with out damaging them. If you really want to avoid transplanting at all, plant 2-3 seeds in a 4" pot, bag them or saran wrap them and if all three seeds germinate just take scissors to the two smallest weakest seedlings.