What better way to start a veggie gardening blog, than writing about starting seeds....so today, I'm showing you all my favourite method of seed starting...Jiffy Peat Pots! Ofcourse, this method is not suited to all types of veggies, but I've found that with a bit of practice and some TLC, this method has a great success rate. Its easy, cheap and it is good for the plants...lets get started!
You will need:
- Some Jiffy Peat Pots (available at all good garden or hardware stores, I normally find they cost about $7 for a pack of 24-30)
- A container, such as a recycled ice-cream container
- A little bit of water
- Some seeds
This method of seed starting has several advantages:
1. Peat moss (used in the pots), is very friable and perfect for the little young roots sent out by a plant at germination. The roots can easily grow and spread out through the peat.
2. The roots of the plant are not damaged when it comes time to transplant the seedling into the main bed - the whole pot can be planted into the ground, which prevents transplant shock and damage to the plant.
3. The peat moss will naturally break down into the soil, and it is all organic!
4. Reduces root 'spiralling'
Peat pots are basically a disc of compressed peat, which, when soaked in water for 5 minutes, will expand up to 7 times its size, creating a perfect little pot for seeds. A thin, biodegradable netting surrounds the pot, to maintain structure and allow air circulation around the plant.
To demonstrate how to use Jiffy Peat Pots, I'm using Silverbeet seeds (Fordhook Giant). I will create another post in a week or so to show you the progress of the plants.
Ok, so here is the method I use to start seeds (in this case, silverbeet seeds)....
1. Ok, start with an ice-cream container (or similar), with about an inch of waterin the bottom (depending on how many peat pots you are using...this will make about 6)
2. Add the peat pots to the water...don't be too fussy, they will absorb water no matter how they are sitting in the water. This photo shows you a peat pot prior to soaking...
Allow pots to soak for about 5 minutes, or until about 7 times the size of what they started.
After 5 minutes, your peat pots should look somthing like this...notice all the water has been absorbed by the peat moss, and the netting has allowed the peat to take on a 'pot' like shape.
3. I use a recycled meat tray to keep my peat pots on. I simply line them up on the tray, mainly to make moving them around easy, (this is optional, you could keep them in anything...the ice-cream container, a planter tray or even just on the ground in bunches).
Then you should have somthing, that looks a little like this.....
4. Water the peat pots lightly everyday, as they can dry out very easily. For best results, and to prevent drying out, store the pots in a well-lit spot, out of DIRECT sunlight. In direct sunlight, these pots will simply dry out too fast. (It is important that they are kept moist so the seed does not dry out.) It may be a good idea to place a clear plastic cover over the top (such as a chinese takeaway container), to help retain the moisture, and keep the seeds warm, which will aid germination...however, if using a lid like that, ensure the plants are out of direct sunlight, and make sure they are not over heating :)
I will post again in a couple of weeks to show you the progress of these little tigers...should pop up pretty quickly :) And then I'll show everyone how I plant peat pots when the plants are big enough...can't wait :) Any questions, quries or requests, please feel free to e-mail me at theveggiedude@hotmail.com I'd really love to hear from you guys!
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