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Marion,IN

Has anyone tried lining your peat pots with newspaper to help keep the seeding roots from sticking to the sides of the pots? I think this would also be beneficial when extracting the seedling from the pot. Any thoughts?

Thank you,
Mark G.

2/24/2010 12:18:13 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

I've never thought of that. I just plant the pep pot into the larger pot. Sometimes you do have some of the roots that do stick to the inside of the pot. I believe that the roots will eventually breech the pete pots light extirior.

2/24/2010 12:45:12 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

the idea behind peat pots is that you can just stick them in the soil plant and all and they decompose, however i gave up on the peat pots and switched to larger 1 gal milk jugs which i split with a blade then tape back together makes an easy plant extraction, the peat pots tend to be small and restrictive.
Glenn

2/24/2010 1:10:56 PM

Nowhere

glenns right but heres a cool idea.....

take a cottage cheese container, put your peat pot in it and cut a ring (the top) of the container and stick this ring overtop the pot so that when u extract the pot from the container, the top of the peat pot doesnt fall apart

2/24/2010 1:13:51 PM

Anamosa, IA BPIowegian@aol.com

I use the biggest peat pots I can get (5") and poke holes in the sides and bottom so the roots can get out better. They get planted pot and all to avoid any root damage. They break down quickly and I don't have any rooting problems. You do have to keep the peat pots good and wet so they don't make the plants root bound. I fill the bottom half of the pot with potting soil mixed with organic fertilizer and micorrhizae and fill it to the top with Jiffy Mix. The seeds get off to a good start without any damping off problems in the Jiffy Mix, and the mix in the bottom really feeds them good while they get established in the garden.

2/24/2010 1:41:03 PM

Santa Rosa, CA

Mark,

A trick I learned from Joel Holland is to drill holes in the peat pots, soak them in water and then put your seed in.

After you see the roots coming out of the holes, I transfer the peat pot into a one-gallon container. The one-gallon is cut in half and duct taped together for easy transplanting when it is time. (Usually after I see the first true leaf.)

Good luck Mark!

Chuck

2/24/2010 1:42:36 PM

Colorado

You can place aluminum foil on the outside of the peat pot.Drill holes(in peat pot) as already suggested.The foil will keep the roots that exit the pot from dying.You can leave them in the peat pot two or three days longer(I mean before you plant the whole works-minus the foil)

2/24/2010 5:42:34 PM

throw the peat pots away,,,set yourself up with 1 gallon nursery pots, even in these the roots will be at the bottom and sides in 5-10 days max

cut them in half vertically and tape them together,,easy when transferring the plant to the hole

there are lots of sad tales of plants with bound roots and peat pots that have dryed out completely restricting the plants growth

2/24/2010 10:13:05 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Great advice from Dan.

2/25/2010 10:59:31 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

1 Gallon plastic ice cream containers (or similar). Cut out bottom of container, replace lid which is now the bottom of you planting vessle!!! When ready to plant, carefully remove lid, set into planting hole, and then slide container off...back fill...presto, yer dun!!! Peace, Wayne
PS...not my idea, but works well, if yer careful!!!

2/27/2010 12:36:50 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

No peat pots ever. They're designed to break down when buried. Since they take forever to break down, we use plastic. Roots come free from plastic.

2/27/2010 10:17:10 AM

Minnesota

I seen a video on youtube and the Wallace's were using them, when it came time to put them in the ground they peeled off the peat pot and put them in the ground.

2/27/2010 11:54:08 AM

Bristol R.I. USA

Yes you do have to peel the pete pot. I peel the sides and as much of the pot as I can. Then Transplant them into gallon pots and set them under florecent lights.

2/28/2010 12:18:37 PM

Section, AL

Ditto dan and tremor on peat pots. The gallon nursery pots work well. I make an open ended cylinder from aluminum flashing, set upright on a board , fill with potting mix and plant seed. Tremor tell me more about the plastic.

2/28/2010 11:39:11 PM

Middle TN

Peace Wayne, you continue to help me even when you dont know it! lol I have a lot of old ice cream buckets and was concidering using them to start my pumpkins but couldnt decide if it was a good idea or not. I didnt like the peat pots last year, maybe I didnt get good quality ones or something but they didnt break down well and when I tried to peel off the pot the roots were torn. I'll definately be using the buckets this time. Thanks :)
Tammy

3/1/2010 9:06:48 AM

Rapid City, SD

been using the ice cream buckets way for years here.......but now only use the 1 1/2 gallon size now

3/5/2010 2:04:00 PM

Middle TN

Do you poke holes in the bottom (the lid) of the ice cream bucket?

3/10/2010 10:05:04 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

I do make holes in the bottom (lids) as during the few days after sprouting, I water from the bottom!!! Peace, Wayne

3/10/2010 11:09:28 PM

Middle TN

Good to know info, thank you :)

3/10/2010 11:24:39 PM

Sparks, NV

hi i am a new grower and i was wondering what pots r the best for starting seeds and should i soak seeds or just paper towel

3/29/2010 5:33:05 PM

Vancouver Washington

In my opinion, we all get a little overly concerned about the seedlings. I don't think the peat pots break down very well and they do restrict root growth if you put them in the ground whole. Peeling them off works fine. You will tear the roots a bit if they have started growing through the pots, but as long as you don't wait too long, it is no big deal. I used 4inch peat pots for a couple years and tore them off, mildly tearing some roots - grew four out of four over a thousand that year. As long as you don't get them terribly bound minimum damage and root binding is no big deal. Either way you will still have a whole garden full of pumpkin roots before you know it if everything else goes right. Dan is right though, as long as you have the space - why mess with it. Peat pots are expensive and there are lots of other bigger cheaper options.

3/29/2010 6:43:01 PM