Peat pellets?

[Cannbidoscar]

Germing in peat/jiffy pellets for the first time. I have my 300w Chinese led around 2' away and these things seem to be drying out daily. Should I be watering a little every day?

 

[I'mOne]

They suck. I would never use them again

 

[I'mOne]

I wound up cutting the bottoms off and burying them in soil part way. Even so lost 3 of 5 viable seedlings

 

[Cannbidoscar]

I wound up cutting the bottoms off and burying them in soil part way. Even so lost 3 of 5 viable seedlings

I've got a cheap Coco brick laying around and I'm thinking of adding it to my 100% clay pebble hempy.

 

[I'mOne]

I just grow in soil...its almost dummy proof. I still manage to produce a plant.

 

[Weaselcracker]

Before they get planted into the next size container, make sure to take some scissors and cut the material away from the lower part of the peat pellet. I’ve had a bunch of experience with those pellets and none of it was good.

 

[LiberalThinker]

They suck. I would never use them again

Don't hold back tell us what you think! HaHA!

 

[Greenlizard]

Hello Cannbidoscar,
I personally would not pop a seed any other way. I love Jiffy pucks. I have tried the paper towel method but with very little success. I have not lost a single seed since switching my method over to Jiffy pucks in a humidity dome. I just soak in a glass of water for 24 hours and then place them very shallowly into a pre soaked jiffy with a little super thrive added to the mixing water. I also have a heat mat under the dome and T5 lighting.
Within a day or two the seedlings emerge and once their first true leaves are well established and the second set has started I transfer the puck into a solo cup. I have never had a reason to cut the Jiffy puck mesh material. Roots are strong and make easy work of this thin mesh in my grow room. Perhaps some knock off brands have tougher material?

 

[Weaselcracker]

A friend once told me that the peat pellets constrict roots. This was over 20 years ago when I was first attempting to grow. He’d done a bunch of commercial outdoor grows so ‘should’ have known what he was talking about. Still- I didn’t believe him. I’ve seen roots busting through concrete and pushing up sides of buildings- they seem unstoppable. How could a skimpy little bit of cloth hold back roots?
He was totally right though- at the end of the season we were pulling up plants with weird rootballs which were clearly weak and totally constricted by the cloth material - they sent some long roots out the bottom where they could but there was a central peat pellet shaped mass where it looked like most of the roots tried and failed to bust free. They looked pretty bad- like something the Blair witch might leave outside your tent in the night.
I also used to do a lot of forest industry tree planting and we’d see the exact same problem. The trees would eventually thrive on the roots that escaped the pellets- but I’m sure they were slowed down. I could pull up five year old trees with one hand- and the pellet material was still there in pretty much its original shape.
Maybe they make better pellets nowadays, but between what I saw of the root issues and the fact that they dry up so fast, I quit using them.

 

[LiberalThinker]

Hello Cannbidoscar,
I personally would not pop a seed any other way. I love Jiffy pucks. I have tried the paper towel method but with very little success. I have not lost a single seed since switching my method over to Jiffy pucks in a humidity dome. I just soak in a glass of water for 24 hours and then place them very shallowly into a pre soaked jiffy with a little super thrive added to the mixing water. I also have a heat mat under the dome and T5 lighting.
Within a day or two the seedlings emerge and once their first true leaves are well established and the second set has started I transfer the puck into a solo cup. I have never had a reason to cut the Jiffy puck mesh material. Roots are strong and make easy work of this thin mesh in my grow room. Perhaps some knock off brands have tougher material?

I think overnight 12 hours is enough or when the seed sinks when you tap on it...you know it's taken in water then. That and adding a bit of seaweed extract has given me 100% germination. Seaweed has something in it that stimulates them pretty quickly.

 

[Cannbidoscar]

Thanks for the input guys! I have one sprout and three that after inspecting should be out tomorrow. I think I'm to remove most of the peat and keep 25~% just to hold the seedling in place. On another note, MY TS-1000 JUST ARRIVED!! I'll start a grow journal soon and attach it to my sig.

 

[Edzzed]

I did mine in peat pellets and it is all good. Stem has to be a good inch wide in picture. They are also in jiffy cups although I did punch holes in it first.

 

[Greenlizard]

Here is my White Widow from seed. She was started the same as all my seeds and clones in Jiffy pucks. Notice the base of the stem with the Jiffy. Still I can't speak for the quality of these pucks 10 years ago or knock off brands for a simmilar product but cannabis roots have no issue with a modern day Jiffy brand puck.
Besides... even if you don't want to take my word for it you can still cut a couple little holes in the mesh prior to planting the seedling or clone if it helps you sleep at night. Only takes a second.
Happy growing

 

[Cannbidoscar]

I bought mines in the local backstreet hydro shop, they were probably knock-offs lol lost a seedling transfering them, I need to get more patient when germing