I wonder if anyone knows if there is such a thing as a peat free version of the Jiffy 7? I'd heard Jiffy 7's were pretty good and I'd fancied giving them a try, but since I read the blurb and realise they are made of peat, I don't want to buy them on environmental grounds. Is there a similar alernative peat-free version that anyone knows about or has used?

Hi Pixie,
These are coir
Garden Supply Direct - Jiffy 7 Pellets & Peat Pots

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If it ain't broke, don't fix it and if you ain't going to eat it, don't kill it

oh, they do seem to be described as coir here. I saw them described as peat on another website, which put me off. I'm a bit confused now! I think I'll look up a few more sites...

why do you especially want to use them? Would homemade paper pots be acceptable? (do a Search, they're on here somewhere)

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I came, I saw, I planted

I've stopped using jiffy 7's because the fine mesh around them is constrictive to roots even though it is claimed not to be! They also get covered in algae with being permanently wet!
I could I suppose, take off the mesh when planting and put up with the algae, but I would rather just grow in small re-usable pots and use a more 'open' compost.
Personal preference I suppose!

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My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

I don't like them either - for Snadger's reasons - if you don't keep them wet they constrict the roots (the point of them is that the roots can grow through.) If you keep them wet enough for this you can get green flurp on the top of your compost as it's too wet for the compost.

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Half the interest of a garden is the constant exercise of the imagination. Mrs C W Earle

vegheaven.blogspot.com updated May 12th 2008

I don't get on with them at all, my seeds seem to rot in them. They are a good idea in theory but in practise.........

Well I've not had green flurp, but I didn't get on with the coir version of the Jiffy's either... seedlings rotted off.

Nice idea, just not for me.

Agreed again.

Tried them once with very little success for the same reasons already given above.

I used them this year for the first and last time. Same as all the reasons above but also when watered the seed washed away and gerninated in the bottom of the tray

Then had to transplant chitted seedlings into pots so thought why don't I just germinate in pots anyway