Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi everyone.

Has anyone ever tried transplanting into these little jiffy soil things?

Are they worth it and was there any difference noticed in the plants.

I was thinking of transplanting my brassicas into them cos the brassicas hate root disturbance and these can be planted straight into the ground?

Thanks in advance for the info

I haven't transplanted into them but I have sown into them - as per Sarah Raven's instructions - and found them excellent. As they're a little pricey, I keep them for things that don't like root disturbance, as you say.

Hi Lizzie,
Your statement that Brassicas dislike root disturbance is not quite accurate as prior to the introduction of Module trays and Plastic Pots they were grown in nursery rows and planted out as bareroots.
I certainly think along the same lines as you that they may well do better if planted-up into something. I think as Tigger that Jiffy Pots are very expensive for the job you wish to use them for and a normal pot say 8cm Continental or a 7cm square pot will do the job admirably.
When planting out if you insert an empty pot where you want the plant and take the empty out and depot your plant and pop the plant into the awaiting hole and that really is absolutely minimum disturbance.
I have module trays that are 42mmx42mmx50mm deep and I plant out direct from those whithout any apparent problems. These are Linpac Modules and are not generally used by allotmenteers and gardeners as there are 126 modules to the tray and they are ultra expensive but I have had them for way longer than 12 years and they will see me out.
I promise a letter by tonight Lizzie.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'm trying to think what's best for the brassicas and the easiest way of getting them planted in the ground with only one hand!!!!!

It's certainly something to think about

I've been making my own pots with one of those little wooden Potmakers and masses of newspaper. They're working well and just plant straight out when ready. They're not very big, probably 2.5 inches across by 3.5 inches deep, but they're doing the job. The best bit is you can squeeze quite a lot into a seed tray which saves space and keeps them from drying out too quickly. I'm not putting seeds into them as I worry about damping off in these pots but pricked out seedlings seem to be fine.

I've been thinking about this Lizzie whilst playing in my Wendy House (working in my tunnel) this morning.

You could try the biodegradable pots from Poundland - 72 in a pack - as they're much cheaper than Jiffy 7's. I use them for carrots (among other things). I sow straight into them and when they're ready for planting out I tear off the bottom in case they don't break down quickly enough and hamper the growth.

Poundland also sell very cheap module trays with different sizes and shapes of cell. I use these for all my flowers, especially stuff I'm going to give away to friends and colleagues because I don't have to hassle them to return the pots/trays then. Even though they seem quite flimsy, I've found they last for several years and you can always double them up if a few cells have broken.

Thanks Tigger

I was thinging about those pots too as I usually use them for sweetcorn. I'm going into town this week anyway so was going to pop into poundland for a browse. At that price it's cheaper than the allotment stores where I usually get my stuff from.

Also thanks to Chantal. I've been thinking about those potmakers for a while now. Maybe one day i'll invest in one. It'll give me something to do during the winter nights cos the telly rubbish anyway.

I bought one of those little wooden pot thingies for £9.99 inc P&P. I sowed straight into them and haven't had any trouble with damping off. But you do have to be careful not to move them about – if they are even a little bit wet, they completely fall apart. I know that sounds a bit obvious, but I get used to shuffling around my sturdy plastic pots, so that I go to pick up a newspaper pot and woosh! soil and seedings everywhere. Stupid girl.

I find toilet rolls filled with soil really useful for planting out. The cardboard is a bit sturdier, and they're also deeper than my DIY newspaper pots. And most importantly, it's recycling!

I use the news paper pots too. I got a friend who turns wood to make me a longer shaper as well so I can have deep pots too, very handy for things like sweet peas and beans that really need a longer root run.

Hi can anyone tell me where u get the potmakers from or are they home made jobs?

I bought mine from Garden Organic at Ryton, Nr Coventry. I've seen them in odd mail order gardening catalogues too I think.

Fab avatar Chantal.

Chantal, is this finally the real you?

I went and got some of the peat pots in the end. They had square ones in Wilkinsons which I thought were a fab idea. I reckon you can get about 12 in a full size seed tray which will do me.

The basic pot shaper from Ryton costs £10.00, or so I'm told today. I thought I was the lucky one in that I was married to an expert joiner and furniture maker, who has a number of lathes. Result - a number of pot shapers in different sizes. Wrong.

Does anyone want the four hour lecture on the difference between doing something as a hobby and making a living, working and pottering, doing and passing the time, etc.