Instructions for using peat tablets: sowing seedlings, rooting cuttings

Growing seedlings is the most important stage in the life of any summer resident. Thanks to this process we can obtain high-quality planting material. But the whole event requires some effort and knowledge of some subtleties. The latter includes the correct choice of growing container. Recently, peat tablets have won the hearts of summer residents and gardeners - a convenient and practical vessel. What they are, what they are for, what advantages they have and how to use them at home, you will find out below.

Peat tablets - what are they?

Peat tablets are a product for growing seedlings; they are made from pressed peat and edged with non-woven fabric. This fabric acts as a kind of bag to maintain shape.

They are very convenient to use, and they are also often used for capricious plants that do not tolerate transplantation into open ground very well.

Peat tablets come in different sizes. For example, there are washers with a diameter of 27, 36, 42, 70, 90 millimeters. Thanks to the variety of sizes, you can choose the most optimal option. The photo below shows what sizes peat tablets come in and what they look like:

You can buy good peat products at specialized sales points and in online stores. As for the price, the manufacturers of the product are different and the cost may differ; in some places they will be cheap and reasonable, and in others they will be expensive. The main thing is to choose proven sales points. You can read reviews and ask avid gardeners on gardening forums.

Video: what are peat tablets, their benefits.

Advantages and disadvantages

Peat humus tablets have a number of significant advantages:

The germination percentage of sown seeds is higher than with other methods of germination of garden and vegetable crops.
Rotting of plants in peat is excluded. This is due to good breathability.
The shelf life is unlimited and the properties of peat are preserved if stored in a warm, dry place.
Peat tablets are ideal for germinating plants that are poorly accepted after transplantation.
Different sizes allow you to grow different plants - from small crops to plants with a strong root system.
During transplantation, the root ball does not crumble, but maintains its integrity thanks to the mesh shell.

Which boxes are best for growing seedlings?

Despite the advantages of peat tablets over regular soil, the disadvantages should also be mentioned. As a negative side of this “capacity”, the high cost should be mentioned. When growing a large number of seedlings, a fairly significant investment will be required. However, a high percentage of plant germination can more than recoup all costs.

peat tablets for seedlings

What are the benefits of peat tablets?

Why are they so loved and recommended by many gardeners? First of all, I would like to note one general positive point - this miracle thing can simplify the growing process for the gardener.

If we look at the positive aspects in more detail, we can understand that the benefits of using peat tablets are very tempting:

They already contain useful, nutritious elements. For example, they contain trace elements, minerals, growth stimulants, antibacterial substances, and humus. The elements and substances contained in the composition are a good start for seedlings and therefore they can do without additional feeding in such a container.
Optimal acidity level . Seedlings grow well in peat washers due to the comfortable and suitable acidity level.
A bag made of non-woven material helps maintain shape . The product tends to swell and increase in volume, thanks to the bag that does not tear, the tablet maintains the desired shape.
They have excellent moisture and breathability properties . The material is able to maintain an optimal level of humidity, but at the same time waterlogging and rotting are excluded due to its excellent breathable properties.
Reduced risk of developing diseases. Also, due to the above properties and composition, there is little chance that seedlings will develop unpleasant fungal diseases.
Products do not have a specific shelf life . If you keep them in a dry, warm place, they will retain their beneficial qualities for a long time.
Convenience when transplanting into open ground . If you replant the plant directly in a peat puck onto a garden bed, then thanks to the non-woven material, the earthen lump near the rhizome will retain its integrity and it will be more convenient for you to deal with it.

By the way! Many gardeners have noticed that if seedlings are transplanted into open ground along with a tablet, the survival of young plants occurs faster and better.

In general, I would like to summarize, thanks to all the listed features, it is very convenient to germinate plant seeds in the products, the seedlings are perfectly formed, and the roots of the seedlings develop. And due to the fact that the seeds will be immersed in a favorable environment, the number of sprouted seedlings will be increased. And since many gardeners buy seed material in reserve, fearing that not all seeds will germinate, the gardener will be able to save on purchasing fewer seeds.

About coconut washers

The main difference between coconut washers and peat washers is their composition. The ingredient in the first case is coconut flakes or fiber. They are produced in the form of washers or tiles, representing dry dense round plates. They consist of coconut fiber - 60-70% and coconut shavings - 30-40%. These ingredients can be treated with special compounds - antibacterial, growth stimulants and pressed under high pressure, taking the shape of a circle.

During production, the coconut washer for seedlings undergoes heat treatment, which destroys all dangerous microorganisms that can harm the plant. In water, these washers increase in size, absorbing moisture. This is how they become cylindrical. They are produced in different diameters. Small washers are suitable for flower seedlings, larger ones for vegetables.

For which crops is it best to use peat tablets?

What can be planted in peat washers? Perhaps you can plant seeds of almost any crop in peat tablets . There are no strict restrictions, because they are convenient to use in every case. However, it is generally thought that peat washers are particularly suitable for crops that are difficult to germinate or have a long germination time .

The product is suitable for planting both very small and large seeds.

It is important to focus on the parameters of the seed material. For example, if the seeds are very small (as in petunia, lobelia, strawberries), then it is better to choose products of small diameter, and if the seeds are large, then it is advisable to choose large washers.

Scheme for planting seeds in peat tablets

And now let’s move on to the most important and pressing question - how to use peat miracle tablets for seedlings at home? There shouldn’t be any particular difficulties in using it if you follow the rules and do everything step by step.

In this matter, step-by-step instructions will come to the rescue, thanks to which you can correctly use peat tablets for growing seedlings:

First you need to prepare a container in which the washers will be placed. This could be some kind of plastic container with high sides.
Then you should prepare the tablets for use. To do this, they are placed in one row at the bottom of a plastic container. Warm water is carefully poured into the bottom. You can also place the washers in a container with liquid already poured. Leave them immersed in the liquid for about 15-30 minutes, during which time they will become several times larger.
After the recommended time has passed, you need to remove them from the water, pour the remaining water out of the container, and put the tablets back, but on top there should be exactly the side of the washer that has a hole in the cloth bag.
Now you can proceed directly to sowing seeds in peat tablets. To plant them, you should place the seeds in the recesses of the washer.

Advice! The seeds of some crops are very small in size, so when planting, for convenience, you can use an ordinary wooden toothpick. Simply dip one end in water and transfer to the washer, brushing off the seeds with the other, dry toothpick.

Video: how to use peat tablets correctly.

Is it possible to save money?

However, such seemingly savings do not reduce costs. The container requires careful washing (consumption of water and detergents). Even when the smallest boxes are collected, the containers are still quite large and require a lot of land. And several copies are planted in them, which, when transplanted, leads to the loss of a certain part of the seedlings. You have to purchase the substrate in large quantities from the store or prepare it yourself.

Containers for seedlings

At the end of winter, primary seed germination takes place in city apartments or rural houses, and not in greenhouses or in the garden. This fact places certain demands on the soil in which seeds germinate and seedlings grow stronger. The substrate that goes on sale usually undergoes pre-sale disinfection, which does not have the best effect on its quality.

Store-bought seedling substrate is disinfected

If you prepare the soil yourself, then it requires disinfection - steaming in the oven or microwave. This procedure increases the family's electricity consumption - large volumes are disinfected at full oven power in small portions.

Important! After such treatment, no bacteria remain in the soil - neither harmful to the development of plants, nor beneficial to them. In addition, the sanitary conditions in the house where sowing is carried out leave much to be desired.

How to care for seedlings in peat tablets

Proper care is necessary for good growth and development of seedlings. Thanks to care, you can get healthy seedlings, which in the future will delight you with bright and alluring flowering and pleasant aromas. Let's look at how to care for seedlings after sowing in peat washers:

Immediately after planting the seeds in peat tablets, you should create a mini-greenhouse. It is necessary for the successful germination of seedlings. To do this, simply cover the container with the washers with film or glass.
Then regularly monitor the greenhouse : sometimes ventilate it a little, turn the glass or film over to the other side every day to avoid excessive condensation accumulation.
It is necessary to place the seedlings in a warm place in the house where sunlight reaches . Recommended temperature is from +22 to +25 degrees. Carefully monitor the temperature; do not allow the temperature to rise or fall too much.
If sowing is done in winter or during frequent cloudy weather, young plants should be additionally illuminated with phytolamps.
Regular watering and the correct level of humidity are the key to successful germination of seeds for seedlings in peat tablets. It is extremely important that the tablet does not dry out . Its drying out can provoke the death of seedlings, since with a lack of moisture, the tablet will literally begin to dry out, decreasing in size.
Water the seedlings correctly as follows: carefully pour clean, settled water at room temperature onto the bottom of the container, the peat tablets absorb the required amount of moisture and you eliminate the remaining moisture. You need to water immediately when the tablets dry out!

Note! You cannot pour water into the bottom of the container with strong pressure or too abruptly and carelessly, otherwise there is a risk that the water will wash away all the useful substances and elements that are in the washer.

By performing the above simple manipulations, you can provide the seedlings in peat tablets with proper care. So, you can achieve excellent germination and get good seedlings.

Possible mistakes

Unfortunately, no one is immune from failure. How often the irreparable happens, and the seedlings begin to wither and die. Why is this happening? Let's look at the most common reasons:

The seeds are of poor quality. Unmarketable planting material is often obtained by collecting it from your own garden or the plantations of friends and acquaintances. Problems can be avoided if you order seeds from the Gavrish agricultural company, the Agroelita company and other well-known seed brands.
If the seeds are elite, it means they overdid it with preparation. Perhaps additional treatments with stimulants and growth activators were not necessary. Probably, the stratification was not carried out according to technology or was not needed at all.
At the stage of preparation for planting material, a low-quality substrate or one contaminated with bacteria was selected. Either the container for forcing the seedlings was selected incorrectly.
When sowing, the planting material was too deep into the ground. As a result, the seeds did not germinate well, grew weak, or did not hatch at all.
The deadlines for forcing the crop were not met. If you are late or, on the contrary, plant too early, the biorhythm of the seedlings, the internal alarm clock that tells the plant when to grow, when to bloom, and when to wither, gets lost.
The cause of the death of the seedlings was the thickening during sowing. As a result, the plants defeated themselves. At first the weakest ones died, but then even the strongest shoots did not have enough strength for normal growth and development.
The watering and ventilation regime was not followed. As a result, the sprouts died either from drought or from excess moisture.

How to transplant seedlings in tablets into open ground

You should transplant seedlings in peat tablets into open ground when you see that the rhizomes of the young plant will entangle the entire puck and the roots will be clearly visible through the non-woven material.

The photo clearly shows the roots near the bag, which indicate the seedlings are ready for planting in the garden:

To replant, place peat moss tablets in a pre-prepared bed. The top surface of the washer should be flush with the ground surface.

Note! When transplanting seedlings into open ground, it is recommended to cut off the non-woven mesh so that it does not interfere with the plant’s rhizomes growing in the soil.

Despite this recommendation, I would like to note that there are also gardeners who believe that the mesh can be left. They are of the opinion that the plants have strong roots and will be able to grow and tear the mesh on their own.

Rooting cuttings in peat tablets

Peat tablets are used not only for germinating seedlings from seeds, but also for rooting during cuttings. You can root various crops and flowers, for example, cuttings of geraniums, roses, violets, gloxinia, pelargonium, grapes and many others. This fact can also be attributed to the advantages of the product.

You can root cuttings in peat washers as follows:

We prepare the tablets in the same way as in the point above (i.e. fill them with water, let them swell, eliminates excess liquid).
Then you should deepen small volumes in the tablets. Some kind of stick will come to the rescue (for example, a sushi stick, a pencil).
Now you can place one cutting into one tablet.
The final step is to remove excess water from the puck - simply squeeze the tablet lightly in your hand.

Care for cuttings in peat tablets should be carried out in the same way as for ordinary seedlings. But you should make a mini-greenhouse only if a particular plant needs it during rooting.

Undoubtedly, peat tablets are very convenient to use and practical. Planting seeds in them is a pleasure! One of the negative aspects of using tablets is their cost; it may not always seem low. But at the same time, all the positive aspects pay for the price of the gardening product! You can also make peat tablets yourself to save money.

Greenhouse preparation

The first step when equipping a greenhouse on a site is preparing the soil. It is cleaned of stones and, if possible, inclusions of clay and other contaminants are removed. The earth is dug up and loosened using a rake.

Chernozem soils do not need to be fertilized, but it is better to fertilize soil that is not too fertile with minerals, manure, compost or ash, depending on what crops will be grown in the greenhouse. For indoor and balcony mini-greenhouses, it is better to disinfect the soil.

Temperature is no less important. It is usually controlled by changing the amount of sunlight received, as well as by temporary natural ventilation. Sometimes additional heating means are installed, especially in small greenhouses.

For this purpose, they are equipped with heat fans or electric convectors; gas heat sources are used less often. But you can do without this and grow seedlings in an unheated greenhouse.

Important! In many greenhouses, especially indoor ones, they use the technology of supplementary illumination of seedlings in the morning, evening and on cloudy days with the help of phytolamps, LED and fluorescent light sources. This speeds up the process of seedling ripening and increases future yields.

Irrigation means in small greenhouses and large greenhouses also differ significantly from each other. In the first case, manual watering from a watering can is used, in the second, hose and pipeline irrigation systems, including drip ones, are installed. Recently, automated electronic irrigation control has become very popular.