Because.........
Ooo what's growing in there Tim? They look great - might have to try jiffies for myself!
WSB - put out today - later than I said earlier.
Tim, I'm also a great fan of these little 'Magic Poo Seeds'!
I use hot water to get them expanded, then leave to cool and drain before sowing, but there are a few differing opinions on how to use/ prepare them. How do you do yours?
I also find they dry out quicker than modules for some reason. Is that just me?
I love them, but am tooooo cheap to buy them!
Emma 2000 for £50 something , I think that is pretty good, I love em always have.XX Jeannine
Amazin - I stand them in 1/2" water & top up as they need.
Yes - they dry out quickly, but I pack them close together &, where necessary, stand them on my capillary bench.
Wish they were cheaper, but no other method gives that filled out rootball. Good indication of when they are fit to grow on.
Sorry, half loo rolls for me!
Oh, should you cut the loo roles in half? I have been using them whole.
I've asked elsewhere before - do you run a guest house to get these hundreds of loo rolls.
Or another problem??
Personally the storage would be a problem for me, and you still have to fill them with soil............no.......... dry jiffies + water = instant planting pot.
I think the loo rolls may make a substitute for peat pots which you still have to fill but not expanding Jiffies.
XX Jeannine
Do you free up the mesh a little before planting?
No, I put them first in a tray touching,then when the plant has germinated I put the wee jiffies into regualar black cells that they just fit nicely, when the roots start to grow out I pot them on into bigger pots or transplant out whichever is appropriate. I have used them for years and could not be without them.
XX Jeannine
I love those. I want some. :)
I'm trying these chaps for beans and potting on etc this year - cheaper than pots.
Also going to use the larger ones for the plants I give away since the recipients never give me the pots back!
They look great Tim.
Never used them but like EJ....i'm too cheap ;)
ooh, that reminds me: I must use the plastic packing pockets I took home from work!
I don't use them normally but got a whole lot for 50p for about 2 doz together with a holding tray and a clear top and a free packet of Basil. So not bad for the price. I used them for my tomatoes this year but now I do not have the heart to destroy the second plant as they all look so health. I think I am going to prise them apart and pot on the second one as well. Well my Welsh Granny always use to say "waste not, want not" :-[
Jitterbug
You have no idea how much loo paper they go through at my house, it is only since I started saving the rolls that I noticed. Must have used up half a 'Norwegian Wood'. Will have to start getting Izal again, that'll teach em!!!!!
Anyway, the empty rolls are now going twice as far as I have cut 'em in half now!!!
The results of the plants in Jiffies look great. I have never heard of them being a bit new to the game, I'm a bit of a tight wad so will wait to the end of season and see if they are selling them off somewhere. You should see the mixture of containers that I am using now. I love to use old packaging, gives me a buzz not wasting stuff!! ;) Only wish the kids felt the same!
I have noticed several references to the cost of Jiffies,mentioning they are expensive and I don't understand that. If you use the Jiffy you don't have to buy potting soil and if they are bought in bulk they work out at 10 for 27p. Is that not a good buy?
XX Jeannine
I guess it is good value. I buy my potting compost from our local nursery, 3 big bags for a tenner (I don't know how big, but to heavy for me to carry) and they last well. I need compost for potting things on also. The jiffies are one use only, a shame if the seed doesn't germinate. Plus, any old used compost from seed trays after pricking out or whatever gets flung into a bucket and used in the bottom of pots when I am planting up in big things, or put in the garden around plants so it all get's recycled. I suppose my main problem is finding £50 just like that to blow on jiffies. I can manage a tenner on the compost....just..... :-\
Emma have a look at Kayes site you can buy smaller quantities Xx Jeannine
At that price Jeannine, yes - great. I pay much more. But I too find the outlay a bit iffy, since I may change my mind & do things another way.
But NOT one time things, Emma. I've twice had to re-sow some of mine this year through carelessness.
Yes, of course, compost is necessary too, for so many things, but it's the 'entity' of the Jiffy that I love. And the visibilty of progress & never a stuck-in-the-tray-plug as I've so often had.
put like that jeanine yes i always use rootrainers which are expensive but reusable but they do take up a lot of compost still got 6lots now maybe try jiffys after
marg
Yes - just looked at Kay's prices. Much better. Thanks, Jeannine.
Rootrainers? Thought they would be the cat's whiskers, but they are brittle, too big for the average thing &, like trays, commit you to that number of plugs per container. Jiffies are like chess pieces.
Amazin - a different approach - now that I've got enough plants to justify the (heated) capillary bench, it's just the thing for controlled wetting of the Jiffies!
How do I find Kay's??
http://www.kaysdiscountgarden.co.uk/
Thanks Tim.