Road Test: From Hero to Zero

When I saw this photo on the side of a jiffy pellet box, there was no way I could not give this a go. Pour on your water and up she goes, weeeeheeee!

So I made my purchase and we toddled along home, the boys beside themselves with excitement, and just quietly, me too. I had visions of rows and rows of these neat little pots, proudly displaying their beautiful, healthy seedlings emerging from their peat, wood fibre and lime homes.

Well we gathered around the garden table, out I popped a jiffy pellet, poured the water, stuck our heads into the pink bucket to watch and held our breaths...

and we waited... and waited. And waited some more.

I poured in a bit more water... boys lost interest...

I pegged out the washing...

Filed my nails...

(yeah right)

Peeked again, and this had happened!

We have lift off!

Lol, okay, so I may be exaggerating a little, but I did think they would soak up the water like a sponge and impress us all. Instead it was a long slow wait, but it did rise to its dizzying heights eventually, and all in all it was a cute little pot.

I love that this pot is an all-in-one idea, no messing around with potting mix, just water, wait, wait some more, pop your seed in, and cover.

What I don't love about this pot though, is that peat pots are not a particularly environmentally friendly option (thanks for that Elaine!). I thought I was being super earth friendly using them, but I did do a little bit of research and found that peat comes from peat bogs, an important habitat for birds and other wildlife. The bogs are drained to get to the peat, bye bye habitat.

I feel a bit bad now. I bought 72 pots... I told you the photo sucked me in.

But let us not despair! Apparently you can buy coconut husk pots, which work in much the same way.

So after we've used up our peat pots, bring on the coconuts!

They are super cute though hey.