Peat. Pellets. What are they good for?! Absolutely one thing: seed starting!

For some of us the beginning of a new year signifies three things: hopes to fulfill a list of resolutions, a [dreaded] continuation of winter and a nervous (yet, also a little exciting) anticipation of what comes next. For those of us with greener thumbs, however, the beginning of a new year means we’re one step closer to that last frost.

Alright, so you've determined your last frost date, you’ve got your seeds picked and you’re anxiously awaiting spring so you can start growing those babies…but why not start them sooner?

Yes, you can start seeds indoors in a number of ways, but we're here to make the process as easy for you as possible thanks to Jiffy’s wonderful line of seed starting kits & accessories: we’re talking Peat Pellets, Peat Pots, Mini Greenhouses and more.

Today’s focus, however, specifically covers our Jiffy Seed Starting Peat Pellets. What they are and where they’re sourced from as well as how they’re used! To begin, our Jiffy peat pellets are quite literally what their name implies. They are small, rounded, compressed masses of dried peat moss.

Yes. They’re made of peat but what kind of peat are Jiffy peat pellets made from? Jiffy products are made from reasonably sourced Sphagnum peat, which is harvested from peat bogs throughout Canada. Sphagnum peat is THE recognized medium for reliable, efficient and high-yield plant breeding worldwide. Why? Three major reasons:

• Peat can hold up to 20x its weight in water
• It provides aeration for roots
• It helps retain the nutrients plants need

Our Jiffy peat pellets typically come in three sizes: 36mm, 42mm and 50mm. Larger pellets are ideal for developing seeds with more vast root systems (tomatoes, peppers, etc.) while smaller pellets are great for starting plants such as herbs and flowers. Still, selecting the size of your pellets is most often based on your preference — there is seldom a right or wrong pellet size when starting your seeds indoors!

Ok. So. Our Jiffy peat pellets are produced using small masses of dried Canadian Sphagnum peat which come in three different disc-shaped sizes. Got it! But how are Jiffy peat pellets actually used? Well, each package will come with a more specific set of instructions for using your pellets, but in general all you have to do is add warm water.

Adding warm water to each pellet will cause the peat disc to expand into a pod shape; pellets are fully expanded once they are roughly 1-1.5” tall and appear dark brown in color [see Image above]. After the pellets are fully expanded: gently pull back their netting (each peat disc is held in place by a small piece of netting which you keep in place when adding water), gently fluff & level the surface peat with your hand/finger, and then sow 2-3 seeds of your choosing in the center of the expanded disc.

And there you have it! Jiffy seed starting peat pellets are a great gardening accessory because of their composition, size and ease of use — here to make your indoor gardening goals a little bit easier to achieve.

FUN FACT: Jiffy replants already harvested lands with over 100 million trees a year!