Have you ever tried to transplant small seedlings from one pot to another? It’s no easy feat! The process of moving plants from one source of soil to another can yield many negative effects, like transplant shock and root damage. But with peat pots, you can avoid the prospect of stressing out your plants. This is because you’ll get to place the seeds into the ground along with the pot instead of taking the seeds out of the soil and placing them somewhere new. This entire process reduces the risk of root injury, and the biodegradable pot can break down in the soil. That way, your plants can mature without any root obstruction. To take a peek at the peat pot we like the most, check out the ZOUTOG Three-Inch Peat Pots.
Our Top Picks For Peat Pots
The Best Peat Pots: Buying Guide
Whether you already have green fingers or are just learning the ropes to creating your herb or flower garden, peat pots are a fantastic way to get going with your planting season. These eco-friendly pots have loads of benefits and will help you build a successful indoor or outdoor garden in no time. In this guide, we’ll help you choose the best peat pots and explore how they can enrich your garden.
What Are Peat Pots?
These biodegradable pots are made of peat that is compressed and formed into the shape of a plant pot. Like any other pot, you will need to add potting soil. The real advantage of using these pots comes at planting time when the entire peat pot can be placed in the soil. Since it is entirely composed of natural materials, it eventually loses its form and becomes part of the soil around the plant. These pots are eco-friendly and biodegradable, so you also don’t have to worry about any plastic going into landfills.
Peat is partially decayed plant material that forms in wet conditions such as marshes and swamps. As plants die and fall to the ground, they begin to decompose. Due to high water content and lack of oxygen in the swamp of decaying plant material, decomposition slows down. New layers continue to form on top as more plants, leaves, and vegetation gather. Peat is harvested from these bogs for various uses.
As an agricultural product, peat can retain soil moisture and help improve soil structure. Although it doesn’t offer any nutrients to the soil, it can hold nutrients, which means as a short-term growing medium, it will provide seeds with consistent moisture and nutrient retention. Once planted in the soil, the pots also help to keep moisture around the roots of the plant until they decay.
How Are Peat Pots Made?
Commercially, manufacturers of peat pots take large quantities of the peat material and saturate it in water, causing it to turn into a thick sludgy mixture. Wood pulp is added for rigidity. The mixture is blended to form a peat slurry which is then pressed into the intended pot shape. This squeezes out the excess liquid and also compacts the moss and wood pulp. Once dried thoroughly, the pot is ready. Although the wood pulp keeps the pots rigid, they will eventually start to lose their shape, so keeping your plants in these pots is not a long-term option.
Advantages of Using Peat Pots
Peat pots are thicker and larger than peat strips, which allows you to grow your seeds or seedlings until they reach a fair size. This gives you more time to ensure your seedlings are growing healthily before planting them in the soil, especially when weather conditions are not yet ideal for outdoor growing.
Once your plants are ready for the outdoors, you can simply place the entire pot and plant in the soil. This reduces root shock, root damage, and places less stress on the plant. Since peat is a partially decomposed material already, the pots will continue to decompose in the soil after planting, and the roots will expand.
There are disadvantages to using peat pots, but do they outweigh the advantages? Find out in this short video below.
Things To Consider When Choosing Peat Pots
The type of peat pot you choose will largely depend on what you are planting. Square and round pots work equally well, although square pots can be a little more stable if you have many stacked next to each other.
The size of the pot should be able to handle your new plant’s growth until it is ready to go into the garden. Small pots and trays are perfect for seed germination and seedlings, however, if you want a fair amount of growth for flowers or vegetables, opt for a bigger pot that will allow some root growth to happen inside the pots. Thicker pots will provide support for longer but will also take more time to decompose in the soil.
Choose a pot that can be entirely submerged in the soil when the time for planting comes around. Any part of the peat pot that is exposed to the air above the soil will dry out. This will cause the soil around it to dry out faster and deprive plants of water. You can tear or cut off the top part of the pot before planting to solve this issue.
When purchasing peat pots make sure they are 100% biodegradable. You will also want to use a good, high-nitrogen fertilizer or potting mix since the peat requires nitrogen to decompose and does not offer any additional nutrition to the plant or soil. Liquid fertilizer can also do the trick.
People Also Asked
How do you germinate seeds using peat pots?
To germinate seeds with peat pots, fill the trays with your desired potting mix. Sow your seeds directly into the planting mix, and then place them in a warm place to germinate. The warmth of the peat helps the seeds germinate quickly. Do not over-water the trays, but make sure you keep the peat and soil damp.
Can plant roots grow through peat pot walls?
Yes, plant roots can grow through peat pot walls. Peat pots are porous, meaning they let air and water circulate while allowing plant roots to grow through them. If you are concerned about this when replanting, saturate the pots in water. Then, loosen the base by making shallow cuts around the sides and through the bottom of the pot. Alternatively, you can remove the entire base of the pot.
Why are my peat pots moldy?
If mold forms in the peat pot, this may indicate excessive moisture. To avoid problems that can occur from overwatering, allow the potting soil to dry between waterings, and make sure your pots get enough sunlight.