50mm Jiffy pellets

Hi, I just started some of these 50mm Jiffy pellets and I am wondering how everyone else is using them. They are so big it seems like I can leave the seedlings in there about 2 weeks longer than the small Jiffy pellets. Then once the seedling/plant fills up the pellet I can go right to the 1 gal container or right into the ground. If it's going to work like this I can skip the whole step of transplanting to 4.5" pots. This seems like a no-brainer to me but this is my first time growing seeds indoors so I might me missing something....

I have used Jiffy pellets in the recent past. I especially like the type that have a mesh bottom. Check before you buy to see that the mesh encloses the peat pellet (some brands just wrap a little mesh around the middle of the pellet--and that makes one big mess once you start watering regularly.)

One rule of thumb, whether using Jiffy pellets or little pots of any type, is that as the plants get bigger, you should re-pot into the next size up, not into a much larger container than what the plants are currently in.

The reason is to avoid rot when watering a small plant in such a big pot of dirt. It's too much wet soil for a little plant.

You could conceivably go right from Jiffy pot into the ground if you first "harden off" your seedlings. This is done by introducing your tender, house-grown seedlings to the outdoor elements of sun and wind. I have done this with seedlings in small plastic pots. The down side is that they dry out quickly. A Jiffy pot seedling would dry out REAL fast once it gets any wind. You would have to be watering very, very frequently. Keep the pots together in some sort of tray to minimize drying out.

Keep in mind that "hardening off" should be done gradually. Place your plants outdoors in filtered sun or shade at first, not in direct sunlight. They will wilt at first. Make sure to keep them moist. Bring them in after a few hours. They will perk up.

You must perform this ritual daily once you start it. The next day, increase the amount of time you leave the little plants outside. The plants will build up their tolerance to the outdoors. After a few days, you may notice their soft little stems growing hard and wiry. That is a very good sign that the hardening off is working. Very soon, your plants can tolerate full sun. That's the time to plant them outdoors. This process can take anywhere from 3 to 7 days or a little more.

The rewards of setting in plants that you have nurtured from indoor seeds to robust outdoor seedlings cannot be described. I have raised many of my perennials this way. Now I have a yard full of color of which I am proud to say that I had a hand in the "birth" process.