peat pots NO!!

Used peat pots on some tomato plants, had to replant into large cups, left the peat pots on but cracked the sides a little, as I went to put them into garden I saw that I got lots of new roots from stems NOT in the peat pots, roots in peat pots did not break through the pots!!
Plants are doing well and will not use peat pots again.

I had the same experience. Leave them in the pots and the pots will break down. Whatever. I had to pull the little plants out of the peat and replant. I have some peat pots fro3 years ago in the ground to see how long it takes for them to break down. Still there.

People can put them wherever they put their upside-down tomato planters.

Wow-now I know why my tomatoes aren't growing!!! I won't use anymore!

If you read the instructions on most peat pots that come from a commercial nursery they instruct you to tear off the bottom portion of the peat pot so the dirt can make contact with the roots. You should also tear off the top rim so it doesn't wick the water from around the roots.

At least they do break down and not last forever like plastic.

I planted cilantro today from the peat pots. I water it really well then peel them off. If they are not soaked, you will year the roots when you try to remove the plants.

I have 50 or so tomatoes in peat pots too. Next week when I get them into the ground, I will do the same thing: soak, then peel, then plant.

If you remove them anyway, what is the purpose of using them to start your seedlings? Why not just use plastic and when you go to plant them, first water them, and before they dry out again tip them out of the pot and plant them?

The peat used to make these pots is not currently being harvested in a sustainable manner. There are viable alternatives on the market...

http://www.rhs.org.uk/Learning/Research/conservation_and_environment_peat.htm

dp72 - You're saying my upside down peat-pot tomato planter was a bad idea? :-)

Tyler....are the upside down tomato thingies working for you? I thought they were a dumb idea and they just seem like so much touble. As for the peat pots I had the same results as the others. I will not ever use them again. If I kept them really wet they got moldy!

Tyler- if you can make a buck off it, power to you! Somebody has sold tons of these thru TV and magazine ads. There's always a gimmick. A potato-tomato plant. Potato trees.

I did not have a good peat pot experiance either. When you tear the bottom, or any part of the pot off, you tear off the roots growing into or next to it.

If you plant in plastic pots or cups you simply remove the root ball and place it undisturbed into the planting hole.

Seems like a no brainer to me.

margo, I couldn't agree more!

Yes, we can always keep the plastic cups or pots for next year !!

When I plant tomatoes in peat pots, I always plant them deeper than the pot; break the edges of the pot back and cover it wih dirt. We always plant the tomatoes deep so the roots will develope along the sides and have a better root system. We start several in Large flower pots and they are really growing great this year. We plant in the garden and in containers. My husband puts wire cages on them, sometime we have to te stakes or posts in them to support the plant. I have a pepper plant in flower pot this year, I want to see how it comes out. They are blooming and have tiny peppers, got an eggplant too. Have terrible luck with eggplants. So we know this year if they like pots.