[MoreWhisky]

I am thinking about ordering some of these pellets to start my toms and chillis in this yr. Anybody used these before ? and are they worth the extra (little) expense?

Cheers MW.

[Lardman]

I couldn't get on with them at all.

The smaller ones dry out too fast and bake hard as rock and the wrapping doesn't decompose as promised. I still find some digging around the garden years later. If you try and remove them you'll damage the roots of the seedlings. Id save your money and buy some nice plastic pots instead !

[Jamrock]

I use the peat-free jiffy 7s for starting many things, brassicas and leaf crops mainly. Never had any problems and found them quite simple to use.

I couldn't get on with them at all.

The smaller ones dry out too fast and bake hard as rock and the wrapping doesn't decompose as promised. I still find some digging around the garden years later. If you try and remove them you'll damage the roots of the seedlings. Id save your money and buy some nice plastic pots instead !

If you have problems with them drying out use capillary matting with them as is recommended

Not sure why you'd want to remove anything from round the seedlings as the whole idea is to plant the whole pellet with plant still intact. If you want to remove the wrapping do it in the winter or when you are harvesting which negates the problem of damaging the roots

[Auntiemogs]

I had the same problems as Lardman.  Dried out very quickly and didn't break down (roots also struggled to make it out although I guess they could be cut open before planting out).

I invested in some multi-cell trays and a couple of this type of thing instead (you can push the plants out from the bottom as and when they're ready and they take care of themselves)...
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PARASENE-139-40-CELL-SELF-WATERING-PROPAGATOR-/280824258108?pt=UK_Home_Garden_GardenEquipment_HandTools_SM&hash=item41626e1e3c&_uhb=1

[Yorkie]

Ditto what Lardman said 

[Springlands]

Ditto again - found them to be absolutely awful to use - even following all of the directions for use.

[arugula]

And another ditto! Awful to use and useless once they got going...

[Jamrock]

I must be very talented 

[arugula]

I must be very talented 

Or gifted maybe? I can't see much talent in reconstituting a bit of hard dry coir or peat.

[Jamrock]

I seem to be the only person on here who has used them successfully     Perhaps it is luck

[arugula]

I seem to be the only person on here who has used them successfully     Perhaps it is luck

Perhaps it is luck, but talent isn't a word I would apply.

[Jamrock]

If it gets me the result I was after then being lucky will do 

[Yorkie]

Indeed 

[New shoot]

I got given a big bag of these a few years ago at work.  The packaging had broken and they were rolling round the warehouse floor.  Free is my favourite price, so was happy to take them wherever they had been 

They do dry out very easily, so setting them in a tray with matting or gravel in the base really helps.  I found them a bit variable with small seeds, but tomatoes were OK.  Didn't try them with chillies.

The roots do grow out of the sides and they end up connected to each other if you are not careful.  They also don't really decompose easily.  I still dig them out of the plot every now and again like Lardman does.

I've not bought them since, so I guess that is no great recommendation 

[arugula]

I got given a big bag of these a few years ago at work.  ....  Free is my favourite price, so was happy to take them wherever they had been 
.....
I've not bought them since, so I guess that is no great recommendation 

Indeed.