Peat pots are used by many summer residents when growing seedlings.
The main advantage of peat pots is that they make planting much easier. But is it really that obvious?
Expert of the online publication "BelNovosti", landscape designer and scientist-agronomist Anastasia Kovrizhnykh identified 5 reasons not to use peat pots, because you can lose part of the harvest or its further characteristics will leave much to be desired.
The soil becomes too wet
Overwatering is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. Peat pots do not have drainage holes. This means that excess moisture can cause the death of plants.
It is also not uncommon for peat pots to gradually soften due to moisture. If this happens, you can lose them and the seedlings accordingly.
And the main problem is the appearance of fungal diseases due to high humidity. Of course, if you control watering and the condition of the soil, the listed problems can be avoided. But who can really cope with such a task?
High risk of counterfeiting
It is extremely difficult to buy a quality peat pot. Crafty manufacturers have long figured out that regular cardboard can be used instead of peat. Even an experienced gardener will not immediately distinguish a fake.
It will become obvious when the pots start to fall apart after several waterings. And what to do with the seedlings at this time? If you start transplanting them into other suitable containers, some of the seedlings can be irretrievably lost. Also, transplanting seedlings does not promise anything good, even if you do everything correctly, the seedlings will experience stress in any case.
Mold
The appearance of mold is a matter of time. Mold appears on the surface due to the fact that peat gradually absorbs moisture. The problem can appear even if the pots are simply in a room with high humidity.
How to get rid of mold that appears on pots? When using strong chemicals, some of the seedlings will be lost. The problem can be avoided by creating ideal growing conditions. But everyone should ask the question: can they do it?
The soil dries out quickly
And here is where a stalemate sets in. If you overwater the seedlings, they may start to rot or dangerous fungal diseases may appear.
In this case, water can go into the walls of peat pots, and this will lead to the soil drying out. Calculating the ideal amount of water for irrigation is extremely difficult.
High risk of non-survival
Anyone who sells and makes such pots will claim that they are the perfect solution. Of course, transplanting the pot with the seedling into the open ground is a simple task.
But can roots always grow through the walls of peat? And what if this does not happen? Peat will not always soften and become fertilizer for the crop. Many plants may simply not take root, even if you constantly monitor their condition and follow all the recommendations.
