I'm not happy with the peat pots or pellets either one, I've always found them either too wet or too dry with no happy in between for me. If you don't need whole flats of seedlings, you can still use a seed starting medium in plastic pot - plastic that doesn't dry out or the reverse, wick the moisture from the sowing medium - and away from the seeds.

I think even newspaper pots would work better for you, and they break down reliably and quickly if you transplant seedlings directly in those, more quickly than the peat. Lots of instructions online showing how to make them.

If you start with clean tools and pots, sterile medium, and have some air circulation after germination in the area of your containers, you shouldn't need the hydrogen peroxide....

Here is a link that might be useful: One of many previous discussions of peat pots

I totally agree with morz8. I have used peat pots and
jiffy 7 pellets in the past. The pellets are too small unless you plan on planting out real soon from starting.

Peat pots are ok but the bottoms get soft so be careful picking them up or bottom watering them.

I start peppers indoors under lights. Since I only grow
about 10, I direct sow right into plastic or styrofoam cups
filled with a planting mix. 2 seeds per pot and then pinch
one plant out if both come up. Easy and works for me.

Styrofoam cups are really cheap! Last year I actually used
paper coffee cups from a gas station. Worked great and a good way to use a waste product again. Just save them when
drinking coffee on the road. Punch about 5 holes in bottom
with a nail and you are good to go. No need to spend extra
money on pots.

Morz8 and Spartan-apple...thank you so very, very much for saving me from wasting effort, seeds and money! Having direct seeded most of my life, I had no idea of how crappy these apparently over-hyped items really are. Spent a good deal of yesterday following links and reading which ultimately led me to a site selling cell packs. Towards next season, I'll start collecting miscellaneous little containers to start my seed.

Thanks again,
Barbara

I don't like those peat pellets for a different reason. They don't look furtile to me. Use real dirt! I also don't think those peat potsbreak down fast enough in the garden. They are like rotting cardboard. YUCK!

I like the idea of using old coffee cups. Great re-purposing idea.

I have another reason pellets are a problem and agree with all of the above (plus you spend extra on them). I found when I planted the pellets, the squirrels dig them up. I imagine they sense a pecan and use "radar" to gauge the soil texture difference and dug them up only to be disappointed. I lost many babies this way one year and never used them again.

I have used both. The pellets I have had luck with but I have to break them apart when planting. I don't think that they were that tough years ago. I keep them setting in water here in my dry air-don't think most places could do that. I might use the peat pots for watermelons and cantaloup to save roots. But i don't like then cause they dry out through the sides too much. There again they need to be torn apart when planted. Best is those little square plastic that the green houses use.