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Peat proves superior medium for Douglas-fir seedling growth

Douglas-fir seedlings were grown for
30 days in Jiffy-7 pellets, Jiffy-7 peat,
and nursery soil. One might expect
seedlings to grow better in peat
than soil, but the difference proved
far greater than expected.Jiffy-7 pellets, small disks of shredded
compressed peat, expand from 8 by 47
millimeters when dry to approximately
50 by 47 millimeters when wet. After
expansion, the center hole in which a
seed or seedling is planted is about 20
millimeters in diameter and varies
from 5 to 10 millimeters in depth.
The pellets were used in this
experiment both intact and as
loosened peat crumbled into small
pleated paper drinking cups the same
size as the expanded pellets .