Help with peat blocks please I ordered some peat blocks but they’ve come without any instructions

Is this a photo of what you bought? I know of jiffy pot grow blocks which need to be soaked, they expand then you can use them for sowing seed. When the seedling is old enough you harden it off then plant with the peat pot in situ. If it is used for growing cuttings once the roots start to come through the mesh it can be planted. if it is large brick size blocks you have bought I have seen them used to build a raised bed. You can then then plant in to them as well as in to the soil in your raised bed.

Just add water! That's it really. Place in a bucket or large bin. Add a couple cups of water or half gallon and watch it expand like magic.

Hi they’re really tiny. I was silly and didn’t say the size. I photoed it on a post it note ! So do I just put in in a cup and soak it and the plant something in it - presumably something biggish like bean seeds and only one in each?
Many thanks for helping

If it's like the ones sold in the U.S., you'll need to cut slits in the wrapper before planting out, because the wrapper decays slowly, if at all.

yes, just put in a bowl of water. Once it expands fully, as Tug says, make a small hole in the center and place seed. Keep it moist. When your seedlings reach about 4-5 inches, plant it out in the garden - pot and all. The whole idea is to not disturb the root ball.

You do not have to use huge seeds. You can sow two or three small seeds then pull out the weakest or just plant the pot including all the seedlings. They will send roots out in to the surrounding soil and find plenty to support them. What is the cover made of? It is easy to work out the size now you have told us it is resting on a post-it note. That size will also be suitable for growing cuttings.

Thanks so much to all. I’m not sure what the cover is made of. It looks like a papery fabric with lots of little holes in it. I’ll try to get a good close up photo tomorrow in proper light and post it

I didn't just mean the hole for the seed,Bathgate. In the U.S., they are wrapped in non-woven polyester or rayon, both looking like paper, but much more durable. The polyester wrappers never decay, while the rayon ones eventually decay, but slowly. Both can fatally restrict the roots, unless you cut vertical slits in the sides just before planting the seedlings in the ground, or a larger pot. Better still to remove the wrapper entirely, but that tears enough roots to pretty much negate the shock prevention benefit.

Sounds like a good idea. I don't use these but that makes sense.

It would be helpful if you can take a photo once you have soaked and the disc has expanded. Is there a manufacturers name on any of the packaging?
Tug do you remove the outer cover before soaking?

I tried that, but then they fall apart when soaked--if not before: easier said than done!

Thanks Tug. Looking at the photo of the discs now Sunbeam has soaked them, to me it looks like homemade using newspaper. I think it might be possible to use the whole thing if it is placed in a small pot or one of those multi-holed trays. If the compost looks reasonable it might be worth using otherwise get on to the vendor and ask for a refund.

To me, they seem to be polyester, since they look like they are heat sealed on the side. Large and sloppily made, too, compared to what I am used to, though that won't reduce their effectiveness.

Thanks a lot. Shall I try them with a big seed like courgette or beans that I’ve got enough of ? I only bought the pots because at that time I couldn’t get any compost or pots at all!

Yep! Seeds of that size range, anyway. Not much point with anything smaller than a tomato seed.

Please come back with the results Sunbeam.

I promise I will - the “peat” bears a strong resemblance to coal dust!

I assumed because they have expanded after soaking that they were peat because that is how peat expands. I would contact the vendor if possible. It might save someone else a bit of concern.

Thank you lots for all your help. It’s whats left in the water from the expansion that’s got like coal dust in it. There does seem to be more “body” inside the covering. I’m going to put a courgette seed in and see if it does anything. I’m sure you’re right I’ll need to contact the vendor , it’ll take a bit of searching for where it came from because it took ages and ages to arrive and I’ve had to order so much stuff for the garden online!