When to Use Leak-Proof Seedling Trays？

Having a successful farm or garden starts with proper planning and preparation, and that includes choosing the right tools and supplies. One of the most important tools for starting plants is the seed tray.

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There are several types of seed trays available, and each one has its own benefits and uses. In this article, we will explore the different types of seed trays and how to use each of them effectively.

ADVANTAGES TO STARTING SEEDS IN CELL TRAYS VS. LARGER POTS OR SOIL BED?

Starting seeds in cell trays, especially in the larger ones, gives the grower the advantage of being able to start more seedlings in their growing space. This is especially handy for row crops where the grower may want to plant 100 or more of each variety.

Growing this many seedling starts in larger seed pots would take up way too much space. The other advantage is that you will waste less growing media starting out your seeds and then up-potting the successfully germinated starts into new pots.

PARTS OF A SEED TRAY

There are two basic parts to a seed tray, one of which is optional:

• Tray ' this is the top part that holds soil, individual containers (pots), or a cell flat. When used with a cell flat, the tray is used for watering from below.

• Cell flat (plug flat) ' this is the optional lower part. This is the part that holds the water to keep you from watering the seedlings very frequently.

TYPES OF SEED TRAYS

Seedling trays come in different forms, including mesh seed trays, solid seed trays with drainage holes, and solid seed trays without drainage holes (leak-proof seed trays).

Mesh Seed Trays

A mesh seed tray is a type of seed tray that allows air, water, and light to pass through it while also providing support and protection to seedlings as they grow. It typically consists of a frame made of durable plastic or wire mesh, with a tray or pot placed inside it to hold the soil and seeds.

Mesh seed trays are specifically designed for seed starting, and they are often used in commercial and home gardens to start seedlings before transplanting them into larger containers or into the ground. They are also commonly used for microgreen production, which is the practice of growing germinated seeds into small, edible plants that are harvested a few weeks after germination.

By allowing air, water, and light to pass through, mesh seed trays help to reduce the risk of damping off, a disease that can kill young seedlings. They also allow for better drainage, reducing the risk of root rot and other diseases associated with overwatering.

Where to buy:

Amazon

Shopee

Lazada

Cell Seed Tray

A cell seed tray is composed of small, individual cells, each of which is typically about 5 to 10 millimeters wide, long, and deep. The cells are arranged in a grid-like pattern, with rows and columns, and they're separated from each other by small walls. Cell seed trays are often used for growing seedlings, particularly when growing crops in a commercial setting.

Cell seed trays are beneficial because they allow for efficient and convenient seedling production.

The small cells allow for even distribution of water and nutrients to the sprouts, and they provide a secure and stable base for the seedlings to grow and mature. This makes it easier to transplant them into larger containers or directly into the ground, and it decreases the risk of damage to the seedlings.

Overall, cell seed trays are a versatile and efficient tool for growing seedlings and they're a popular choice for commercial growers or those who want to start their own miniature farm.

Where to buy:

Amazon

Shopee

Lazada

Solid Seed Trays with Drainage Holes

Solid seed trays with drainage holes allow for adequate drainage, making them suitable for planting multiple seeds together in one place.

The drainage holes prevent the soil from becoming saturated with water and promote healthy root growth. However, the lack of individual cells makes it impossible to move seedlings to separate containers once they grow larger.

Where to buy:

Amazon

Shopee

Lazada

Solid seed trays without drainage holes

Solid seed trays without drainage holes (leak-proof seed trays) do not allow for any drainage at all. They are best used for holding cell flats and allowing for bottom watering. By holding water, the tray can be used to catch excess water from watering seeds, or to water seeds from below.

WHERE TO BUY:

Amazon

Shopee

Lazada

Seed Tray With a Humidity Dome

A seed tray with a humidity dome is a growing system that provides an ideal environment for seed germination and early plant growth. It consists of a seed tray, which is a tray with small, individual cells or pots, and a humidity dome, which is a clear plastic cover that fits over the tray.

The humidity dome creates a warm, moist environment that is essential for seed germination and early plant growth. The cover traps moisture and moisture-laden air around the seedlings, providing them with a consistent supply of water. This can be particularly beneficial during dry periods or when the air is particularly dry.

Seed trays with humidity domes are particularly useful for growing plants that require a warm and humid environment, such as tomatoes, peppers, and other vegetables. They are also popular for growing herbs, flowers, and other outdoor plants.

WHERE TO BUY:

Amazon

Shopee

Lazada

Biodegradable Seed Trays

Biodegradable seed trays are the environmentally friendly solution to traditional, plastic seed trays.

Instead of being made from synthetic materials that can take hundreds of years to decompose, biodegradable seed trays are made from natural materials such as recycled paper, biodegradable plastic, or plant-based materials.

These innovative trays provide all the benefits of traditional seed trays, including protection for seedlings and support for roots, but with the added bonus of being gentle on the environment. Biodegradable materials are non-toxic and they won't pollute the soil or water systems when they're discarded.

Biodegradable seed trays are a great choice for gardeners who want to reduce their environmental impact while still nurturing their plants. They're also an excellent choice for commercial growers who need to minimize their waste output and meet sustainability goals.

WHERE TO BUY:

Amazon

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Leak-Proof Seedling Trays.

Shopee

Lazada

Ergonomic Pop-out Seed Tray

An ergonomic pop-out seed tray is a growing tray designed for the comfort and productivity of gardeners.

Soft food-grade silicone cells cradle seedlings and gently flex to pop out when it's time to transplant into your outdoor garden! This system is specially designed to reduce stress on your seedlings, so you don't damage their roots. After transplanting, trays are easy to clean and reuse or simply store for next growing season. Top shelf dishwasher safe.

The tray is made from lightweight, durable materials that are easy to clean. These trays are a popular choice among commercial growers and home gardeners who want to maximize their seedling production while minimizing their physical strain.

Where to buy:

Amazon

SO WHAT KIND OF TRAY SHOULD YOU USE?

• Are you growing a large number of one variety of plants for transplanting row crops?

• Are you planting smaller numbers of a wide variety of plants?

• Will you be planting your crops all at once, or will you be using the succession planting method?

• What type of seeds will you be planting? Peppers, tomatoes, lettuce, watermelon, etc.?

• How large are the seeds?

• How long will your seedlings need to stay in the cell trays?

• Will you be potting up your plant starts or planting out directly from the plug trays?

• How much protected growing space do you have to start seeds in?

• Will you use a heat mat or a dome or rely on ambient temperatures and humidity for germination?

HOW LONG CAN PLANTS STAY IN THE CELL TRAY?

WATERING TIP

Yes. It is possible to overwater seedlings growing in cell trays. A common mistake growers make though is to leave water in the bottom of a plug tray at all times. This will eliminate your seedling's ability to get oxygen.

Bottom-watering can be properly done by adding just enough water to allow the cell tray to evenly absorb it during the watering and no more. You want to discard the excess water as it will become stagnant and invite anaerobic bacteria to wreak havoc on your newly established seedlings.

A Quick Overview of Seed Starting

Starting seeds for your garden is one of the most exciting things you can do. To see something so small grow into a beautiful and productive part of your garden is magical. But for a lot of new gardeners, it can seem overwhelming to start. How exactly do you do it? How do you know what materials to use? How do you know when your seedlings are ready to be planted outside?

Well, Gardenary is here with plenty of answers and information all about starting seeds! Check out these articles:

• When to start seeds indoors
• What materials you'll need
• How to harden off and transplant your seedlings outdoors

In this post, we're going to take a deeper dive into the different seed starting setups, in particular the trays and kits. There are so many options to pick from, so let's take a look at what all you can use!

What Should Your Seed Starting Setup Look Like?

When starting seeds indoors, just remember that you are trying to mimic the outdoors as much as possible. You'll want the temperature to be warm and the area to have perhaps a little humidity, if possible. There also needs to be some air flow and light. While some people choose to use natural light, your seedlings are going to grow weak and leggy unless they're in a greenhouse with full overhead sunlight. Being placed on a windowsill is often not enough. Your best bet is to grab a grow light to use in whatever location your seeds will grow.

I have been starting seeds indoors for years now, so I will show you an example of how I started versus how I'm doing it now: In the beginning, I used styrofoam cups placed on a baking tray, with a clip-on grow light, in my office. Super simple and cheap, but effective! I didn't need to start a ton of seeds because my growing space was little, so this worked well enough.

As my garden expanded, I invested in more materials in order to start more and more seeds. Now I have an extra bedroom closet I use, with a shelving unit, attached grow lights, and seed trays. This setup was more labor intensive and expensive to get going, but I can start a lot more seeds this way, and by now, I know the investment is worth it.

What Materials Can You Use to Start Seeds?

While my personal preference is a seed starting tray, there are other things you can use to get going. Let's look at some of the advantages and disadvantages of different materials.

Seed Starting with Household Items

Many gardeners trying to reuse what is already in their home will start seeds in eggshells, egg cartons, rolled-up newspaper pots, yogurt cups, toilet paper rolls, and more.

Advantages

A lot of these materials are biodegradable, so the whole pot can be planted directly into the soil. That is definitely a benefit, as is the ability to repurpose something that would otherwise be tossed in the trash.

Disadvantages

I have tried a few of these items and either found them to be too small or had them decay and break down before I could plant my seedlings outdoors.

Seed Starting with Peat Pots or Coco Coir Discs

These are pre-made pots, trays, and discs (also called pellets) sold widely online and in stores.

Advantages

They're biodegradable, so again, you can plant the entire pot or disc.

Disadvantages

I've had some get moldy and'like what happened when I tried to use toilet paper rolls'break down too quickly when exposed to water. I am not a fan. Plus, you have to pay for something that's not reusable.

Seed Starting with Plastic Cups, Styrofoam Cups, and Small Reusable Pots

You can poke holes in the bottom of just about any cup and use it to start your seeds. Be sure to place them on a surface or tray that can catch runoff when you water them (like my baking sheet in my original setup).

Advantage

The benefit of these is that they are bigger and thus can grow your seeds all the way to transplantation without needing to pot them up (in other words, you don't have to move them to a larger pot before they go into the garden).

Disadvantage

The negative is that they take up way more space than the cells of a typical seed starting tray.

Seed Starting with Soil Blocking

Another option that is gaining popularity is to use soil blocking. While this option has technically been around for centuries, many home gardeners have never seen it used. 

Advantage

The beauty of this option is that you use the soil as both the growing medium and the container. The soil is packed enough to stay together and allow the seed to grow roots without running out of space. 

Disadvantage

You do need a few particular items to get started.

I know many gardeners who are turning to this method and quite enjoy it. You can see the items you need here and read up on how to's.

My Favorite Seed Starting Trays

My top pick would have to be from Johnny's Selected Seeds. Everyone knows their seed starting materials are top notch, and I love supporting a company that has such a great reputation and relationship with its employees. Their trays can be a bit on the pricier side, but you know that they will last for years. They have numerous options to choose from, so here are a few you might want to try:

• 72 Cell Plug Flat - This tray can be used for almost anything growing in your garden. These are the ones I currently use (pictured below).
• SureRoots 50 Cell Deep Plug Flat - This tray is great for anything with a longer taproot or something that may be disturbed during transplanting, such as sweet peas or perennial plants.
• 128 Cell Plug Flat - This tray will definitely give you plenty of spots for seeds in the space provided. This tray would work for things like greens and herbs that don't need a ton of space.
• Pro-Tray 24 Cell Flat - This tray with larger spaces is better for your larger plants like tomatoes, eggplant, melons, pumpkins, and squash.

With any of these trays, make sure you also order trays to catch or hold water underneath if you're growing indoors, as these trays all have holes that allow for drainage or uptake of water.

Plenty of other companies have similar tray setups that are good quality. You can get a kit from Gardeners' Supply that includes a 12- or 24-cell tray and a mat, and Burpee has a similar setup that also includes a dome lid, markers, and grow pellets. Growers Supply carries similar products, but you have to order a certain number of trays, not just one. 

Amazon has a really neat kit that has a 60-cell tray with a mat and dome lid, as well as a grow light'a great setup for beginners! You can also find inexpensive trays and kits at places like Home Depot, as well as your local gardening supply stores.

A Couple of Quick Tips on Using Trays to Start Seeds

Tip #1

You can water at the top or the bottom. Many people get fungal disease, which affects seedling growth, by watering on top of the soil if it is kept too moist. This has never happened to me, but you want to be careful how much water you use. You can avoid this issue by pouring water into the bottom catch tray; the seedlings will absorb it up through the holes in the tray.

Tip #2

When it comes time to remove your seedlings, a butter knife is your best friend. Just insert it gently along the side of the soil and pop your seedling out.

Tip #3

Always be sure to wash and sterilize your tray kits before use for new seeds. The moment after I transplant my seedlings, I wash my trays out and remove any dirt or debris and let them dry out before storage. When it comes time to start new seeds, I soak my trays in a diluted bleach solution to kill off any lingering bacteria that could harm my new seed babies. You can use a 9:1 ratio of water to bleach, or 9 cups of water for every 1 cup of bleach.

Is a seed starting heat mat necessary? 

I personally do not use a heating mat and do just fine; however, I see plenty of gardeners and, for sure, farmers who use them and have excellent and speedier germination. I don't feel this is necessary to get started if your space is warm, but it can definitely help.

There is also an option to purchase a dome. I have used domes at times and not used them at times, and in my opinion, they aren't totally necessary if you have a warm space to start your seeds. If your space is a little cooler, like less than 72 degrees, then a dome can provide extra warmth and humidity for your seeds to germinate.

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