Seedling Trays: Everything You Need To Know About ...

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A seedling tray serves as a multi-seed germination vessel, essential for nurturing young plants until they're ready for transplanting. Depending on its design, a single tray can accommodate a range of seeds, from 6 to over a hundred.

Components of a Seedling Tray

Seedling trays typically consist of two primary components, one being optional:

• Outer Tray

  This forms the base holding necessary elements such as soil or cell flats. It’s particularly useful when watering is conducted from the bottom.

• Cell Flat (Plug Flat)

  This optional inner component divides the outer tray into individual sections, keeping seeds separate.

Various types of seedling trays are available;

• Mesh Seed Tray

  Designed for effective water drainage, these trays are ideal for holding individual containers but may lose soil through the larger holes.

• Solid Seed Tray with Drainage Holes

  These trays facilitate adequate drainage while maintaining soil moisture—perfect for communal seed planting, although seedlings' roots may intertwine.

• Solid Seed Tray without Drainage Holes (Leak-Proof Seed Tray)

  Ideal for containing a cell flat, this tray retains water and can assist with bottom watering, although it does not allow soil excess to escape.

A cell flat consists of multiple compartments. Common configurations include:

• 50-cell seed tray

• 72-cell seed tray

• 128-cell seed tray

• 200-cell seed tray

• 288-cell seed tray

50-cell seed tray

This tray strikes a balance between space-efficiency and planting capacity. It’s useful for crops like lettuce, allowing ample soil volume for healthy root development without risking root entanglement.

72-cell seed tray

Market gardeners favor this option, which provides a good mix of space and total seedling count. Each cell is 1.5" wide and 2.25" deep, accommodating a broad range of plant varieties.

128-cell seed tray

Great for starting a multitude of seeds, these trays are suitable for younger plants but require timely transplanting to prevent root-bound issues.

200-cell seed tray

This economical choice allows for a significant increase in planting capacity, perfect for small-seeded crops.

To explore more about Leak-Proof Seedling Trays, reach out for a consultation!

The 200-cell trays are popular among larger farms, where seedlings are often transplanted once they have developed a couple of true leaves.

Considerations Before Utilizing Seedling Trays

• Seedling Tray Specifications

Common dimensions include 540mm x 280mm, with varying cell sizes—fewer cells equal larger size. Select based on seed type and young plant size for optimal growth.

• Hole Shape

Holes can be round or square; round holes promote gentle root winding while square holes guide roots downward, enhancing growth potential.

• Tray Thickness

Standard thickness ranges from 0.6mm to 1.2mm, influencing usability. Thinner trays are better for single-use in retail contexts, whereas thicker options suit repeated use.

• Tray Depth

Depth varies from 3cm to 5cm, with deeper trays retaining more moisture for robust root growth, specialty trays reaching depths up to 11cm.

• Best Trays for Fruits and Vegetables

50-cell trays are optimal for fruits, whereas 72-cell ones thrive on vegetable propagation. Smaller cell sizes like 105 or 128 cells suit leafy vegetables.

• Tray Materials

Popular options are plastic and polystyrene foam. Plastic offers high-temperature resistance and robustness against harsh environments.

Advantages of Using Seedling Trays

Seedling trays present numerous benefits compared to larger growing containers, making seed handling and transplanting straightforward. Their use amplifies the likelihood of strong plant growth through favorable conditions. Key advantages include:

• Diverse plant growth

• Improved germination rates

• Convenient fertilization

• Optimal water management

• Effective temperature control

• Simplified transplanting process

• Increased productivity

• Cost savings

Mazero Agrifood Ltd provides a range of high-quality and affordable seedling trays. Don't hesitate to contact us!