container Seed trays

[hadanero]

Seed starting trays...

In Spain, I liked the decomposable seed starting cells, but my dome solution wasn't great. I tried some of these from Spider Farmer because I was curious about the silicon bottoms, but they were too small, and the seedlings were hitting the domes really early (especially on the sides).

So since it's a slow Saturday, I thought I'd ask you fine folks. Are you just using Burpee, Bootstrap Farmer, or home-rolling your own solutions?

 

[HerbCasa]

Hey, I'm bored so I'm going to be sharing what I got for Christmas

It's a complete seed starting kit
Even seeds LoL I will try it for clones

 

[TouchedMyEyes]

I use one of these and a heat mat.

The lights eventually died and I got a 100w for it. Works great.

 

[Downriver]

Are you just using Burpee, Bootstrap Farmer, or home-rolling your own solutions?

I guess it depends on your need. If you're only growing a couple of plants, all you need is a few cups, some soil, and some plastic wrap. If lots of varieties and/or high volume of plants is what you're after, you need to look at something a little larger. For my needs, I use cheap Ferry-Morse 72-cell seed starting kits. You can find them in the big box stores, for $6-7 (they were only $4.99 two years ago). At that price, I consider them throwaways, but I can typically get 3–4 years of use out of them.

For varieties that need special attention (rare, or preservation grow), I use a smaller solution (similar to yours) - 12-cell seed starting trays. I typically plant one variety in all twelve cells. Then, I cull for vigor, strength, appearance, specific traits, etc.

Remember, these are designed just for seed starting. Once the majority of seeds sprout, the humidity dome is removed, or you run the risk of damping-off. Once the seedlings have 2-4 sets of true leaves, I up-pot them to something larger.

This is just what I do. Hope it helps.

 

[Marturo]

Are you just using Burpee, Bootstrap Farmer, or home-rolling your own solutions?

We use Coco Coir pellets for seed starting, then repot into Organic potting soil in 3.25" pots @ first true leaves.

Not for ecological reasons, for no soil borne insects & diseases present during seed germination

https://www.amazon.com/Pure-Netted-Seed-Starting-Pellets/dp/B088MGPGX5?th=1

Take the trays out to use the pellets with tray & lid.

https://www.amazon.com/WFOEJEJ-StartingTrays-Greenhouse-Germination-Trays%EF%BC%88Green%EF%BC%89/dp/B0DLTTP1VZ/ref=sr_1_14_sspa?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7U2GVdKGNj0VN5qQ1SP9hqE442EeuiEYstEOjxGatLDvsWQOS8tj9DJQqq2-W5wZiVpjWAzcl2IBNmzgr3pW2aGlxzRTYQTuGNKU531R5YOmnnRSbef7ZeDPxwAHDO30RBeuClZi_Z9N-J-D3orNGJGWFUFzC7AIOIZyXLE_nqnFWNaPm3XipUVurzT1wb6tX1eLSUVuxqQAguJGhGg9in11qX2cG9T8Cfp-VwFqN_2DXGqZinbNoFM3zO0zHnWsidIthCHsGaKXEboorIsIR8N-RhlguaZNecFk04gr5Tg.lJempVMJJZV6cJGN-KqTy5S-8TT70c2rjuB9Z_yp10o&dib_tag=se&keywords=seed%2Btrays%2Bwith%2Bclear%2Btop&qid=1735486176&s=lawn-garden&sr=1-14-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&psc=1

 

[hadanero]

I guess it depends on your need. If you're only growing a couple of plants, all you need is a few cups, some soil, and some plastic wrap. If lots of varieties and/or high volume of plants is what you're after, you need to look at something a little larger. For my needs, I use cheap Ferry-Morse 72-cell seed starting kits. You can find them in the big box stores, for $6-7 (they were only $4.99 two years ago). At that price, I consider them throwaways, but I can typically get 3–4 years of use out of them.

For varieties that need special attention (rare, or preservation grow), I use a smaller solution (similar to yours) - 12-cell seed starting trays. I typically plant one variety in all twelve cells. Then, I cull for vigor, strength, appearance, specific traits, etc.

Remember, these are designed just for seed starting. Once the majority of seeds sprout, the humidity dome is removed, or you run the risk of damping-off. Once the seedlings have 2-4 sets of true leaves, I up-pot them to something larger.

This is just what I do. Hope it helps.

Well, now I'm slapping my forehead. Maybe I shouldn't admit this, but it did not occur to me until reading your post that maybe I should use different trays for different species. One of my issues last year was all the annuums hooking well before the chinense.

 

[ZanderSpice]

For gardeners in mainland USA I suggest 10 inch by 20 inch trays(1020 standard). You can have 36, 50, 72, 144+ cells that fit in that footprint as well as 4 packs, 6 packs, 18 pots/tray, 8 pots/tray, 2 pots/tray and probably many more options. You can also find 10x10 inch trays and jiffy/coir pellet holders and humidity domes that match up. Inflation has been tough but I still see the 1020 footprint is best in the states. I will go with 4 and 6 packs in 1010 or 1020 trays for 2025. If anything outgrows a 4 pack it will go into a 3.25" square pot (18/tray) until final transplant.