tools Silicone Seed Starters?

I've been looking around for some reusable seed starting trays. Some of the sturdy ones you find online are made of hard plastic, which is not easy to "pinch" when you need to pull the seedlings out to pot them up.

Then I realized that silicone might be a good material for this application. A quick search on Amazon gave me this.

Has anybody used them? If so, what are your thoughts?
 
The only thing I notice is, with plastic, the drain holes are often recessed or on the corners so they come up the side a little from the bottom, which helps with drainage on flat surfaces as well as aeration.
 
Nice find but a bit pricey...
 
I have a couple of those that are gray. Same brand. They are well made and should last for years. I used them last year and had no problems with them. Squeezing out the seedlings was very easy. They are a little pricey but feel like they will last for years.
Don't know what else to say HM but I give them a thumbs up.
 
I have a couple of those that are gray. Same brand. They are well made and should last for years. I used them last year and had no problems with them. Squeezing out the seedlings was very easy. They are a little pricey but feel like they will last for years.
Don't know what else to say HM but I give them a thumbs up.

Thanks Tybo! An endorsement from people here is all I was looking for. Yes, they are a bit pricey but durability is what I'm after. I'll be trying them out.
 
Dry erase marker comes up which is a neat idea.
 
We've been using these trays with great results for 17 years, right size for fast root binding easing transplanting less broken rootlets.

 
Thanks Tybo! An endorsement from people here is all I was looking for. Yes, they are a bit pricey but durability is what I'm after. I'll be trying them out.
How about a progress report, my friend :clap:

Really curious to hear how they worked/are
working for you.
 
How about a progress report, my friend :clap:

Really curious to hear how they worked/are
working for you.
Hey @PaulG! Sorry I've been MIA - this has been an extremely busy year, but things are rolling along.

I did buy these seed starters - 2 packs to be exact and used them to start tomato seeds. I just started potting them up and I must say the silicone makes this process a breeze! I no longer have to worry about ruining the flimsy seed starting trays that are normally sold at the store, these will last many many years. Also, if I need to clean them up I can just put them in the dishwasher and use them again.

One thing is that the cells are big. I wish they sold similar sized trays with smaller cells, but you can plant more than 1 seed per cell if you don't mind having to separate the seedlings when potting up.

Overall I am quite happy with these. Totally recommended.
 
Thanks for the report, @HeatMiser!

Glad to hear they worked well for you.
Are you using them on the peppers?
 
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Nope, I didn't get a chance to use them on the peppers since all my seeds had been sowed by the time I got them. I don't see how they would work any different though, but I'll try them with peppers on my next grow.
 
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