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When starting plants from seed or growing them from “plugs”, you’ll need growing trays. DirtFarmerJay demystifies what sizes you’ll need and the correct tray names.

#greenhousefarming #planttrays #greenhouse #plantpots #seedstarting

Maximizing space is a priority when growing plant stock in a greenhouse. Greenhouse operators recognized this years ago and devised clever ways to optimize their space use, minimizing losses and maximizing profits.

One way to do this is to standardize growing tray sizes. In the U.S., the standard plant tray is 10” x 20”, and so it is named a 1020 tray. This size tray can be solid-sided with an enclosed bottom, ideal for bottom watering plants, or slotted to allow for drainage. There are also web-bottomed or side styles. The type we use most has solid sides for strength, and a web bottom to reduce weight and maximize drainage.

Many inserts and pot sizes fit into a 1020, each subdividing the space differently.

A 288-cell insert is used to start seeds, containing 288 “plugs” of starter cells. The insert has 12 x 24 cells, equaling 288 cells. Starting seeds and creating plugs this way is very efficient as it allows many plant to begin their lives in a small space. If there is a poor germination rate or some other reason for failure, only a small amount of space has been utilized. The trays must be initially kept warm and moist to ensure good germination. We use the deep version of this insert to provide more growing space and water retention. This is a good approach for small to medium-sized seeds.

Once the plugs are well established and have good root development, they can dry slightly, allowing the root mass to remain intact when transplanted to the next size.

The next size up is your choice, depending on how large the finished plant will be for sale or planting into the yardscape.

Our greenhouse sizes are 72, 48, 36, and 18 cell inserts or pots.

72-cell inserts are arranged in 6 x 12 cells and are suitable for intermediate stages of growth. The ones we use are not suitable for sale unless the entire tray is purchased. They are ideal for sizing up a plant before planting it in a 3.5” x 3.5” square pot.

We use 48-cell #806 inserts. They are called 806 inserts because eight six-cell sets fill a 1020 tray. The first number is multiplied by the last number to determine the total number of growing cells in the 1020 tray. 8 x 6 = 48. These trays are sometimes called “pony packs” and are commonly sold in garden centers.

Another tray insert we use is the 36-cell 606. Six six-cell sets fill a 1020 tray. Since there are only 36 growing cells in the 1020 tray (as opposed to 48 when using an 806 configuration), the growing cells are larger for each plant. These are also commonly sold at garden centers.

There are many growing pots. We like to use square-shaped 3.5” x 3.5” pots. 18 of them fit in a 1020 tray, and they nest nicely. Accordingly, they are sometimes referred to as 1801 pots. They are desirable to allow customers to buy one type of plant per pot.

Whatever your preferred method for starting, growing, and potting up plants, we recommend having a standard set of sizes that you use. If not, you’ll find that it's hard to maximize space and store supplies efficiently.

Another essential component of this is the growing medium you use. Check out this episode, where we explain why we use the growing mediums we do and the differences between them. You can check out that episode here:

COMING SOON!


JUST DO IT YOURSELF!