How to Choose cheap seed starting trays?

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I think we can all agree options are good- but give us too many options to choose from and we can easily feel overwhelmed. And as a result, we may find ourselves failing to make any sort of decision at all.

This is at least how I felt when I was just getting started growing flowers and was trying to decide on which seed starting trays to purchase.

No one wants to invest money only to realize later that they chose the wrong trays, right?

Today, I’m here to alleviate those concerns. In this post, we will dive into the pros and cons of various seed trays available in the market. Additionally, I’ll share some of my personal favorite trays and provide essential tips on what to consider when selecting your own.

If you're eager to get started—let’s take this journey together!

(By the way, if you'd like to skip right to my top recommendation, here it is: my absolute favorite for starting seeds is the 72 cell tray, which I consistently use at my small flower farm)

Understanding Seed Trays:

Generally speaking, all seed trays serve a similar purpose—they hold soil in place to grow healthy transplants for your flower garden.

By planting your seeds in a single tray, you streamline the process of caring for your seedlings. This allows you to water the entire tray simultaneously and transport them all at once; when it’s time to plant, you simply carry one tray to the garden.

Most seed trays you'll encounter share an identical length and width, typically fitting within a standard bottom watering tray.

The significant difference across various trays lies in the number of cells they contain.

The Importance of Cell Size in Seed Starting Trays:

The cell counts in trays can vary significantly, with options generally ranging from 32-cells or 50, all the way up to 72, 128, 288, and beyond.

The more cells a tray has, the smaller each individual cell will invariably be. For instance, the cells in a 50-cell tray are larger than those in a 72-cell tray.

Your selection of cell count should depend partly on your personal preference and the space you have available for seed starting, as well as the needs of the seeds you wish to grow.

It's important to note that the size of a cell can restrict seedling growth. Smaller cells limit the available space for seedlings to grow.

Ideally, we want to provide seedlings with as much room as necessary for their roots to expand and for ample top growth before transplanting them into the garden.

When seedlings run out of space, they can become root bound, making it difficult for their roots to absorb nutrients from the soil.

While some seedlings can recover after becoming root bound, it’s best to prevent this issue, as affected plants may experience stunted growth, delayed flowering, or extreme cases where they fail to survive altogether.

The goal of seed starting is to produce a strong plant start, which makes providing adequate space for growth crucial.

In a perfect world, we’d give our plants as much room as possible, but many of us are constrained by space when growing seedlings on any scale.

For instance, I have several wire shelves where I grow my plant starts. Each shelf is four feet wide, allowing me to fit four trays in a row.

If I’m using 32-cell trays, one shelf can accommodate a total of 128 seedlings (4 trays x 32 cells).

On the other hand, using 72-cell trays means that same shelf can hold 288 seedlings, effectively more than doubling the number of seedlings I can grow.

This balance between maximizing available space and ensuring optimal health for your seedlings is crucial.

Best Seed Tray Recommendation for Flower Farmers:

For my purposes, the 72-cell tray strikes a good balance between utilizing available space effectively while still giving seedlings sufficient room to develop. This cell count is typically adequate for most flower varieties, allowing healthy growth without the need for premature repotting.

Specifically, my top choice is the 72-cell seed tray by Bootstrap Farmer. After five seasons of growing flowers, I’ve not found a tray that matches this one’s strength and durability.

Even when full of soil, the Bootstrap Farmer trays maintain their structure, and I find it worthwhile to invest a little extra in these trays since they require less frequent replacement.

Next, let’s discuss scenarios in which I might prefer using different trays.

Seed Starting Trays for Specific Circumstances:

128-Cell (and Smaller) Seed Starting Tray

If you’re facing germination challenges, tools like heat mats and humidity domes can help create ideal conditions for your seeds to sprout.

While I view my equipment as an essential investment, there are times when budget constraints arise, and providing each tray with its dedicated heat mat and humidity dome isn’t feasible.

In these situations, starting with a smaller-cell tray may be a good workaround. A 128-cell tray is perfect for maximizing space since it can fit neatly on a heat mat, allowing experimentation without the need for individual heating solutions.

Just ensure that you monitor your 128-cell and smaller trays to guarantee there’s enough room for your seedlings until they’re ready for transplant. You might find it necessary to transfer your seedlings into larger trays if they outgrow their initial space.