The Best Seed Trays To Get Green Fingers Going
Watching your seedlings grow is exciting and conjures up images of colorful spring gardens, herb salads, and vegetable feasts. When they don’t fare well due to poor planting, incorrect watering, or intense temperatures, it can be disheartening. To help you make the biggest success of your spring garden, we’ve put together a selection of the best seed trays in 2023.
Seed trays are super handy to simplify your planting, keep your starter garden tidy, and create a suitable environment for growing your greens. You can use seed starting trays to move your plants indoors if the temperature is not yet suitable for the outdoors. Here is everything you need to know before choosing the best seed trays to satisfy your green fingers.
Our Pick of the Best-Rated Seed Trays of 2023 Reviewed in Detail
Wild Green Fingers Plant Growing Seed Trays
– Best Overall
These medium-size seed trays from Wild Green Fingers measure 14.5 X 9 X 2.2 inches making them easy to transport or fit on wide windowsills. The trays are durable, reusable, and do not have holes in the bottom so you don’t have to worry about water leakages.
The trays are especially useful for watering cells of germinating seeds by soaking them from below. This prevents disturbing the seedlings and ensures that they get the right amount of water. Each order includes 10 seed starting trays with 10 plant labels to keep track of your seedlings. The trays can also be used for growing microgreens, herbs, wheatgrass, salad leaves, and cut grass.
- Includes 10 free plant labels
- Durable and reusable
- Solid base trays without holes help to prevent leakages
- The order does not include cell inserts
Bonviee Seed Trays
– Honorable Mention
Bonviee offers a great seed starter kit with base trays, seed cell trays, humidity domes, and plant labels. These seed starter trays have 12 cells per tray with a drainage hole at bottom of each cell allowing proper drainage.
The trays measure 7 X 5.5 X 2 inches with each cell measuring around 1.5 inches. The cell tray is placed in a slightly bigger base tray which catches any water and makes your seedling tray sturdier to move around. The top dome measures 7.3 X 5.7 X 2 inches and allows temperature and humidity regulation for healthy and fast seed germination.
- The full starter kit includes 10 seed cell trays, 10 watertight base trays, 10 humidity lid domes, 10 plant labels, and 2 small gardening tools.
- Dome lids are humidity adjustable
- The seed trays are not biodegradable so you will have to transplant your seedlings before they get too big
AIFUSI Cell Seed Trays
– Contender
These bulk seed trays are made from thick BPA-free plastic material which makes them super durable, reusable, and stackable when not in use. Your order includes 10 trays with 72 cells each for a total of 720 cells to start your dream vegetable, herb, or flower garden, regardless of the seeds’ varying germinating periods.
Each cell has a diameter of 1.8 inches and has a drainage hole at the bottom to prevent overwatering and maintain efficient circulation for plant roots.
- Bulk trays for easy planting, watering, and seed germination
- Bottom drainage holes to avoid water accumulation and roots oversaturating
- Thicker material is reusable and easy to clean
- BPA-free so no harmful chemicals leach into the soil
- The seed trays are too big to place in windowsills and not suitable if you only want to grow a small number of seedlings
Living Whole Foods Plant Growing Seed Trays
– Also Consider
Living Whole Foods seed trays come in a pack of 10 base trays ideal for hydroponic growing, seed starting, or to use as a drip tray. The trays do not have any holes, helping to prevent any leakage.
The bottoms of the trays are slightly smaller than the tops which measure 20.5×10 inches. The trays are 2.5 inches deep, making them suitable to fit hydroponic grow pads, micro-mats, and to grow wheatgrass and microgreens.
- Sturdy black plastic trays are reusable
- No drain holes to help prevent any leakages
- Precise fit for Micro-Mats hydroponic- and Sure to Grow pads
- No cell inserts or dome lids included
If you want to start germinating a lot of seeds for your vegetable or herb garden, Gardzen offers a great kit with seed trays, base trays, and domes for optimal watering, temperature, and seedling care.
The set of 5 seed trays includes 40 cells in each tray, with drainage holes, and 5 base trays that hold the excess water draining from the cells. Transparent dome lids snap over the bottom trays to create an ideal temperature and humid climate for the seeds to germinate and grow.
- Includes 5 seed cell trays, 5 base trays, and 5 transparent dome lids
- There are holes at the bottom of each cell to prevent oversaturation
- The dome and growing tray close well, maintaining optimal warmth and humidity
- The seed trays are not biodegradable, so you will have to individually transplant all your seedlings before they get too big
This bulk order comes with 120 seed trays, however, each tray only has 6 cells, making it ideal to group different plant types together, move them around, and keep them in smaller spaces such as windowsills.
Due to the small number of cells per tray you are also able to transplant just a few seedlings at a time without disturbing or damaging ones that are not ready to be planted yet. The trays are reusable and made of black poly-plastic with good drainage.
- Every order includes 5 plant labels
- Bottom drainage holes to avoid water accumulation and roots oversaturating
- Only 6 cells per tray make them small enough to place on windowsills and easy to move around
- No base trays included
These medium-size seed trays from Soligt measure 13.7 X 10 X 6 inches, making them easy to fit on wide windowsills and move around as needed. The pack includes 3 starter trays and 3 dome lids with extra height to accommodate taller seedlings. The trays are durable, reusable, and do not have holes in the bottom so you don’t have to worry about water leakages.
Transparent dome lids feature 2 adjustable vents, allowing you to control the airflow and humidity. The trays are useful for watering cells of germinating seeds by soaking them from the bottom. This prevents disturbing seedling roots and ensures they get just the right amount of water.
- Humidity adjustable dome lids
- Durable and reusable
- Solid base trays without holes help to prevent leakages
- The order does not include cell inserts
A Complete Buying Guide to a High-Quality Seed Tray
Seed trays make the process of growing seedlings a whole lot easier. Although it may seem like a simple task to buy a few little seed-starting pots, you will soon discover that there are many different types to choose from. Buying the best-suited seed trays for your seedlings will ensure they grow healthily and quickly. In this guide, we outline everything you need to consider when choosing the best seed trays to start your dream garden.
Advantages of Using Seeds Trays
- Using a variety of containers to start germinating seeds can be messy, labor-intensive, and take up a lot of space. Seed trays hold neat rows of seedlings together, making them quick to plant and easy to move
- Evenly watering or heating the soil of different seed containers can be time-consuming, while compact seed trays make the process of evenly watering and heating the seeds fast and simple
- Drainage holes at the bottom of seed trays with individual cells help to maintain better soil moisture level, as excess water drains out. At the same time, these trays use a base tray to catch excess water and allow the germination of seeds by gradually soaking them from underneath
- Using seed starting trays makes it easy to move whole groups of seedlings at once instead of individually having to move each pot. Whether you need to move your seedlings outdoors or under grow lights indoors, you can easily move 50 or more plants at once
Factors To Consider When Choosing Seed Trays
Seed tray size
Some seed trays with cells can hold up to 70 seedlings while others have only 6 cells. The size you choose will depend on what you are planting, where you are keeping your plants, and how many seedlings you plan to work with. If you have a small greenhouse with plenty of space for your seedlings, a big tray is a good idea. If you want to keep your seedlings on the windowsill in your home, opt for a smaller tray.
Seed tray materials and construction
Seed starting trays are either made of plastic, which is reusable or they are made from a biodegradable material such as peat which is generally not used more than once.
Both types of trays work well to grow seedlings. The tray material you choose may depend on a few different factors.
Plastic trays
If you are an avid gardener and use trays every season, it will be more cost-effective to get reusable trays. The thicker the tray, the more durable it is, however, it is also harder to remove the seedlings from a plastic tray for transplanting.
If you are reusing your trays keep in mind that you will need to clean them and have some storage space to keep them where they won’t get damaged.
Organic veggie gardeners should opt for BPA-free polypropylene plastic seed trays that will not leach chemicals into the planting soil.
Some plastic trays are very thin and intended for one or two uses only. As they are thin, they are easy to manipulate, allowing you to remove the seedlings from the tray without much effort. However, in doing this, you will also likely break them. These types of trays are generally meant to be thrown away after the first or second use, which might not bother you since they are inexpensive. However, plastic waste is not great for the environment.
Biodegradable trays
Biodegradable trays cost more, but they offer many benefits when it comes to the health of your seedlings and the environment. When your seedlings are ready to be transplanted outdoors in your garden, there is no need to remove them from the pots. Simply place the whole pot with the plant in the soil. The pot will break down naturally over time and the roots will spread into the ground. This prevents any transplant shock, stem damage, and root disturbance during the replanting stage. It also makes the entire process less messy and much quicker.
Seed Tray Accessories
Check whether your seed tray purchase includes any of these items. You can choose a kit that includes all the extra items or buy what you need separately.
Dome lid
Some seed trays come with a dome lid. This clear plastic lid allows you to control the temperature and creates a humid environment ideal for seed germination. Domes will either be solid or have adjustable vents to allow humidity control. If you purchase a dome separately, make sure it matches the size of your seedling tray so that it seals around the edges.
Base tray
Base trays are fairly flat with no cell structure and are used to keep cell trays organized. Placing your cell tray in the base tray allows you to catch drainage water from the cells and also allows you to water seedlings from underneath to reduce pest and disease problems. Base trays can also be used for hydroponic growing, wheatgrass, microgreens, and help keep things clean.
Watering mat
Watering mats can be used to draw water to the seed tray cells without oversaturating the soil mix.
Heating mat
Heating mats are usually purchased separately and don’t come with a seed starting kit. They are a great accessory for early indoor growing since they increase germination and growth rates by providing the ideal temperature.
Labels
Don’t forget what you have planted. Labeling your seedlings might be necessary, especially if you are new to gardening and not yet proficient at differentiating all your seedlings by just looking at them.
How To Use a Seed Tray
If you’re looking to use a seed try to kickstart your winter garden, check out this video below for the tips and tricks to doing so.
People Also Asked
A: The length of time will depend on the size of the tray cells. As soon as you see roots growing out of a jiffy pellet or coir pot you need to transplant them. As a rough guide, a 12-cell tray can keep seedlings up to 10 weeks while 72-cell trays will only be big enough for two to three weeks.
A: The best way to remove seedlings is to turn them over in your hand and softly push or tap the bottom of the tray to loosen the soil and roots so it slides out in one piece. Trying to tip over a solid 48-cell tray will most likely damage the seedlings. Never pull the seedling by the stem. If the roots seem stuck to the cell tray, slide a popsicle stick or butter knife gently around the edges to loosen and tip the cell over.
A: This may depend on the type of plant. Generally speaking the optimal temperature for growing seedlings is between 65°F and 75°F.
