People who mass produce: 1020 type trays -- what kind?

[applestar]

OK so this is the first year that I'm growing so many plants all at once that I absolutely need to conserve space.

So far, 3/4" micro soilblocks in Chick Fillet sandwich clamshell (holds exactly 48 ), plastic Chinese food takeout trays (exactly 40), some small aluminum foil salad bar trays (exactly 20) and 2" mini soilblocks in recycled 1qt ultra pasteurized rice milk cartons (exactly 8 ) and bakery cookies clamshell (exactly 16). Uppotting microblocks to recycled K cups and pudding cups.

I sprang for PermaNest trays because I wanted white for light reflection and I wanted sturdy. They exactly hold 4 ricemilk cartons which contain eight 2" soilblocks (=32) or 5x10=50 2" soilblocks pushed right up against each other, and when the seedlings fill the blocks with roots, separate them to 4x10=40.

These trays are solid and hardly warp even when fully packed (and I don't use perlite but use sand so my soil mix is generally heavier. And now I'm moving up to 3x6=18 3.25" diameter 20 oz drink cups and 1L cut off beverage bottles in each tray.

At this point, I'm foreseeing needing trays that can drain for when the seedlings go outside. I've read that some people love Permanest trays and drill holes in them, but they are expensive -- not sure I want to go that route.

I have a handful of those basket type trays that fit inside standard black 1020 trays and they are very flimsy by themselves, though they might be OK doubled. Or maybe they would work basket tray inside standard 1020 trays WITH holes? I need to buy/get more.

What do you use/recommend?

[Jardin du Fort]

ApfelStern, mein freund,

I'm using cedar pickets on my fence rebuild. They are 5 1/2" x 5/8" x 6'. Not every picket is a good one for the fence, so the ones that are split or have a big knot get set aside for other projects.... or to be returned.

I'm making my own 1020 boxes from these boards. The bottoms are 11 1/4" long, the ends are 10" long, and the sides are 21 1/4" long. That makes the insides 10" x 20" x H. I'm making full height (5 1/2" inside) and 3" height.

Of course I have the tools with which to cut the wood and fasten it together......

The 3" boxes are for seed starting, and after the plants are growed up a bit they get picked out and planted into the 6" box. Yeah, I'm making twice as many 6" boxes as 3", but probably need even more....

No individual plant containers....

[applestar]

We have a power miter box. Is that enough (if you flip to cut from both sides)?
I really like the idea.

[Jardin du Fort]

A miter saw is what I used to cut the boards to length. The bottom board(s) will need to be ripped to width to fit, and the side and end boards need to be ripped for the 3" height.... It doesn't have to be pretty. A hand saw would work if you know how to use it.

I am using an air powered brad nailer to hold these together, but cedar is soft, so a 4d or 6d finish nail or galvanized box nail would work just fine.

With the lengths I'm using:
the sides overlap the ends.
the bottoms overlap the sides.
the ends may or may not be dropped flush with the bottom, your choice.

Lining the inside of the box with newspaper provides a drainable box. Lining with plastic makes a waterproof box.

hope this helps...

[applestar]

Yep. Thanks for the additional details.
I may not be able to do this right away in time for these seedlings, but you made it sound pretty do-able so I'm definitely going to try to make some of these wooden flats.

[digitS']

The basket type trays are called web trays, Applestar.

Yes, they are rather flimsy but not as flimsy as a broken 1020 tray. One season of use and half the 1020's break. So, I use them together with the web tray under the 1020 from the beginning.

I have bought a few trays with no holes and find almost no use for them. Bottom watering in those trays makes sense but I use a tub that most people buy for mixing concrete. My plants are not grown under lights. They are in a sunny, south window for a few days and then go out into a greenhouse.

Steve

[applestar]

Oh! So the *web* tray goes under/outside the 1020 with holes?

[digitS']

That's the way I do it, Applestar!

The web flats last better than the 1020's but are too "open."

In combination, they provide a nice sturdy tray.

Steve

[skiingjeff]

I'm a little confused. If you put the web trays under the 1020 trays, you can't bottom water your pots/plants.

I do double my 1020 trays for stability and put my pots into the solid 1020 trays or I would use a 1020 with holes inside a 1020 without holes so, again, I can bottom water.

If your putting pots in the 1020 trays, then the web trays under the 1020 trays would add stability as well.

I purchase the 1020 trays in quantity from places online like greenhousemegastore or Novostel so they are not too expensive. They sell them cheaper than our local Job Lot who sells them for $1 a tray.

Just another thought on the use of trays.

[digitS']

Jeff, I do bottom water in the trays. I just use a larger basin.

All of the plant starts are in my greenhouse now. Most, did not need water during the short time they were here in the house.

Water is drained back into the the tub for awhile and then the tray is moved to a bench where it continues dripping. The greenhouse has a concrete foundation but no floor. I will daily be moving lots of trays in and out of that tub soon.

Steve

[skiingjeff]

To DigitS:

Sorry for the delay in responding, I've been busy with spring cleanup outside.

I'm mostly an indoor operation with no greenhouse but now I understand what you're doing to water. Thanks for the reply!

[rainbowgardener]

I just use the 1020 daisy trays from greenhousemegastore. To me they don't seem particularly flimsier than the regular 1020's, of which I have had to pitch several this year. Everything under the lights is in regular 1020's, no holes, for bottom watering. When they come outside to harden off, they get moved in to daisy trays so that they don't drown if it rains. Then they are top watered.

[digitS']

Well, I had to google "daisy tray," Rainbow'.

Trays = flats, web = "daisy" . . . It could all be confusing to a lackadaisical gardener like me .

Worse is "marker." Put a plant "marker" in a pot that you have written on with a "marker" . . . but, don't use a marks-alot because that permanent "marker" isn't permanent .

Steve

[skiingjeff]

LOL I had to google daisy tray as well!

It's funny how we all have our own words for the same thing!