sowing in plugs or open trays

[YFS]

Hi

Is there any advantage to sow seeds in open trays as oposed to plugs or larger separate pots?

YFS

[Jardiniere]

i prefer the little pots (square ones like the ones that plants come in from garden centre etc....) because you can then pot on or plant out more easily...i also manage to damage roots or stems when i gro in a tray.

[rustylady]

I prefer modules or celltrays - much easier to sort the seedlings out for potting on.

[taff]

I prefer modules too. It seems easier ot get them to germinate too, rather than all scattered in a tray. I find it easier to water modules from the bottom too, the seed trays are a pain.

[redser]

Prefer small modules too. Cuts out the whole pricking out step. I suppose the advantage of the tray method is it takes up less space for a while if you are sowing lots of the same thing.

[Newton]

I like these. I have 3 of them and They are on the go year round. I have main crop beetroot, spring onions and Florence fennel on the go at the moment. Pak choi lettuce and something else will go in as soon as the plugs are planted out. Brilliant and dishwasher safe too!

Buy Agralan Compact Plug Plant Trainer

[Two_Sheds]

Is there any advantage to sow seeds in open trays

None that I can think of

[GardenFaery]

Think it's personal preference and what you like as convenience from experience? They used to say sow two seeds together for some flowers in trays, letting the stronger seedlings survive, but dunno - I use neither, I recycle washing tab containers, marg tubs, and assorted plastic stuff and use those - hence my 'greenhouse' looks more like a tramp has raided Morrisons and become a hippy but it works for me LOL

[zazen999]

Trays stay wetter longer, so if you are planning a trip away - then go for trays. Plus - the smaller they are the faster they dry out so you can lose loads if you have one hot dry day and you can't get there to water.

Swings and roundabouts. These days, I sow loads of seeds into small pots, and once up, either transplant into small pots of their own [plants that produce lots of fruit like toms and chillis] or put into half trays - about 12-16 to each [plants that produce one only, like beetroot, kohl rabi etc] and once a root mat has grown, break the seedlings up and plant straight out.

There are so many ways of sowing seeds, try a few and stick with ones that suit you.

[singleseeder]

I've struggled with keeping modules watered sometimes, and reading this has given me an idea. How about filling trays without holes with compost and placing the modules on top. Would this help keep the modules damp?

Trays are good for annual flowers. Sow into trays, and leave outside in the shade somewhere. Let the seedlings grow until you have a completed mat of plants/roots then tip out. With an old kitchen knife, cut the mat into squares which includes at least one decent plant and plant out. Much quicker than sowing into the ground and weeding or faffing with getting out of modules.

[zazen999]

I agree - the trays are best when the seedlings are left to grow a root mat - I don't use a knife, I just break into segments like I would chocolate.

My modules I usually end up putting into a large tray with vermiculite in the bottom for that very reason - almost the same as putting soil in but that would work!

[YFS]

I agree - the trays are best when the seedlings are left to grow a root mat - I don't use a knife, I just break into segments like I would chocolate.

We all know your vice, lol. Maybe I can use both, they are selling some small trays that are as big as a row of large plugs in Wilkinsons, they looked interesting.

[Farmer_Gyles]

Is there any advantage to sow seeds in open trays as oposed to plugs or larger separate pots?

space is the only real advantage .... i use modules for most things, keeps the roots for each plant separate from other plants, makes it easy to pot on or plant out, no mucking about with pricking out ...

i use open trays for things like radish / mustard / cress etc as these won't get planted out, they'll just grow in the tray, so it doesn't matter about tangled roots etc

if space is tight in the greenhouse, i'll sow a few bits in open trays and prick out when i have more space ...

[zazen999]

We all know your vice, lol.

I don't think you do!