Trays happen when you are a "transplanter".  I do transplant, i.e. I put little plants in the soil that I have grown in trays in a protected place.  Of course when you buy tomato plants or anything else to set them in your garden, you are transplanting too.   But starting your own plants from seeds has its charm and allows you full access to a dizzying variety of plants.  Have you heard about Seed Savers Exchange?  It is a great grass-root system to exchange or just get heirloom seeds from a group of garden-crazed individuals (about 8,000 of them).  And when those rare heirloom plants grow around you, you feel privileged to be one of a few people actually doing it.  This is not to downplay the importance of good commercial seed companies like Johnny's Selected Seeds, but it is a wonderful expansion of your possibilities as a gardener.

Trays are easy to prepare.  My 5 year old son will demonstrate that indeed it can be child-play...
First fill your trays with your own or store-bought soil mix.  Do not compact the soil too tight.  Your mix should be moist but not wet.  A method, not illustrated here is to make your mix in your wheelbarrow, put a board across and fill your trays out of the wheelbarrow.  I recommend 72 plug (6X12) trays which are good for most vegetable seeds.  There are fanciers systems available, some with longer-life plastic which I use along with the plain ones.  Borrow a couple of trays from a farmer friend  and make sure you like the size and feel before buying 12 or 50...

The second step is to indent each cell or plug, the individual compartment that make up a tray.  Make your hole as deep or shallow as needed for the seeds.  In many instances you will be putting more than 1 seed in each plug.  Two is often wise to double up your chances or germination in each cell.  But 10, 12 or 15 is also possible with crops that can be "bunched-planted" (to grow as a unit).  I use that technique for cilantro, parsley, and green onions.

Drop the seed(s) from a bowl or saucer with a nail-file or equivalent tool. And do not chose a windy day to do it.  This can be a very meditative activity...  Cover the seeds with a fine dusting of peat moss and water the trays.  Place the trays in a protected area: greenhouse, window sill, etc...  Sun heat can kill seedlings quickly.  So can over watering... Treat your seedlings like babies.

Here they are... ready to go!

last modified on: Monday November 10, 2008 06:41 AM -0600