Seed Tray: Meaning, Types, Uses, and More

Meaning Seed Tray

The seed tray is also known as Nursery Tray, seed starter tray, seed plant tray, or germination tray. The Nursery trays are flat, rectangular, and hollow which could be plastic, clay, or ceramics used for growing seedlings.

The starter tray is filled with good loony soil or gardener soil, and the seeds are sown on the tray, Immediately after sowing the seeds, the plant is watered and the seed nursery trays should be placed in a cool warm place for the seed to germinate.

These nursery tools are constructed for nursing seeds until they are big enough to be transplanted into the permanent field. The nursery trays are used to manage young seedlings until they are mature or strong enough before being transplanted into the main field, making farming more effective, efficient, and successful.

The nursery tray remains one of the most important tools in the agricultural industry for growing seedlings effectively, improving productivity, increasing growth, and farming easier.

These tools are used for raising seedlings of agricultural crops such as garden eggs, tomatoes, pepper, cucumbers, amaranthus, etc. This tray comes with numerous holes or cells for growing many types of crop seedlings. One tray can allow farmers to nurse many seeds in trays. The seed tray can be plastic or clay but the polythene tray is very popular in agriculture.

More so, the seed tray comes in different colors such as purple, gray, and black but the black nursery is very popular and contains numerous holes at the base for water drainage so as to avoid waterlogging.

Examples of Crops that can be Nursed or Raised on Seed Tray

Watermelon: Citrullus lanatus, L
Tomatoes: lycopersicum esculentum
Lettuce: Lactuca sativa
Garden eggs: Solanum melongena
Pepper: Capsicum annuum
Sunflowers: Helianthus annuus
Vine Crops: Vitis vinifera
Cabbage: Brassica oleracea
Amaranthus: Amaranthus spp
Squash: Cucurbita maxima

Nursery or Seed Tray Sizes

Different types of trays with various sizes are available in the market for nursing agricultural crops. here are some of the seed trays with their various sizes:

Small Seed Trays: these are small plant nursery starters used for nursing food crops such as garden eggs, tomatoes, peppers, Sunflowers, Vine Crops, Cole Crops, cucumbers, amaranthus, Squash, etc. The plant nursery starter has holes that help to drain excess water from the tray to avoid waterlogging. These plant seed trays contain 1 to 50 cell holes. These types of trays are excellent for sowing large seed crops.
Medium Seed Trays: These trays are suitable for growing crops such as Sunflowers, Peppers, Vine Crops, Lettuce, etc. These plant trays are larger than the small seed trays. Their tray cell ranging 50 to 100 holes. The plant nursery starter has holes that help to drain excess water from the tray to avoid waterlogging.
Standard Seed Strays: the standard nursery trays contain cells ranging from 100 to 150 plating holes. such as nursing or sowing crops such as Lettuce, Flowers, Herbs, Cole Crops, etc. These plant propagation trays are larger than the small trays. These trays have a lid for effective holding. The plant nursery starter has holes that help to drain excess water from the tray to avoid waterlogging
Extra Large Seed Trays/ Starter: the extra-large seed planting tray has planting cells ranging from 200 Cells and more. The extra-large trays are mostly used by commercial farmers and in hydroponic for nursing agricultural corps before transplanting the seedlings to large farms.

Importance / Benefits of Using Seed Trays in Agriculture

The importance of using a tray in raising agricultural crops cannot be underestimated some notable benefits of using a propagation tray are discussed below.

Improved Germination Rates: sowing seed in the seed starter helps to provide seedlings with the needed care and management for optimal germination compared to the Seed sown on seedbed soil. The propagation tray enables farmers to provide a conducive environment where plants receive adequate moisture, temperature, and light which are the important requirements needed by seeds for effective and efficient germination. When seeds are nursed or cultivated on a seedbed even when given adequate management the germination rate cannot be compared to that of the seed starter.
Reduced Transplant Shock: plants sowed on the tray are easy, and simple to remove from the tray to the permanent field compared to those planted on the seedbed. Since the seeds are planted on the cells of the trays with soil, the plants are easily pulled out of the tray without necessary digging, and cutting of the roots like those sown on the seedbeds. Transplanting on the tray is more of the bull method of transplanting which keeps both soil and root together even when transplanted to the main field. Since the root is still intact with the soil, hence the plant feels as if it is still in the tray and takes off immediately while those planted on the seedbeds may delay in taking off due to the shock of uprooting them from the soil.
Efficient Use of Space: An uncultivated area of land that was originally not met for farming can be converted to raising seedlings with the help of the stray. The seedling trays are placed in these utilized spaces with each cell filled with loamy soil for optimal seed germination. The tray helps farmers to grow a relative number of young seedlings from a small space.
Ease Use and Maintenance. The propagation tray is more easy and reliable to use in nursing seedlings. It involves packing mixed soil into the cells of the tray and placing seeds in cool areas. The nursery tools can easily be maintained as it is not difficult to wash and clean.
Reusable: Trays of various types can be reused after thorough cleaning and washing, after a particular nursing season, the tray can be reused in the next seasons provided the tray is in good condition.
Uniform Germination: since the seeds sown on the propagation trays are provided with correct management, it becomes possible to obtain uniform seed germination.
Protection from Harsh Climatic Conditions: the use of plant trays enables the farmer to protect young seedlings from poor and harsh climatic conditions. The nursed plants are placed in screen houses or a well-protected environment. The tray helps to reduce the negative effects of temperature, rainfall, and light on the plants.
Ease of Pest and Disease Control: Seed cultivated on the plant trays can be effectively cared for in terms of pests, and disease control and management. Disease and pest infestation can easily be identified since inspection and monitoring are high under this system of raising crops.
Avenue for effective Monitoring: the plant tray provides an opportunity for farmers to monitor the successes of the various types of crops cultivated. The weak and unhealthy plants can easily be identified. Transparent plant trays also exist which can help the farmers to observe the general performance of the seedling.
Optimal Drainage: The plant tray has multiple drainage holes at the base that help to remove access irrigated water from the container so as to avoid waterlogged and root rot.

Types of Seed / Nursery Trays

There are different types of nursery trays used in sowing various types of crops on the farm. The most commonly used trays are:

The Plastic Seed Tray.

These are nursery trays made of polyethylene used for nursing or sowing young seedlings. The plastic seed tray can be transparent or unclear pots. These trays are designed in various colours, and form the most commonly used types of nursery trays used in the garden for the cultivation of crops. These types of trays come in various sizes such as small, medium, large, and standard. The

Advantage of the Plastic Seed Tray.

The advantages of the plastic seed trays are:

The plastic seed starters are budget-friendly,
it is lightweight,
it is highly durable,
it provides an avenue for effective monitoring,
the plastic tray is very easy to wash and clean.

Disadvantages of the Plastic Seed Tray

it is more expensive compared to direct sowing
it can easily break left in the sun for a long period.

Clay/Peat or Paper Tray

These are nursery trays made of clay or paper designed for nursing seedlings. The clay trays are designed like that of the plastic trays with various drainage holes. The clay tray is very heavy and cannot carried from one place to another. These trays are biodegradable and environment friendly

Advantage of the Clay/Peat or Paper Tray

The various advantages of the Clay/Peat or Paper Tray are:

They are biodegradable
They are environmentally or eco-friendly
The environment looks like natural soil
The rate of aeration is high

Disadvantages of the Clay/Peat or Paper Tray

it is more expensive compared to plastics
it is not easily accessible
it is too heavy to carry
it can easily creak due to frequent wetting and drying.

General Advantages of the Nursery/ Seed Tray

The advantages of using these types of Seed Trays are stated below:

The plant trays help to grow crops that are healthy and free from diseases.
The seed starter helps to reduce transplant shock
propagation tray helps improve crop uniformity in the nursery or main field
It provides Avenues for effective Monitoring of seedlings on the farm.
It improves the germination rate of seeds in the garden
It improves the survival rate of seeding on the permanent field or main field
It encourages maximum use of planting space
It helps to protect crops from harsh climatic conditions
The propagation tray helps to prevent waterlogging due to the presence of drainage hole
It helps to save cost of production by reducing the amount of resources spent in the supply of seedling

Disadvantages of the Nursery/ Seed tray

The disadvantages of the nursery tray are listed below;

It is expensive to purchase when compared with seedbed
Number of seedlings raised in the tray is lower than those raised in the seedbed.
Require constant water/irrigation
Require constant monitory of seed compared to the seedbed
The rate of aeration is low in the seed tray.

Factors to be considered in the selection of Seed/ nursery Trays.

Different crops require different types of nursery trays, hence choosing the right tray is vital for the success of the nursery. Therefore following factors should be considered when selecting a nursery tray.

Nature of Crops: the types of crops to be cultivated determine the selection of the tray to be used, the types of trays for the creeping plant are different from those of the erect plant.
Size of the Farm: the size of the farm determines the size of the plant tray to be selected. Large areas of land require a high number of seedlings, hence the extra-large trays tray should selected. Small areas of land require a small amount of seedlings, hence small-size trays are required.
Durability: the nursery tray selected for raising seedlings should be durable, nursery trays are usually placed in areas where the plant can receive sunlight. If a weak tray is used, it might be easily destroyed. Nursery is a continuous process and it is used for all year-round production of seedlings. The tray selected should be such that can easily reused. Easily damaged trays should be avoided.
Cell Size: the nursery plant tray cell size is another factor to be considered when Choosing a seedling tray. Large cell sizes give large spacing, while small cell sizes give small spacing between and within plants. Large cell trays produce small numbers of seedlings while small cell trays give a reasonable amount of space with thing seedlings.
Water Drainage: The plant tray used for nursing seed should contain a reasonable number of drainage holes. The drainage hole helps to remove access water from the tray to detour waterlogging.
Price: the tray to be used should be cheap and affordable. Choose propagation trays that are budget-friendly, costly seed trays will increase the cost of production, While considering the financial implication of the tray to be selected emphasis should be placed on durability and sizes.

How to Water Seed Trays in the Nursery

Watering seeds or seedlings in the nursery tray may not be as simple as it looks, using a high-volume waterer may lead to washing away of the seed or damaged seedling. The following tips will help farmers water their seedings in the tray effectively:

Select a good sprayer or waterer (such Knapsack sprayer and mini watering can or sprinkler)
Calibrate the knapsack nozzle or waterer
Spray the water gently in the form of mist or dew on the seeds or seedlings.
Water until the soil has become moist
Make sure that the soil is not waterlogged as waterlog soil will lead to root rot
Water two times daily i.e. morning and cool evening.

How to Transplant seedling from the Seed Trays

Transplanting of seedlings from the seed starter tray requires some skills. It is paramount to follow some predetermined steps to ensure adequate and effective transplanting. The following tips will help farmers transplant seeding in the tray effectively:

Transplanting when the seedling has developed true leaves or is about 15 to 20cm tall
Carry out Harden off to enable seedlings to acclimatize to the environment similar to that of the main field ( this is done by carefully exposing the plant to direct temperature and situation similar to the main field so as to reduce transplant shock
The transplanting should be done in the morning or late in the evening
Use a home and small garden fork to lose the soil between the trays.
Carefully remove the plant with soil (bull of earth method) from the tray with your hand.
The transplanted young seedlings should arrange with the root of the seed downward while they shoot upward on the wheelbarrow or head pan.
Move the transplanted seedlings to the required field.
Follow the crop production or planting requirement

How to Use the Seed Tray in Nursing Seed

Using the nursery trays in nursing seeds may not be as simple as you think, it requires some critical steps as wrong cultivation may lead to the poor germination of seeds. Many beginning farmers may not have an in-depth understanding of how to grow seeds using the plant tray. The following tips will enable beginning farmers and young farmers to make maximum use of the tray.

Select Viable Seed: the seed to be selected should be viable. Pest and diseased-infested seeds should be avoided. The seed appearance should be shiny as this will increase the germination rate.
Select Good and Sizable Tray: this is another step in the usage of the nursery tray. A good and sizeable seed starter tray should be selected. The tray should have good drainage to avoid waterlogging. The seed tray can also be disinfected to prevent the infestation of pests and diseases.
Fill the Seed Tray Cell with Loamy Soil: fertile soil should be used to fill each of the Compartments of the tray. The cell of the tray should not be filled to the brim, a small space should be left at the top. Make sure that the soil is not highly acidic or alkaline. However many plants tolerate low acidity and alkalinity. High acidity is not advisable for the cultivation of seeds.
Treat Seed: the seeds to be cultivated should be treated with the required agrochemical before planting. The seed should be soaked in a solution of pesticides or other pathogen disease control solutions. This will ensure the production of disease-free seeds or seedlings.
Sow the Seeds: the treated seed should be gently planted on the starter tray and covered with sand slightly. Small seeds like amaranthus, tomatoes, and pepper should be broadcasted or gently placed on the top of containers, and large seeds like watermelon and cucumber should be pressed down with the aid of fingers and covered slightly with soil.
Irrigate or Water the Seeds regularly: the seeds should be watered frequently. Use a knapsack or waterer or good sprinkler that can gently spray water in the form of mist or dew to the plant. The seed should watered or irrigated morning and in the cool evening. The water should be evenly distributed and ensure that all the seedlings receive enough water.
Expose the Seed Tray to Light and Temperature: the propagation tray with planted seed should be placed in a warm and cool area. Ensure that the seeds are exposed to adequate temperature sunlight temperature and relative humidity are necessary for seed germination.
Effect Monitor: the seed germination will start 4-7 days after planting, it is advisable to check the trays frequently daily. When monitoring seeds on the trays, weak and damaged plants should be removed. The farm should be irrigated or watered regularly to avoid drying cells the soil should remain moist but not waterlogged.
Carry Pest and Disease Control: these may not be necessary if there are no symptoms of pest and disease outbreaks. But is advisable to spray disease-preventing drugs on the crop under cultivation to ensure healthy plants, this is because hidden sicknesses that may not yet manifest in the nursery may be displayed in the main field, to avoid this, the plant is treated to prevent disease outbreaks.
Apply fertilizer: Fertilizer application is very necessary for the young seedling. Fertilizer should be done once after the seed has fully germinated, this will ensure vigorous growth and a healthy plant. Choose the required fertilizer for that particular crop under cultivation, inorganic fertilizers like NPK at a small dose will help to boost growth.
Carry out Harden off Seedlings: it is very necessary to carry out hardening off in young seedlings before transplanting, hardening off is the process of exposing seedlings to control harsh environmental conditions similar to those of the permanent field. The seedling should be exposed gradually to harsh weather such as sunlight, rainfall, and wind for about a week before transplanting, this will help them adapt to the new environment
Transplant Seedlings: transplanting should be done when seedlings are about 15 to 30cm, or when seedlings have developed true leaves. It should be done in the morning or cool evening of the day, small garden fork or kitchen fork should be used to remove the seedling with earth (bull of earth methods) into simple farm stools like a head pan, or wheelbarrow to the permanent field for onward planting.