speedling trays?

Has anyone used these trays? We are ordering some and wondered if anyone can tell me how they worked or not for you? you can check them out at www.groworganic.com . Thanks, tracy

I've never tried them. but have read other places that people love them

Sorry for taking so long to get back to you, I'll let you know what I think, mine arrived today. Tracy

I'll be interested in your opinion on these. Jackie

I just looked at these and they are really neat - thanks for sharing the site. Here is a link in case anyone else wants to look at them.

http://www.groworganic.com/a/a1.html?pMode=Search&sText=speedling%20trays&sCategory=catalog

Kay - thanks for adding the hyperlink i can't seem to figure out how to do that. I've got some cuttings I'm trying to root in the big trays now. And I'll be sowing some seeds in the smaller trays soon as I get my stuff from WV planted and cuttings in, also I have to get my roses planted before I can start any more seeds. Tracy

To add the link just put the http: and // in front of the rest of the site address.
When you are at the page you want highlight the whole address in the "address bar" use the CTRL and c keys at the same time to COPY, then use CTRL and V when you are typing this message to PASTE the "url" or "Universal Resource Locator"

For example the address from KayJones is
www.groworganic.com/a/a1.html?pMode=Search&sText=speedling&sCategory=catalog
but without the http: and // in front of it, No Link. Notice when you mouse over the http://www.groworganic.com/a/a1.html?pMode=Search&sText=speedling&sCategory=catalog that the full address shows at the bottom of your browser.

thanks, george, appreciate the info i'll try it next time. Tracy I've got some cuttings in the big speedling trays now that I'm trying to root. seem to be doing ok, but really too early to tell if makes any difference or not. Tracy

Speedling trays are great, but you need to make sure they have some of air circulation underneath. Commercial greenhouses that use them are set up with a series of rails that support them by their side edges. That way they get plenty of air circulation that cuts down root diseases and naturally "air prunes" the roots. The rails are usually upside-down aluminum T-bars screwed to the tops of posts that are spaced just right for the flats to fit snugly between the upright axis of the upside-down Ts. I've also seen them set on benches made with hardware cloth when the greenhouses weren't originally set up with rails.

If you ever get a soil disease, make sure that you soak the affected flats (or all of them when you're done for the season) with a bleach or Physan solution, especially when the flats get older. As they age, the beads of styrofoam begin to separate a bit and allow bacteria, fungal spores and hyphae to penetrate the spaces between the beads, where they'll be waiting for the next crop to come along.

Agrinerd - thanks so much for the information, I have mine resting on two by 4's on each side not blocking the holes of course. They seem to be working fine at present. Will know more as the season progresses. Tracy

We kept our plug trays on the hardware cloth benches that were mentioned. We've also set them on the gravel floor of the gh temporarily, not good though, they grew into the gravel! Always remember, those tiny cells dry out fast on sunny days, especially around the edges.
A word about sanitizing trays, bleach doesn't kill all pathogens(especially fusarium), Physan, Zero-tol(hydrogen dioxide) or ammonia will.(DO NOT mix bleach and ammonia or bleach and any other chemical)

Cala you are so right they do dry out quickly especially when it's hot. I wonder if putting a catching tray under the tray with about an inch of water in it would help solve that problem? It's an interesting idea I think I'm going to try it. Couldn't hurt could it? thanks for the ammonia tip do you mix water and spray and then rinse well or soak the trays in a tub with water and ammonia? Tracy

We fill a big plastic tub with water and add ammonia(or whatever chemical we're using to disinfect with) and dip the pots/trays in it and then let them air dry. I guess one should rinse them off, but I never do.
forgot to add, I don't know if putting a tray of water under them would be good or not, what if part of the tray stayed too wet and rotted? In a plug tray, the plants are so close any kind of rot spreads fast. I'd just water the edges twice a day, but not the middle.

This message was edited Monday, Jul 14th 9:00 PM

What ratio of ammonia to water do you use?

10% 1:9, there may be other mixture ratios, but that works for me. I've also heard that a 3% H2O2 dip works well, but unless you buy the 35% H2O2 and mix it yourself, that could get expensive.

Good advice on the H2O2 and ammonia. I guess that using bleach was why some growers had so many Fusarium problems. What's your source for Zero-tol? I've been out of the industry for a while and it's a new one on me.

Agrinerd, we get ours from Mize Farm Supply. The salesman would stop by and I'd just order it that way. I think a company called Southern Ag Chemicals sells it.

Thanks so much for the information! Tracy