We grow in our home and are always toting around the flimsy 10″ x 20″ trays around from our soil and seeding area (in the garage) to our shelving unit inside the house. The trays sometimes broke or cracked and then were no longer useful. The trays were also not so nice to look at when they were placed on the grow shelves in our dining room. That got us thinking and looking for a substitute for those ugly, flimsy black grow trays.
After scouring the internet, searching on Amazon.com and various other online grow specialty stores, we could not find what we were looking for. So like just like anything else we can’t find or afford, we decided to build our own trays. My wife and I both like dark wood colors (woohoo! we agree on something!) so I decided to create the tray out of wood and stain it.
Luckily, I like to build things out of wood. I have built tables, chairs, planting beds, play sets, the kids’ playhouse and zip-line tree stands so the microgreens tray idea didn’t seem to be a big task…..boy, I was wrong! After several iterations of sizes, cuts and fasteners, I finally settled on what you see in the photos.
So, what do you think? Is this something you would use in your home to grow microgreens? Please let us know!
Actually, yes. I do not grow things in my home except for houseplants. I really dislike plastic. Even if these boxes or trays are not as efficient as plastic, I would prefer them just because they are not something I would not mind around the house and kitchen. I still would not want them leaking everywhere.
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Are the other trays within the wooden trays? Do the wooden trays just keep the others from breaking? Also, must they be stained? I was not clear on what that meant.
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Hi Tony!
The other trays (10 x 20 propagation trays) are still being used. I actually like using a shallow tray inset of a standard size tray to prevent leaking. The wooden trays are there to support and dress up the plastic trays.
You wouldn’t have to stain the wood if you don’t want to. I just like that look!
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Oh, I like the look too. I just know that some people would be bothered by the chemicals in the stain.
We use plenty of plastic mud flats in the greenhouse, but no one cares about the mess or what they look like out there. I would not want that in my home or even a nice greenhouse. I actually grew some Florida thatch palm seedlings in a flat in my old kitchen, and made a point of obscuring the flat with fabric. Yes, I know. I should get over it.
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