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  • From: Road's End Farm <organic87 AT frontiernet.net>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Tips on efficient filling and seeding of trays?
  • Date: Tue, 6 Apr 2010 11:11:31 -0400


On Apr 5, 2010, at 7:35 PM, Tom wrote:

For example, how about something simple like filling the cells with starter mix? Right now I'm just scooping the damp mix on top of the cells and using my hands to work it around and into the cells, trying to get them all filled and slightly packed, without losing a lot off the edges in the process.  There's gotta be a faster and better way to do this. How do you all do it?

I think I do this differently than almost anybody else: I fill the trays first, then wet the mix (by watering heavily; generally water, let it soak in, water them again, let that soak in, check to see if a third round is needed). I suspect this might not work with a heavily peat-based mix, as these can be very hard to get wet without mixing, but for me it seems to work better with compost-based mixes than wetting them first and then filling.  (The mix I get is packed somewhat damp, it's not bone dry to start with.) It's much faster: you skip the mixing stage entirely (presuming the potting mix is complete, of course, and doesn't need amendments mixed in), and replace it with a couple of minutes with hose and watering wand. The dryer soil is easier to spread in the trays. And the potting soil winds up less compacted; I seem to get better germination in the looser soil.

As far as filling them, I just lay the trays out on a table, as close together as possible, dump potting soil on top, and spread it around. I've been doing this by hand, but the suggestions by others on this list to use a broom or dustpan sound interesting; I think I might try a ruler or yardstick and see what happens. --  If some of the cells aren't full enough, generally the first watering will make that obvious, and I'll top off any spots that need it.

Caveat: We're rarely starting more than ten trays or so on any one day. So I don't know how any of this might work out for somebody starting hundreds.


-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5 mostly
Fresh-market organic produce, small scale






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