If you reside in urban areas, it often feels like gardening has become an unlikely and unrealizable activity.
But you’re mistaken.
Innovative products such as trays for microgreen growing allows cultivar herbs at home even in what many may consider an unconventional growing environment.
What are Microgreens?
Microgreens, as the name suggests, are small herbs and/or vegetables that are not taller than 3″ tall. These tiny plants, also known as “baby plants” or “baby greens,” are picked between 1 and 3 weeks after planting.
Microgreens may be little, however, they can contain a high proportion of nutrient content.
By comparison, microgreens can be more nutritious than larger plants.
This is due to harvesting microgreen plants at their peak stage of growth to harvest.
Microgreens have numerous minerals and vitamins, while also exhibiting delightful aromas and flavors to enhance most foods.
Microgreens can be used for flavor enhancement in your meats, pasta, salads, and sandwiches.
Best Trays For Microgreen Growing
Here are some of my favorite microgreen growing trays.
Alberta LTD 1020 Microgreens Growing Trays
Choose the 1020 Microgreens Growing Tray Set from Alberta LTD if you want a sturdy growing tray that won’t warp with the weight of your plants.
Unlike other, cheaper trays, this tray lasts at least 3 years.
The 1020s are 2.5″ deep, which is a suitable depth for microgreens. It is also compatible with standard humidity domes to help facilitate growth.
Furthermore, these containers are made with food-grade and BPA-free plastic that’s odorless. You can grow edible herbs without worrying about your health.
Pros
- Sturdy design
- Lifetime manufacturer’s warranty
- BPA-free plastic
- Durable and reusable
Cons
- Fairly expensive
To top it all off, the manufacturer proudly offers a lifetime warranty on their growing containers. In case you bought a set, and it did not meet your expectations, you could ask for a replacement.
This warranty just shows their level of confidence in these products!
MUDUOBAN Seed Sprouter Trays 6 Pack
The most remarkable feature of the MUDUOBAN Seed Sprouter Trays is how simple they are to use!
Each of the 6 trays contains 2 trays — an inner mesh tray and an outer solid container. They are also designed concave-convex, which allows you to easily separate the two.
The inner mesh tray promotes both breathability and drainage, and the outer container helps to keep your soil moist.
Also, this tray is versatile! You can use it for sprouting small seeds, like buckwheat and radish or for growing microgreens, like okra, Chinese cabbage, etc.
Pros
- Easy to use
- BPA-free plastic
- It containers meshed and solid trays
Cons
- It allows too much light
It’s made using food-grade BPA-free plastic,so you won’t have any gastrointestinal health concerns.
Germinator Premium Quality Seedling Trays
The Germinator 6 is undeniably the best value for your money because of its price and features.
To begin with, it works with both hydroponic and soil gardening.
Also, there are not holes in the container, which allows for you growth medium to hold moisture for the entire planting cycle.
Secondly, it is versatile, as you can use it for sprouting seeds and growing microgreens, like cilantro, basil, beets, arugula, and so on.
Lastly, it comes with a two guides included on germination and small plant growth.
Pros
- Durable polystyrene plastic
- Lightweight design
- It comes with two planting guides
- It’s suitable for hydroponic gardening
Cons
- It’s smaller than standard trays
The material which is used is 1.5mm thick polystyrene plastic which is strong yet recyclable and light.
LeJoy Garden Seed Sprouter Tray
The LeJoy Garden Seed Sprouter Tray features a innovative design allowing it to serve as a growing container and a storage container. It contains a clear top cover and two trays: a mesh inner tray and a solid outer tray, or container.
The clear cover acts like glass or plastic sheets on a greenhouse; it helps to retain some heat and moisture and result in a quicker growth rate.
The mesh tray allows the roots of the plants to get plenty of free-flowing air, which is helpful to the plants, and also typically generates better growing.
Furthermore, this tray is a healthy and eco-friendly product. It is made up of food-grade BPA- free polypropylene, which is thick and durable enough to be used repeatedly.
Pros
- Easy to use and clean
- Doubles as a planting tray and a storage container
- Bigger capacity than standard trays
- BPA-free polypropylene plastic
Cons
- Susceptible to mold infection
You could grow and sprout little plants without soil or with soil. You would receive an instruction manual with helpful tidbits and gardening advice.
Bootstrap Farmer Microgreen 1020 Trays
The Bootstrap Farmer Microgreen 1020 is an affordable and sustainable option for growers who are fed up with one-use growing trays.
It is a sturdy tray made of heavy-duty, BPA-free polypropylene plastic designed to withstand extreme conditions. Best of all, it is leach-resistant, so the kit won’t leach harmful congeners into your food plants.
All trays come with drainage slits on the bottom, and with proper care, you can use the tray to grow multiple crops such as fodder, microgreens, and wheatgrass without concern for mold and/or fungal infections.
Pros
- Unrivaled durability
- Leach-resistant polypropylene plastic
- 2-year unlimited warranty
- Easy to use
- Available in many colors
Cons
- Fairly expensive
- It’s bulkier than its competitors
In summary, this product includes a 2-year warranty so that you can focus on gardening, not repairs and replacement.
Yoken Sprouter Seed Trays
You shouldn’t be deterred from home gardening because of the size of your space! A little creativity can lead to a productive outdoor hobby.
Vertical placement is likely the most effective way to fully utilize small spaces.
The Yoken Sprouter Seed Tray features a stainless steel 4-tier shelf that will help manage small spaces well. Additionally, it is very well organized to allow for growing different species of plants on each level of the shelf.
The structure assembles simply and easily. There’s no special tool or professional skill required to simple snap the pieces together. It also has four roll casters for additional mobility.
Furthermore, the shelves can be utilized as a great storage unit.
Pros
- Optimal space usage
- Versatility
- Durable and recyclable material
- Easy to assemble
- Attractive design
Cons
- Disassembly can be challenging
You can cultivate or keep edibles with no worries at all, since this tray is made of odorless, non-toxic, microwave-safe, and oven-safe (up to 400F) recycled BPA-free plastic.
This material is recyclable and durable.
Factors to Consider Before Purchasing a Microgreens Growing Tray
Since you have so many options, it’s easy to be overwhelmed when you are deciding which growing tray to get for your microgreens.
There are some important factors to consider.
Durability and Quality
Well-designed, durable growing trays will last an incredibly long time.
While these trays can be more costly, the cheaper trays break down quickly and do not have a long usable life.
When purchasing a tray, make sure it is durable and can withstand its contents weight and any disturbance as you move it around.
Focusing on quality also tends to be better for the environment, as you are less likely wanting to throw the container away once empty.
Tray Depth
Microgreens do not develop long roots which means they can grow in shallow trays.
Most trays typically used are 3″ deep which can make it cumbersome to manage and harvest microgreens.
Simply stick to choosing a tray that is 1-2″ deep.
Shallow containers make harvesting easy because you can quickly detach the roots from the soil.
Anything deeper will make sense if you’re growing something other than the microgreens.
Holes (or no holes?)
Some growing trays have holes; some don’t. Why? This directly relates to the herb you are growing and the method you are using to plant it. In some cases, you may want to use both methods.
Most microgreens thrive in trays that do not have holes. If you use trays without holes, you just need to be careful not to overwater your soil.
Another option to use, depending on the protocols for planting based on the herb you are growing, is to use two trays with holes and a tray without holes. In this option you will be planting the microgreen in the tray with holes.
Then once they sprout, fill the tray without holes with water and place the planting container into it.
When you do this method the microgreens will suck up the water through the planting container, rather than using standard overhead watering with a can.
This is a very smart way to manage water uptake and avoid the negative effects of wet leaves, such as moss or fungi.
Tray Size
The standard container size for growing microgreens is the 1020 tray, or 10″ x 20″ size.
Gardeners tend to like this size because it is convenient for putting on a cart and transporting.
Different manufacturers have different depths, which can be a consideration as well.
Square containers are also common, which have 10″ sides.
These are valuable to people who care about looking nice and being symmetrical.
Ultimately, the size of the tray is based on how many plants you want to grow.
Cost
What will you potentially spend?
To a certain extent, the amount is an indication of the quality of trays for growing microgreens you will receive.
Similar to any other purchased farm product, inexpensive trays may be less expensive in the short term, but they will need to be replaced sooner.
It is logical to purchase trays that may fit your growing needs and keep you within your budget constraints.
Material
Microgreens are food, and for this reason, you must grow them in conditions that utilize material that doesn’t pose a risk to human consumption.
Make sure to check that the plastic container you buy is BPA-free.
Otherwise, you’ll be additionally increasing the risk of gastroenterological complications by consuming the microgreens raised in a tray that is not food-grade plastic.
Color
Color may not seem like a big deal, but consider using it to your advantage in your microgreen gardening project.
When you have various plants growing, or the same plant growing at varying times, it’s smart to use different colors on your trays to keep plants sorted.
How to Use Trays For Growing Microgreens
To achieve the best performance, you need to prep your microgreen growing trays properly.
Here are a few helpful tips to increase your yield.
Spacing
Be sure to provide a sufficient distance between the seeds growing in your container.
Proper spacing prevents deficiencies of water and nutrients.
Experts recommend a standard 1020 tray uses 10 to 15 grams of seeds.
Optimal Growing Environment
Growing container provides an ideal environment for your microgreens to flourish.
The container must be strong, the proper size/depth & made of food grade plastic otherwise you are in for a disappointing experience.
Observe Hygiene
Finally, disinfecting and cleaning your containers should be part of your post-planting routine.
Good hygiene practices prevent you from transferring infections from one crop to another.
Plus, reusing old trays saves you money.
Final Words
Just picture it – your favorite herbs are waiting right at your doorstep. That’s the convenience and flexibility you’ll gain from growing microgreens at home.
In addition to this, home gardening saves you money.
Finally, by growing your greens from seed to harvest, you’re reducing the risk of gut-related illnesses.
So why are you waiting? Get started growing your own microgreens!