I agree that most 1020 trays are super-flimsy, but for a while, I had more with drainage slots than I needed. So I doubled them up to make them sturdier.
But recently I bought a a sheet of plywood for another reason, and had them cut the remains into 6 pieces 12"x24". I plan to use those under the trays, as supports.
Get this. The plywood is 3/4" thick and would hold 200-300 pounds. Over-over-kill!
I think a sheet of wood paneling would be strong enoguh to keep the 1020 trays from buckling.
Hardy PLASTIC TRAYS to start my seedlings, any suggestion?
1lisac,
Thank you for giving me a good laugh even though it was at my own expense, but I don't mind. Of course I meant wedding vows, not wedding vowels, and yes maybe you should have tried them.
Now, can you explain to me what a "Skinny Linda" is?
I'm not sure what that is but I'm sure you have a dmail. Strange when your computer doesn't trust you to express your own thoughts, so it must correct you. Lol
Thanks drthor. Your 4 inch pots certainly do fit better than mine. I guess I need to find different sized 4 inch pots. *smile*
I use the standard (flimsy) ~11x22 plant trays, but I double them up. Every year I get a few trays that develop cracks or a leaky hole. I put those aside and use them underneath a good leakproof tray to reinforce them. It still takes two hands to transport them but they are less likelier to bend or twist. The lattice bottom trays used by plant suppliers to ship 6paks or small plants also work well to reinforce the regular trays.
Never heard of a Skinny Linda- but a skinny mini is a stacked washer/dryer... unless we are mixing English and Spanish, then skinny Linda would be thin beauty???
I still don't know for sure and I'm still interested in getting to the bottom of the meaning of "skinny Llinda", but I have my suspension. Something like we say here in Texas when someone brags about having or doing something and there's nothing to back it up, we say he/she is "all hat and no cattle".
Or got too many irons in the fire, chuckl. Most commercial growers dont work with 48" shelves. They lay out long tables with lites, and timed misters that stretch across the room they are in...in long rows.
This message was edited Mar 11, 2013 5:45 AM
Plant trays at the Greenhouse Megastore
http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/product/1020-tray-shallow-white/flats-trays-inserts
I use the trays to hold soil blocks for vegetables to be transplanted into the garden later.
This message was edited Mar 11, 2013 5:47 AM
I used a lot of the 1020 trays at the beginning of my gardening indoor. They just kept breaking while I moved them in and out the shelfs, or in and out the house to harden off vegetables.
I have a lot of broken ones in the garage if you would like some ...
nancynursez637,
You may have helped me find a tray that is close to the size I'm looking for, This one is about 22" wide x 41" long which would fit my shelf , which is 19" x 48". It would take up most of the shelf leaving a 3" hangover width wise and length wise I would have 7" unused space that I would have to figure out how to utilize. The tray even has sides that are rather high at 5 1/2 " but that would hold up the 16 oz. cups I use in potting up tomato seedlings. I just can't tell how sturdy they are without holding one in my hands so I think I will order one to see..
http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/product/titan-garden-tray/flats-trays-inserts
This message was edited Mar 11, 2013 7:52 AM
The reviews at the Greenhousemegastore indicate the trays are strong. That is a great find, hrp50. I love that store anyway but hadn't seen that tray.
Above I updated the link to the Perma-nest trays at Indoor Garden Supplies but will provide it again here in case newcomers to the site don't want to go through all of it. I find it annoying that I have to update this link each year for the same product but at least it is available. The price for the 11 x 22 seems to be for 2 trays.
http://indoorgardensupplies.com/shop/product-category/plant-trays/
I get trays at the Dollar Store that are sold as "boot trays"- 12.5x22"-1"walls. They are perfect for a tray or 6 6packs. Quite sturdy.
gardore
you if scroll up to the first post on this thread ... you will see that I was looking for an alternative to the 1020 trays because they were too thin ...
drthor! That's what I thought you wanted! These are the same robust Perma-nest trays you linked to in the first post, not the flimsy regular 11 x 22's (1020'sI
I just updated the original links as they seem to change each year! I have these Perma-nest trays and find them fantastic. You should not be disappointed with them. Other viable alternatives such as the boot trays and the ones from the Megastore also look promising.
>> The price for the 11 x 22 seems to be for 2 trays.
Thanks for pointing that out! I used to dismiss them casually, rthinking $17 is WAY too much for a tray.
>> trays at the Dollar Store that are sold as "boot trays"
Thanks very much, I'll look for those and try them. Keeping a support board under each tray is a little clumsy and heavy.
Currently I'm using kitty liter trays from Petco (the flat bottom ones, not slanted bottoms) which are very sturdy but cost about 9$ each. They each hold 16 my 16 oz. plastic cups. I don't have the measurements but they are about 4 to 5 inches high and I can get three of them on a shelf.
This message was edited Mar 11, 2013 11:32 AM
gardadore sorry ... I didn't understand you.
I got together with a friend and I bough 12 Perma-nest trays and she bought more too ... so I spent about $5/tray.
I spent more money on those 1020 trays and they are garbage now.
I luv Permanest trays.
Rick, I thought also that $17 was excessive for one tray, especially when the other sizes were single digit prices. So I looked a little closer and was happy to see it was for 2 trays!!
I'm glad we got on the same wavelength drthor and you were able to get the trays you wanted!!
I am also going to seriously investigate the kitty litter trays as I like the high sides. Petco seems to have what I am looking for.
I want my "inserts" to sit on the bottom of the tray, or on a caoilary mat on the bottom of the tray.
If a 1020 tray is too deep (or unusually small), sometimes I have to trim off some of the in sert tray so it will not be sup;ported up off the bottom of the tray.
But I guess that some of the automated methods assume that the tray WILL be held up above the tray surface.
Wow, I can't believe this thread is almost 2 yrs old. I thought it was started last summer. Time sure does fly.
wow I have my 1020's now almost 10 yrs old. They are breaking up a little, but for the money, I can't beat them.
I agree if mine crack I just double them up.
Gorilla tape is even better than duct tape.
Not in TX! Lol
It melts?
No Duct Tape is a Tradition here. Lol
Wow, I couldn't live without duct tape!
It's like The Force: it has a Dark Side and a Light Side, and it binds the galaxy together.
That's what I mean I think Tx was stuck together by Duct Tape. It's like a religion. Lol
NOW it makes sense to me.
"NO!!!!! Duct Tape is a Tradition here."
Then I would say that Gorilla Tape IS duct tape ... just stronger and with extra glue.
It's like duct tape on steroids.
Sorry, I messed up the punctuation. It won't happen again. Lol
It was more interesting trying to figure out why an entire state would evolve a tradition of "No duct tape!"
Did you ever see the movie "Not of This Earth"?
"NO flip-flops!!!"
dthor, I have some Permanest trays that I have had about 5 or 6 years. Just keep them from drying out. Mean like the one person said, sitting in the sun. OR, I have found anything left in a greenhouse over the summer without any humidity, will be brittle and dry. I had a beautiful table and chair set lose the varnish finish. Disappeared. Took it right off.
Rick, you are a nut! No I have not seen that movie, I think it was before my time. : )
It's awesome ... very campy ... but off topic.
Jnette
thanks so much. I just leave the Permanest trays on the sun outide, only when I am hardening off the seedlings.
My Permanest trays are 2 years old now and they still look like new.
But I will keep in mind to not live them outside in the sun.
I read that polyethylene irrigation tubing has carbon added "for UV protection". That explains why it's black!
I wonder if the Permanest trays would last longer if they were black?
My thin, flimsy "inserts" like six-packs get very brittle if left outdoors long, even in the cloudy PNW. I wonder if that's also UV damage? I'm going to start being more careful with them, as well as the thicker "plug trays".
Well isn't that nice? Sounds like we made a believer out of Rick.
Thanks Gymgirl for your picture way up there of plants in SOLO cups! I have a bunch of solo cups somewhere.....