Comparison of Seed-Starting Trays & PotsUpdated 6 days ago

5-Cube Pot

• Size: 2.5”x 2.5”x 2.5”
• Purpose: Ideal for larger plants or as an intermediate pot when up-potting seedlings.
• Advantages: Compact yet deep enough for good root development. Works well for transferring seedlings from smaller trays.
• Best For: Medium-sized plants that need more space after initial germination.

16-Cell Seed Starting Tray

• Size: 16 cells per tray, each cell is 1.5" wide
• Purpose: Suitable for starting smaller seeds, providing enough room for initial growth.
• Advantages: Great for starting herbs, lettuce, or small flowers. Up-pot to larger trays like the 4-cell or 5-cube pot as seedlings grow.
• Best For: Small seeds with high germination rates, like lettuce and herbs.

4-Cell Garden Propagation Tray

• Size: Available in 3" and 4" depths
• Purpose: Larger cell size ideal for bigger seeds or long-growing plants.
• Advantages: The 4" deep version allows more root depth for plants like tomatoes, promoting better root systems by allowing for deeper planting.
• Best For: Larger seeds like squash or plants that need room for root growth before transplanting, such as tomatoes.

6-Cell Garden Propagation Tray

• Size: 6 cells per tray, each slightly smaller than the 4-cell option
• Purpose: For starting medium-sized seeds, offering more space than the 16-cell tray but less than the 4-cell option.
• Advantages: Provides good balance between cell size and seed starting capacity. Ideal for medium-sized plants that don’t require as much root depth initially.
• Best For: Seeds like herbs, lettuce, and some flowers that benefit from extra room but don’t need the full space of a 4-cell tray.

Key Differences

• Cell Size: The 5-cube pot offers the largest space for root development, followed by the 4-cell, 6-cell, and 16-cell trays.
• Best for Larger Plants: The 4-cell and 5-cube trays are ideal for plants that need more space to establish strong roots.
• Best for Small Seeds: The 16-cell tray works best for small seeds that don’t need deep cells for early growth.
• Gradual Up-Potting: Starting with a 16-cell or 6-cell tray, then moving up to the 4-cell tray or 5-cube pot as plants develop, allows for better root structure and consistent moisture control.