I have a bunch of seedlings that are ready to move under the grow lights. My problem is that I have only two trays, both holding germinating seeds. I need a third tray. I've looked at big box stores and the feed store, and all they have are "greenhouses" with pellet pods in cells which are in the trays. Can anyone give me an idea of what to use for a tray for bottom watering the seedlings while they are under the lights, and again when I have to up-pot and will need a third tray? For some reason I've never encountered this problem before. Anything relatively cheap, sturdy enough to hold the seedlings (about 9 nine-cell containers), and that I can find without resorting to the 'net. One tray will be needed by the end of the week, and another withing 10 days. My seedlings thank you for your advice, and I thank you, too!
Well, what I use are plastic serving trays that have turned-up edges. I buy inexpensive second hand ones at thrift stores.
I grabbed 5 hard rubber boot trays from a local shop several years ago, and I have found SO many uses for them that I wish I'd bought 5 more! That store hasn't stocked them again, but I have noticed that the "big box" stores seem to be carrying them now, so that may be one possibility.
Sheet cake pans from a thrift store should work and they usually only cost a couple of dollars each. And they come in about 3 different sizes to fit just about any shelf size.
What great suggestions! When I go into town on Thursday I'll hit the thrift store, and if that fails, I'll search out some boot trays. Thank you all, and if you have any more ideas, I'm eager to hear them!
I splurged and bought a large copper boot tray last month, the last they had so the price was very right. It's under the shelves I have in the now spare room that hold the outdoor plants I had to bring in for winter and will hold the seedlings when I get them started next week. Great for catching water and soil spills.
Years ago we found 3 commercial sized heavy aluminum baking pans like a school would use. They are about 18 x 24 x I/2 inch deep (45.7 x 61 x 1.2 cm) so they fit perfect under my seedlings and they are so heavy and thick that I don't have to worry about them warping or bending even if I pick them when they are full of plants. They hold 2 seed trays each.
Thanks to all the good ideas, I now have seedling trays! The thrift store supplied two of the hard plastic cafeteria type trays, and I found a large sheet cake pan at (of all places!) an antique shop. I saw it in the window and went in to ask how much it cost--50 cents! My seedlings are going to be so happy!
