Jiffy 36 Cell Greenhouse Seed Starter Kit with 50mm Peat Pellets
AeroGarden Red Heirloom Cherry Tomato Seed Pod Kit, 6-Pod
NK Seed Starter Kit
biOrb AIR 60 Capillary Matting
Back to the Roots Organic Pearl Oyster Mushroom Mini Grow Kit, for Indoor Gardening and Cooking
Dual-Motor Clip Fan for Grow Tents, 10-Speed, 125 CFM, 45/90° Oscillation, USB Powered, Quiet Operation
Jiffy Reusable 72 Celled Greenhouse Seed Starter Kit with 36mm Peat Pellets
Creativity for Kids Magic Bean Garden Craft Kit, 3 Magic Bean Seeds
SEED STARTER KIT 72CELL (1 pack)
Back To The Roots Kitchen Herb Garden Grow Kit 3 pk
Burpee SuperSeed 16 XL Cell Seed Starting Tray - Reusable and Dishwasher Safe - Growing Tray for Seedlings and Plant Germination
Ferry-Morse Heat Mat for Seed Starting, Indoor Use, 17W
Burpee Self Watering 36 Cell Seed Starting Tray with Super Growing Pellets and Soil Mixer
Jiffy 16 Cell Tomato & Vegetable Seed Starting Greenhouse with 50mm Peat Pellets
Ancient Resurrection Plant - An Everlasting Evergreen That Keeps Coming Back to Life - Grows in One Day - Last Up to 50 Years
Jiffy 25 Cell Seed Starting Greenhouse with 42mm Peat Pellets w/SUPERThrive Sample
Back to the Roots Organic Pearl Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit
Ferry-Morse Reusable 18 Pot Seed Starting Plastic Tray
Ferry-Morse Durable Seed Starting Tray with Watertight Base, Reusable Plastic Design (4 pack)
Burpee 72-Cell Super Growing Pellets, For indoor seed starting, fits all Burpee Seed starting trays
Burpee 72-Cell Self-Watering Greenhouse Kit, Indoor Growing System, Comes with 72 pellets
Cell Count and Cell Size
Cell count is the headline number and cell volume is the one that matters. A 72-cell tray in a standard footprint holds much smaller cells than a 12-cell tray in the same tray, so a high count means more seedlings and less time before each one is root-bound.
More cells means less room.
Choose high counts for things that transplant early, such as brassicas and lettuce, and low counts for anything that resents being moved.
Peat, Coir and Plug Types
Plugs come as compressed peat pellets, coir pellets and loose-fill cells. Peat pellets expand in water and hold together well. Coir is the peat-free alternative and drains faster, which is a benefit indoors and a nuisance under lights that dry trays out.
Jiffy at 6 listings carries most of the pellet range here, with Burpee at 4 and Ferry-Morse at 3 covering kits and seed.
Self-Watering Propagators
Self-watering trays wick from a reservoir below, which keeps moisture even across a tray without daily attention. The Burpee 72-cell kit is the format stocked here.
Even moisture is the point rather than less watering.
Hand-watered trays dry unevenly at the edges, and the edge cells are where germination fails first.
Countertop Hydroponics
Countertop hydroponic units grow herbs and salad in water with a light on a timer. They are appliances rather than garden equipment, and the running cost is the light rather than the seed.
Pods are usually proprietary.
Check whether a unit takes generic grow sponges before buying, because a locked pod system carries the same consumable trap as a printer.
Lighting and Heat
Seedlings need light closer than a windowsill provides, and the stretch that follows weak light cannot be undone. Heat mats raise soil temperature for germination and are a separate purchase from light. Germination needs warmth and growing on needs light, and buying one while assuming it does the other is the most common reason a tray of seed never comes up. The trays themselves sit alongside the small pots in pots and planters once seedlings are potted on.
The shelf units in greenhouses carry most of the tiered furniture these trays sit on.
Starting Formats Compared
| Format | Cells | Pot on at | Suits | Price band |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72-cell tray | 72 | 2 to 3 weeks | Lettuce, brassicas | $12 to $30 |
| 36 to 50-cell tray | 36 to 50 | 3 to 5 weeks | Most vegetables | $15 to $35 |
| 12 to 24-cell tray | 12 to 24 | 5 to 8 weeks | Squash, cucumber | $18 to $40 |
| Peat or coir pellets | 50 to 100 | 2 to 4 weeks | Anything | $12 to $28 |
| Countertop hydroponic | 6 to 12 pods | Not applicable | Herbs, salad | $78 to $176 |
Seed Starting Questions
How many cells should a tray have?
High counts for plants that transplant early, low counts for anything that resents being moved. A 72-cell tray holds small cells that need potting on within two to three weeks.
Peat or coir pellets?
Peat holds together well and holds more water. Coir is the peat-free option and drains faster, which is a nuisance under lights that dry trays out.
Do self-watering trays save work?
They even out moisture more than they save time. Hand-watered trays dry at the edges, and edge cells are where germination fails first.
Are hydroponic pods proprietary?
Usually. Check whether a unit takes generic grow sponges before buying, or the consumable is locked to the manufacturer.
Is a windowsill enough light?
Rarely. Seedlings stretch under weak light and the stretch cannot be undone, so a light close overhead does more than a warmer room.