Best grow trays to kick start planting season
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With the first glimpse of sunshine brightening our days, it’s time to revive your green fingers and get the garden ready for the growing season.
If you’re looking to give your seedlings the best start in life, a solid grow tray will get roots and shoots thriving from day one. So gather together your favourite seeds, choose a grow tray from our selection and start cultivating a new collection of plants to freshen up your garden in the months ahead.
What is a grow tray?
Grow trays come in various shapes and sizes, from freestanding to windowsill options, meaning you can cultivate seeds in even the smallest spaces. Offering a chance to plant seeds indoors or outdoors, the humble grow tray will be your seedlings' first home, providing a safe place to support your plants in the first few weeks of their life.
Why should I use a grow tray?
Grow trays are a low-key way to get started with planting, requiring minimal effort.
Trays are available in a variety of price points, so you can start your planting journey without spending lots of money. Growing from seed is a more cost-effective option than buying established plants, although it does require more patience as the seeds grow slowly, and some careful timing if you are keen to see flowers at specific times of year.
Thankfully the slow process has its own rewards and sense of achievement, especially when following the journey from tiny seedling to full-sized plant.
Which grow tray should I choose?
The choice depends on the plants you intend to grow. Most seeds start life in a small grow tray and then are transferred to individual pots until they are ready to be planted outside. Seedlings are delicate and vulnerable so take care to avoid the final frosts of the season, keeping them inside their grow trays until they are strong enough to be moved.
Trays with artificial lighting allow you to start growing seeds earlier in the year, rather than waiting for an increase in natural light. So if you’re keen to bring plants along quickly, a propagator with integrated lights might be a good option.
Best grow trays at a glance
- Best overall: Elho Noa Grow Table - £116.99, Elho
- Best eco-friendly option: Sage bamboo seed tray - £8.49, Crocus
- Best for grow bags: Forest Garden Grow Bag Tray Container - £124, B&Q
- Best reusable choice: Sili-Seedlings Seed Starter Tray - £20.83, Amazon
- Best self-watering kit: Burpee 72 Cell Self Watering Seed Starting Kit - £19.99, Amazon
- Best tray with lights: Plant Propagator Seed Tray Set with Full Spectrum USB Grow Lights - £19.99, B&Q
- Best heated grow tray: Garland Electric Heated Windowsill Propagator - £50, B&Q
- Best vertical grow tray: Outsunny Indoor Outdoor Vertical Raised Garden Bed - £54.99, Robert Dyas
- Best windowsill option: Ambassador Windowsill Growing Kit Black - £13.29, B&Q
- Best all-in one tray: Keter Dark Grey Urban Blooma Watering Planter Box - £79.99, Amazon
We’ve chosen a selection of the best grow trays, focussing on a variety of sizes and price points, to help you get going with new season planting. Shop below
Elho Noa Grow Table
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Best: overall
The Noa grow table is one of the higher-end options on our list but it’s a great all-rounder for growing flowers, fruit, vegetables and herbs. Made from 100 per cent recycled plastic produced using wind energy, this tray has clever integrations that make plant care easier, including an internal water system and water level indicator, which help keep plants nourished rather than waterlogged.
There’s a useful tray underneath for storing twine, clippers and other garden essentials so you have everything easily to hand, plus the legs are removable so the full tray can be stored away when the growing season is over. This set comes with a plastic cover to keep pests and animals away from your newly sprouted produce and a vent on the lid can be adjusted to vary the temperature within the tray itself. Overall, a quality choice that will last year after year.
Crocus sage bamboo seed tray
![](https://static.standard.co.uk/2024/04/03/16/19/sage bamboo.jpg.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&width=640)
Best: eco-friendly option
Who said gardening is expensive? This affordable seed tray is the perfect starter home for your plant babies, all for under £10. Nurse your seedlings from their earliest beginnings into established plants in this grow tray made from natural bamboo and rice. Simply break up some compost around the tray, firm down the soil to create a flat surface, evenly scatter your choice of seeds, and then place it on a windowsill or an area that gets lots of natural light.
Once seedlings have been transferred into larger pots this biodegradable tray can be broken up and scattered into active compost and will decompose completely in 6-12 months. This is an ideal sustainable alternative to traditional plastic grow trays and an easy, cost-effective way to reliably germinate plants.
B&Q Forest Garden Grow Bag Tray Container
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Best for: grow bags
An alternative to a traditional grow tray, this useful wooden planter holds grow bags making it easier to manage plants or vegetables from their earliest beginnings. It is designed to be used with a standard 100cm long x 40cm wide grow bag and features a cross-bar for securing support canes.
This would be the ideal choice for growing tomatoes or plants that tend to have longer stems. It is also a good height for ongoing plant maintenance, protecting the gardener’s back from bending and stretching, making it a savvy choice for those with limited mobility. This planter arrives flat-packed and is simple to assemble, with a 15-year anti-rot guarantee for peace of mind.
Sili-Seedlings Seed Starter Tray
![](https://static.standard.co.uk/2024/04/03/16/23/sili seedlings.jpg.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&width=640)
Best: reusable choice
This flexible grow tray is an ideal starting point for your delicate seeds. Compost can be divided up into each of the cells, then once seedlings are established it is easy to peel back the silicone and transport them into larger pots, without leaving a muddy mess.
Each tray has six cells with a drainage hole and the tray can be reused throughout the growing season to get plants and vegetables off to the best start. To help keep track of different varieties this tray can be written on with a pen and can even be washed in the dishwasher, ready to be used all over again next year.
Burpee 72 Cell Self Watering Seed Starting Kit
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Best: self-watering kit
This seed starter kit has space for 72 plants across two different trays, making it larger than some of the others on our list, with a huge scope for seed cultivation across different varieties. The main benefit of this option is found in its self-watering mat and reservoir tray that supports early growth in young seedlings.
The pack comes with coconut fibre growing pellets that should be placed in warm water so they can expand and help get the seedlings off to the best start. There is a clear greenhouse-style cover that keeps the seeds cosy and encourages growth. Seedlings look very similar in their early days, so it’s helpful to keep track of their varieties with the extra plant markers, so you can easily remember which is which.
B&Q Plant Propagator Seed Tray Set with Full Spectrum USB Grow Lights
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Best: tray with lights
For gardeners with limited indoor space, a windowsill tray is an ideal option to get started with seed growing. Each of the five trays in this set comes with a base tray and 12 cells with their own drainage holes. A circular vent can be adjusted to vary the heat and humidity within the tray.
In each tray, a USB light sits within each vent and can be connected to any USB power source with the handy 2-metre cable. When connected, the lights can be manually turned on and off, or the timer function can be used to provide light at set times each day. This is particularly useful on darker days when natural daylight is limited.
Vegetable leaves and tomatoes can be started earlier in the season under lights which then extends the crop throughout the summer. The set also includes plant labels so it’s easy to keep track of each seedling variety.
B&Q Garland Micro Grow Light Garden 11W Black
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Best: heated grow tray
If you’re keen to grow plants all year round, rather than waiting for spring, an indoor propagator provides all the light and warmth your seedlings will need to flourish. This 100 per cent recycled plastic and aluminium grow tray can be used for flowers, salad leaves, herbs or some smaller vegetables. Early in the season, the grow lights can supplement low light levels, then when spring arrives, lights can be turned off or used for an hour or two each day.
The low-energy bulbs within this tray mimic sunlight and are just 11 watts with a consistent and solid glow. Each bulb lasts up to 10,000 hours and consumes 20 per cent less power than a standard domestic light bulb meaning you don’t have to worry about a surge in electricity bills. The canopy is adjustable up to 38cm meaning plants can be accommodated as they grow upwards. This tray comes with a 12-month guarantee for extra piece of mind.
Outsunny Indoor Outdoor Vertical Raised Garden Bed with 5 Removable Tray
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Best: vertical grow tray
This vertical garden frame with five removable plastic trays is both practical and visually appealing. Each tray is detachable, meaning they can be kept inside when seedlings are young, and then taken outside to live on a patio or balcony when plants are more established.
This tray is also a space saver, allowing you to grow more plants, and maintain them easily. An ideal option for those with limited mobility who want to avoid bending down to maintain lower garden beds. Each charcoal grey 10-litre tray features drainage holes and enough space for flowers, vegetables or herbs. Plus these trays are easy to store away when not in use.
B&Q Ambassador Windowsill Growing Kit Black
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Best: windowsill option
Best for small spaces, this windowsill growing tray is ideal for beginner gardeners who have limited space but still want to stretch their green fingers. Made from durable plastic, this simple growing kit includes a propagator with a lid.
The tray itself has 36 cell inserts with plenty of space for the flowers, fruit or vegetables of your choice. Simply fill the cells with compost, place on a warm windowsill and watch closely as the seeds begin to germinate. Once the seedlings are established they can be moved from this tray into individual pots to encourage further growth.
Keter Dark Grey Urban Blooma Watering Planter Box
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Best: all-in one tray
A solid choice for keen vegetable gardeners, this grow tray is small and perfectly formed, with thoughtful details like a lower shelf for storing garden supplies and a self-watering system which keeps vegetable growth steady and consistent. This durable resin tray can be used as an alternative to a raised bed and like a few others on our list, it’s a good choice for those who don’t want to bend and stretch to maintain their garden.
There is also space for varieties of vegetables to be sectioned out evenly and given full care and attention. The built-in drainage tap gets rid of any excess water, preventing roots from rotting and giving your plants the perfect balance of hydration depending on their needs.
Verdict
Whether you want to grow flowers or vegetables, the Elho grow table is large enough to accommodate different varieties and preferences. It’s the perfect balance of practicality and visual appeal, with the ideal working height to easily tend to plants throughout the growing season. The removable legs are an added bonus for storing the tray away easily when winter arrives again.