Starting Seed with Pellet Trays

This spring, I decided to try planting my seeds using the small containers with the pellets already inside.  I was curious to see if these were better than using plain old potting soil.  The process is to add water to the tray and soak the pellets.  The pellets absorb the water and become soft enough to plant the seeds inside.  I found that I actually like using plain soil more than I do the pellets (maybe I’m just biased because I love dirt), but I can definitely agree that the pellets are very convenient, quick and a lot easier to clean up than soil.  They usually run anywhere from $5 – $10.  You can get them in very large trays or smaller trays at your local Lowes or Home Depot.  To keep your seeds organized, tape the empty packet to the front of the tray to remember which rows have the corresponding seeds.  To keep the seeds and rows organized and to save the unused pellets, pull unused pellets out and save for another set of seeds.  Another way to organize your seeds is to designate entire rows for your seeds.  For example, your zinnias would be on rows 1 and 2, sunflowers on rows 3 and 4 etc.  Make sure you put your gardening tray in a sunny location with the top on and water often.