Starting Seeds -- A Little Equipment

Starting seeds is both frustrating and rewarding, every year I get a little bit better at it.  Being a better woodworker then a gardener, I decided to build several durable wooden seed flats to start the year off right.  With 20" x 10" interior dimensions it is the perfect tray to bring to the plant swap and pick up a flat of seedlings. Evenly spaced slats allow for draining while woven paracord handles are comfortable even with heavier loads. Constructed of Aspen, zinc plated fasteners and food safe wood glue I am confident that the tray will last me for years to come.  I decided to go with lesser known aspen instead of the obvious choice of cedar.  Aspen is a replenishable timber that weathers very well, becoming silvery-grey and resistant to rotting and warping, and has traditionally been used for rural construction in the northwestern regions of Russia.  The cedar available here in New Jersey is often warped and expensive I think this will make a hansom substitute.  While fairly easy to construct with a little patience, for those of you who do not have a warm indoor wood shop I am offering these handy trays on Etsy.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/124231981/aspen-garden-seedling-tray

In my next post we will look at just how we get those seeds going.