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Vegetable Nursery & Trays, Seed & Mix

Raises seedlings

TraysSeeds to sowSeedlingsMix (L)

“This tool gets better every time someone says what confused them.

Enter seedlings needed, cells per tray and germination to get the number of pro-trays, the seeds to sow, the expected seedlings and the potting mix in litres.

Plan your nursery

Seedlings needed

Cells per pro-tray

common 98 / 104 / 50-cell trays

Germination

Seeds per cell

Cell volume

Your result

114 trays

Pro-trays needed

11,172

Seeds to sow

10,055

Expected seedlings

223 L

Potting mix

11,172

Total cells

What this means

Pro-tray (plug) nurseries raise uniform, transplant-ready vegetable seedlings using far less seed and causing far less transplant shock than open seedbeds. To stand up 10,000 seedlings at 90% germination you need about 114 pro-trays (11,172 cells), sowing 11,172 seeds to yield roughly 10,055 healthy plugs.

Next: fill 114 trays with cocopeat-based mix (~223 L), sow 11,172 treated seeds, keep warm/moist until germination, and harden off before transplanting.

Cell count, germination and seeds/cell vary by crop and seed quality; sow 1 seed/cell for costly hybrid seed, more for cheap/low-germ seed then thin.

Nursery trays — key facts

Trays: ⌈seedlings ÷ (cells × germination)⌉
Why pro-trays: uniform plugs, less seed & shock
Hybrid seed: sow 1 seed per cell
Common cells: 50 / 72 / 98 / 104 / 200
Mix: cocopeat-based blend
Ready in: ≈ 3–5 weeks
Before field: harden off seedlings
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Stronger, more even seedlings from a tray

Raising vegetables in pro-trays — plug trays of individual cells — beats scattering seed in open beds on almost every count: the seedlings come up uniform and transplant-ready, each in a firm root plug that establishes quickly, you use far less seed, and there is much less shock when plants move to the field. The catch is planning it: how many trays, how much seed and how much mix you actually need.

This tool returns the trays, the seeds to sow, the expected seedlings and the potting mix in litres from your seedling target, cell count and germination rate. Sow one seed per cell for pricey hybrid seed, fill with a cocopeat-based mix, and harden off before transplanting. Pair it with the Potato Seed Rate, Transplanting and Potting Mix tools to run a smooth nursery.

Order trays right

Exact tray count with germination built in.

Save costly seed

Sow one hybrid seed per cell, no waste.

Buy enough mix

Potting mix in litres from your cells.

Uniform transplants

Even, transplant-ready plugs every time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a vegetable nursery tray?+

A nursery or pro-tray (plug tray) is a moulded tray of small cells, each raising one seedling in its own plug of mix. Sowing into trays instead of open beds gives uniform, transplant-ready seedlings with a clean root plug that establishes fast, uses far less seed, and suffers much less shock when moved to the field.

How many trays do I need?+

Trays = ⌈seedlings needed ÷ (cells per tray × germination)⌉, rounded up. Germination matters because not every cell yields a usable seedling. For example, to raise 5000 transplants in 98-cell trays at 90% germination you need 5000 ÷ (98 × 0.9) ≈ 57 trays. This tool does the rounding for you.

How much seed should I sow?+

Sow enough seed to fill the cells you plan to use, allowing for germination. For costly hybrid seed, sow one seed per cell to avoid waste; for cheaper or lower-germination seed, sow two and thin to the strongest. The tool gives the seeds to sow and the expected seedlings from your germination rate.

How many cells per tray are common?+

Plug trays come in many sizes — commonly 50, 72, 98, 104 or 200 cells. Fewer, larger cells suit big seedlings like tomato, brinjal and capsicum that stay longer in the nursery; more, smaller cells suit quick crops and save space. Choose the cell count to match the seedling size and nursery time.

Why sow one seed per cell for hybrid seed?+

Hybrid vegetable seed is expensive, so wasting it by over-sowing and thinning is costly. With good-quality, high-germination hybrid seed you can sow a single seed per cell and treat each cell as one plant, saving seed and labour. Keep a few spare cells sown to fill any blanks.

What mix should I fill the trays with?+

Use a light, well-draining cocopeat-based mix, often blended with vermiculite and perlite and a little nutrient charge. It holds moisture, lets roots breathe and forms a firm plug. The tool estimates the potting mix in litres from your cell volume and tray count so you can buy or blend enough.

What is hardening off?+

Hardening off is gradually exposing nursery-raised seedlings to outdoor sun, wind and cooler conditions for several days before transplanting. Seedlings raised in a sheltered nursery are tender; hardening toughens them so they survive the move to the field with far less transplant shock and check to growth.

When are seedlings ready to transplant?+

Most vegetable plugs are ready when they have a few true leaves and a root system that holds the plug together when lifted — often three to five weeks depending on crop and season. Transplant before they become root-bound or leggy. See the Transplanting calculator to plan timing and field spacing.

Are these figures exact?+

They are solid planning figures. Real needs vary with actual germination, seedling losses, cell size and how many spare cells you keep. Add a small margin for blanks and culls, use your own germination rate and cell count, and treat the tray, seed and mix figures as a confident order guide.

Related farming tools

Potato Seed Rate Calculator Transplanting Calculator Microgreens Seeding Calculator Potting Mix Calculator Crop Planning Farming Hub

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Vegetable Nursery & Trays, Seed & Mix

Plan your nursery

Nursery trays — key facts

Stronger, more even seedlings from a tray

Order trays right

Save costly seed

Buy enough mix

Uniform transplants

Frequently Asked Questions

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