Saturday 6 July 2019

77L Shallow Long-Life Propagation Tray


If you follow my blog then you will have read on the post Heavy Duty Plastic Tray Modules, that I have been looking for alternatives to the weak plastic tray modules that I have been using and that I have to replace on a regular basis in order to reduce the amount of non recyclable plastic I use, and I found a company called CMH Containerwise Materials Handling who make heavy duty robust plastic modules that will last at least 10 years and they have customers still using their products 15 years or more after purchase.

The tray above is their 77L Shallow Long-Life Propagation Tray it has 7 rows of 11 cells that are 30mm x 30mm and the tray depth is 50mm and for me as I have a Norfolk Space Saver Greenhouse it's important that the module is 350mm x 215mm or a normal tray size and will fit inside a standard tray.     


Originally I only bought one of this tray size, but having now received all my trays from CMH and thinking a little more about how I want to grow next year, I have purchased a few more.   


As hopefully you can see from the photographs above these trays are engineered and made to last and as I have had a Beetroot crop failure this year either because this year I sowed directly or the quality of the seed, the slugs and snail or the extreme weather we have had I'm reverting to starting the beets off in modules. Historically I sowed into vending machine cups but I'm using these modules to start off plug plants that I can move up to bigger containers or perhaps just sow directly.  


As you can see the module is a snug fit in the standard tray 


And here it is once watered in and placed in the Norfolk Space Saver Greenhouse seed tray racking system.

If you visit CMH Containerwise Materials Handling and make an enquiry then please do tell them where you heard about them, this gives them and myself some ideal of how many people are visiting their web site as a result of my article. I have not been paid to write these articles about their company and I'm not on commission. I have to say I'm quite honoured to be listed with Charles Dowding and Huw Richards 


Hopefully I may get discount on future purchases if enough of you find them via my blog, but if the modules last as long as I think they are going to, I don't think I will be buying too many more of their trays. That being said I have got another half plot now and an additional greenhouse that is half constructed so who knows what next year might bring.  

As I will have a number of this type of tray I will be making an extraction tool to remove the plug plants easily and that will be a subject of a future post on the blog.  

4 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. I've just bought another 8 trays 6x40L Shallow and 2x77L Shallow and it cost £38 with the VAT not including the delivery cost which was £6.99

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    2. I was just wondering how you have used your 40s and 77s this year for planting and how well did they grow. I’m looking at the 77s to use for multi sown beets, peas and onions but also to start off tomato’s and peppers. Would you say the 77s would be a good universal size or would you recommend the 40s. Also are the holes on the 77s a decent size for pushing up with your finger.

      Many thanks for any advice.

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    3. Hi AG I love both the 44 and the 77 trays but I did ask some time ago about something in between but the cost to make the mould was too high. Charles Dowding has just paid for half the mould cost to get his sweet spot tray which is a 60 module see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmWsM7odmkE

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