In the years that I have been growing my vegetable garden with hydroponics, Every spring I start my garden from seed rather than buying starter plants. The main reason that I do this is the cost. Seeds are cheap. And i usually buy my seeds from Orchard House Heirlooms or Burpee and once I have my seeds I have always planted them in the Hydrofarm JSEF55 Smart Float Grow Tray with Plugs. I haven't used any other seed starting methods but I have found that the float tray is simple to use, yields a high germination rate, and is inexpensive and reusable. I see no reason to try something else. I mean why fix what isn't broke. Its easy to use. I just drop the seeds in the holes and tamp them down with the eraser end of a pencil. Then all you do is fill the tray with nutrient solution. Besides, I have created a few DIY Hydroponic systems based specifically on this Hydrofarm product. For instance I created a system using PVC pipes where I can transfer the plugs from the insert directly to my system with no modification or additional support. Below are some other key features/benefits of the grow tray:
HYDROFARM JSEF55 SMART FLOAT GROW TRAY WITH PLUGS
Hydrofarm's Smart Float comes complete with a 55-cell floating insert, heavy duty tray, and 55 earth-friendly; Ready Gro plugs to get your plants off to a great start. Smart Float provides and ideal air to water ratio Perfect for starting seeds or cuttings. Works great with Hydrofarm domes to create a mini greenhouse.
