The second photo shows this tray from below, and that is the view that explains the design. Each cell is an open cylinder carried on a cross-braced foot rather than a solid wall of plastic. Air moves under and between the roots, and any water that passes through the medium leaves instead of standing in the base. Twelve cells means twelve cuttings handled at a time, which suits the way propagation is actually organised: a batch of one variety, taken and stuck on the same morning, then moved on together.

The tray is moulded in black PP, which keeps the root zone dark and prevents algae forming on the surface of the medium between waterings. It is one of the planting tools we supply for propagation houses.

A cutting roots fastest when the base of the stem is warm and moist but never sitting in water. The open cell does that without any extra equipment. Roots that reach the side of the cylinder meet air rather than a slick wall, and this air-pruning stops them circling the cell and keeps the root mass fibrous. When the tray is turned out, each cutting comes free with its own root ball because there is no shared wall for roots to knit across.

Mist or overhead irrigation suits this tray because the surplus drains straight through the base. That is why the same tray is used for softwood cuttings in summer and for leaf cuttings of house plants in a warm, humid frame.

Fill the cells and firm the medium lightly, so it is level with the rim but not compressed. Take the cutting just below a leaf node, strip the lower leaves, dip the base in rooting hormone, and set it so the lowest node sits in the medium. Keep the tray out of direct sun for the first days and keep humidity high. Tissue paper over the top, or a clear cover, is enough for the first week.

Roots on most herbaceous cuttings appear in ten days to three weeks. Lift one cell to check rather than pulling at the cutting, so the roots are not disturbed. Once the roots fill the cylinder, pot on straight into a liner or a grow bag, since leaving the cutting in the tray past that point starts to check its growth.

This 12-cell tray is the coarse end of our propagation range, sitting alongside the multi-cell seeding trays used for raising crops from seed. The split is simple: fewer, larger cells for cuttings and liners that need room to root, more, smaller cells when the seed is cheap and the plants are moved on quickly. Guidance on propagation practice is published by FAO, and commercial methods are reported monthly by Greenhouse Grower.

1. Material : PP material.
2. Color : Black.
3. Usage Time : Can be used for 3 years under normal usage.
4. Scientific design : First quality material make it good for permeability and ventilation.

We are the manufacturer specialize in greenhouse and planting tools with above 35 years. We supply over 1,200 different kinds of planting tools. Our planting tools are widely use by farm and agricultural sciences academy and institute at home and abroad. We exported our products more than 120 different countries all over the world.

Q: Why are there only twelve cells?
A: Twelve suits cuttings taken in a single batch. The cells are large enough for a cutting to root without being potted on twice, and the whole tray can be moved as one unit onto the mist bench.

Q: What does the open cell structure do?
A: It lets air reach the roots and water drain straight through. Roots that meet air at the side stop growing sideways, so the root ball stays fibrous instead of circling the cell.

Q: How long until the cuttings are rooted?
A: Ten days to three weeks for most herbaceous material. Check by lifting a whole cell rather than tugging the cutting, and pot on once the roots have filled the cylinder.

Q: Can it be used outdoors as well as under cover?
A: Yes, and the black PP is UV-stabilised for it. Roots are kept in the dark, which also stops algae forming on the medium surface in a damp frame.

Q: How is the tray cleaned between batches?
A: Rinse the medium out and wash in a dilute disinfectant, then stack to dry. Keeping the cells free of old root material is what stops disease carrying over from one batch to the next.