Microgreens Trays Review
Garland Microgreens Tray vs. Amazon Tray
This is just my opinion after using them for a few months.
If you’re getting involved in microgreens farming, choosing the right trays is important.
Weight, durability, size, depth, how easy they are to clean – and maybe most of all? – cost – are some of the factors that I look at in this article.
I compare two popular options: the Garland Microgreens Tray and an Amazon Generic Brand Tray.
Both have their strengths, but as you’ll see, one tray stands out in terms of size, durability, and practicality.
Each tray As described by the manufacturer /chatGPT
Garland Microgreens Tray
- Dimensions:
- Length: 56 cm (22 inches)
- Width: 28 cm (11 inches)
- Height: 3 cm (1 3/16 inches)
- Material:
- Durable, tough injection-moulded BPA-free plastic, designed for repeated use.
- Design Features:
- Two-tier holes for optimal watering and drainage.
- Shallow depth facilitates easier crop cutting and optimises yields.
- Four trays fit neatly on a 122 cm (4 ft) x 61 cm (2 ft) shelving unit.
- Usage:
- Ideal for growing microgreens; designed to be used with Garland’s matching reservoir tray (without holes).
Source: Garland Products
Amazon Generic Brand Tray – like Bootstrap Farmer Trays
Key Features
- These are just like bootstrap farmer trays
- Durability and Reusability
- The material is also recyclable, making it an eco-conscious choice for gardeners.
- Each tray measures 50 cm x 25 cm x 8 cm (19.7 inches x 9.8 inches x 3.15 inches).
- Versatile
- The size accommodates standard 20″ x 10″ hydroponic pads and micro mats
- Ideal for various growing applications such as seedlings, sprouts, and microgreens.Generous Size.
- Material:
- Made from high-quality PS polystyrene, these trays are durable, safe, and reusable.
- With a total weight of approximately 2.2 kg for 10 trays, they are lightweight yet sturdy.
From above, the difference in size is obvious, especially in length. The Garland tray offers a larger planting area, making it ideal for those looking to maximise yields.
A larger tray means more room for soil and seeds, ultimately translating into larger yields.
Width differences are also noticeable, and these additional square centimetres can significantly impact your overall harvest.
The extra space provided by the Garland tray is a clear advantage if your goal is to get the most out of your available shelf space.
Durability and Build Quality
Garland Microgreens Tray
The Garland tray is sturdier, made from thicker material that holds its shape even when filled with moist soil and water.
The tray feels durable and robust, making it a reliable choice for frequent use.
It bends much less than the Amazon Brand tray, even under heavy loads.
This structural integrity is a huge plus, especially when working with wet growing mediums like coco coir or soil.
Amazon Generic Brand – like Bootstrap Farmer – Tray
While functional, the Amazon tray is noticeably lighter and flimsier.
I found it bends and twists more than the Garland.
When I lift the tray with one hand and the top tray is fully-loaded with microgreens and the bottom tray laden with water, it can twist quite a bit.
I found water could spill out quite easily if I wasn’t careful, which I have never really noticed with the stronger Garland trays.
For growers who handle multiple trays at a time or need consistent performance, the Garland tray wins for me.
Depth and Drainage
Depth-wise, there’s little difference between the two trays—perhaps less than a centimetre.
This small variation is unlikely to affect planting or watering significantly.
The ridges in the trays and troughs where the water runs are pretty much the same for both and I can’t see it making a difference.
The Garland tray comes with plenty of pre-drilled holes on both the ridges and troughs.
These holes are evenly spaced and sufficient for effective drainage.
The Amazon brand trays seem to come in a variety of different styles and even a mesh sort of system depending on the crop you are growing and style of indoor farming.
I purchased the hole-less version of the Bootstrap Farmer trays and decided to drill the holes myself.
It is a time-consuming task, but the holes I drilled seem to work and I get just as good results as with the Garland trays.
Extra deep trays
Garland offer an extra deep tray – Height: 9.5 cm (4 inches) -which is very useful for blackout and getting some extra length in the growth of the stems of the microgreens.
I’m sure there are plenty of other uses for a tray like this in the hands of an experienced farmer, and although expensive, it does help with the growth of microgreens.
For growers looking for a reliable, durable, and larger tray, the Garland Microgreens Tray is the clear winner.
Its size and sturdiness make it the better choice for anyone serious about maximising yields and long term performance (although,in fairness, how long they endure remains to be seen).
Amazon Brand Farmer Trays remains a good option and I use them every day along with the Garland trays, and I think if you bough Bootstrap you would be very happy with your purchase.
This is just my opinion, and I hope it helped you make your decision.
Good luck with the growing and all the best.
Price comparison
Microgreen Tray Cost Comparison
Garland Trays:
- Cost per tray: £2.99
- Delivery: Free over £75, otherwise £3.99-£9.95 (the company I use in UK)
Amazon Trays:
- Cost per tray: £3.99
- Delivery: Free with Amazon Prime
Garland trays are cheaper per unit, but you have to take delivery costs into consideration.
There is also the benefit of bulk purchase which helps me and other people keep the costs down.
That’s why I would recommend we work together to reap the benefits of multi-purchase buying power.
3 simple steps to
microgreens success
It’s super simple and within 10 days you can enjoy a bumper harvest of fresh as can be microgreens in your own home
1. sow
2. Water
