Are Heavy-Duty Microgreen Trays Worth It? We Timed the Difference

This article is part of our Microgreen Tray Guide, where we explore how tray design affects workflow, soil usage, durability, and long-term costs on a microgreens farm.

In the first article, we talked about the hidden cost of microgreen trays. The purchase price might seem important at the start, but the real cost shows up in how trays behave in your daily workflow.

So we decided to test something simple: how long does it actually take to fill different trays with soil?

At first, we assumed the difference would be small. A tray is a tray, right?

How Long Does It Take to Fill Microgreen Trays?

We filled five trays of each type using the same soil, the same person, and the same filling process.

The result surprised us. It took two minutes to fill five Bootstrap Farmer trays and three minutes to fill five generic trays. That extra minute may not sound like much, but over hundreds of trays each week, it adds up fast.

Colour-Coded Trays Save Time and Reduce Errors

Another huge time saver is the option to choose tray colours. With Bootstrap Farmer trays, you can select different colours for tops and bottoms. For example, we use black trays for “no holes” and other colours for the tops. This way, when trays are washed and stacked, it’s immediately obvious which trays go where.

Before using coloured trays, it could take up to half an hour every week just to sort our trays after washing. Even then, mistakes sometimes slipped through: If we got a no holes tray on top, the crop got no water and if we got a with holes tray on the bottom, water poured all over the shelf, sometimes wasting crops.

Colour-coding makes it simple. If your trays match like a “licorice stack” – holes and no holes alternating correctly, you don’t even need to think about it. Sorting becomes fast, intuitive, and error-free. And if you grow under sunlight, light-coloured tops can prevent scorching while still keeping your system easy to manage.

The Real Cost Over Time

All of this – filling time, sorting, and error reduction – saves us real labour each week. When we calculated the long-term costs, even though Bootstrap Farmer trays cost more upfront, the time saved meant they paid for themselves well before the generic trays needed replacing.

See our cost comparison and 10-year calculation to see exactly how much extra work generic trays can cost over time.

Why Durable Trays Make Sense

Good trays don’t just save time; they reduce frustration. You don’t have to constantly think about fixing problems, separating stuck trays, or compensating for uneven stacking. Over hundreds of trays every week, these small efficiencies make a huge difference.

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Microgreen Tray Guide

• Part 1: The Hidden Cost of Microgreen Trays
• Part 2: Are Heavy Duty Microgreen Trays Worth It? We Timed the Difference
• Part 3: What Size Microgreen Tray Should You Use?
• Part 4: How Deep Should Microgreen Trays Be?
• Part 5: Do Microgreen Trays Affect Watering Time?
• Part 6: How Long Do Microgreen Trays Last?
• Part 7: How to Choose the Best Microgreen Tray System

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Microgreen Tray FAQ

Do heavy-duty trays really save time?

Yes. Over weeks and months, the combination of faster filling, easier handling, colour-coded sorting, and fewer mistakes adds up. Even if they cost more upfront, they often pay for themselves through labour savings and reduced crop waste.

Are colour-coded trays necessary?

They’re not essential, but they make life much easier. Colour coding helps you quickly identify tray types, keeps your system consistent, and prevents mistakes that can lead to wasted crops.

Can I use shallow trays for my microgreens?

Yes, shallow trays are perfect for most microgreens. They save soil, make harvesting easier, and still provide enough depth for healthy roots. Check out our Bootstrap Farmer shallow trays for a good example.