Do Microgreen Trays Affect Watering Time?
Share
Do Microgreen Trays Affect Watering Time?
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 looked at the hidden costs trays can create in daily workflow.
In the second article, we measured how long it takes to fill different trays with soil.
In the third article, we looked at tray size and why many growers standardise around the 1020 format.
In the fourth article, we explored how tray depth affects soil use and harvesting.
Next we wanted to test something growers rarely measure directly: how tray design affects watering time.
How We Water Our Microgreens
We bottom water our trays.
Each crop tray with drainage holes sits inside a solid base tray. Water is added to the bottom tray using a hose with a trigger nozzle.
To do this, the top tray needs to be lifted slightly so the nozzle can be inserted between the trays.
When trays separate easily, this can be done with one hand while the other hand holds the hose trigger.
However, some trays tend to stick together when nested into each other. When that happens you often need two hands to separate them.
That becomes awkward when you are also holding the hose trigger. Any sticking slows the process down and can become frustrating when watering a large number of trays.
Timing a Simple Watering Test
To see whether this made a measurable difference, we timed how long it took to water four trays.
We tested two tray types:
- Generic trays
- Bootstrap Farmer trays
Using the same watering method, the results were:
- Generic trays: 28 seconds to water four trays
- Bootstrap Farmer trays: 19 seconds to water four trays
That means the Bootstrap trays were about nine seconds faster for every four trays watered.
The generic trays actually worked reasonably well, but they did tend to stick together more often, which slowed things down slightly.
What Happens Over a Full Growing Week
Nine seconds may not sound like much on its own.
But when we scale that difference to a full growing week, it becomes more noticeable.
On our farm we typically grow about 100 trays per week. Each tray is watered roughly four times during its growing cycle.
Since we water four trays at a time, that works out to about 100 watering actions each week.
| Tray Type | Total Weekly Watering Time |
|---|---|
| Generic trays | About 46 minutes |
| Bootstrap Farmer trays | About 31 minutes |
The difference works out to roughly 15 minutes saved per week.
Small Improvements Compound Over Time
Fifteen minutes might not seem like much at first.
But across a full year that adds up to roughly thirteen hours of labour saved, just from the watering step.
And watering is only one part of the growing process. Tray design also affects filling trays, stacking them during germination, harvesting crops, and cleaning trays after use.
Each small improvement makes the overall workflow a little smoother.
Why Tray Design Still Matters
Our test showed that generic trays can still work reasonably well.
However, trays designed specifically for microgreens tend to separate more easily and handle daily tasks a little more smoothly.
Over weeks and years of production, those small differences can add up.
In the next article we will look at another long term factor growers often overlook: how long microgreen trays actually last.
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
Microgreen Tray FAQ
Does tray design affect watering time?
Yes. If trays stick together when nested, watering can take longer. Trays that separate easily can make the process faster.
Why do some trays stick together?
The shape of some trays cause them to nest tightly when stacked. If the trays have very steep sides, they can wedge together tightly, which slows handling during watering.
Is bottom watering common for microgreens?
Yes. Many growers bottom water microgreens by adding water to the base tray. This allows the roots to absorb water from below and helps keep the crop canopy dry, avoiding mold issues.