The Poms Budget Float Tray System From Scrap

[Markw]

Well it is so hard to find a float tray on the other side of the pond. So I had to make my own. I put a few pictures on my grow blogg of the first one I made. But over the summer I was looking at making it easier for anyone to make one themselves so I have tried most things on how you can make one out of scrap materials

This was the picture of the float tray system in the propagator

And these were what the little cups looked like. You notice it was designed and I left the blue drink drinking bit on.

So after this summer I have worked on something easy that can be built out of scrap, all you need is the following items.

Something that floats it is best to use a closed cell material, a drill and hole cutter, a rule,, some coconut fibre, some old cases from the skip or the dump, some old plastic bottles.



Cut the plastic bottle down to the height that you require and remove all the screw on top and rubbish. Role up a small piece of coconut fibre and insert in the neck of the plastic bottle and fill with your preferred growing medium.
and then launch your float tray.


The one on the right is the one I used for testing this year as you can see it is full with spring onions and lettuce for the new year.Growing with a float tray is far better than starting them in pots

 

[darren1979]

Looks good Mark, I like the use of coconut as a Wick. What did you feed them on? I may have to steal I mean borrow this idea lol

 

[jekylnz]

Big slabs of polystyrene works well if you can get it..drill holes for whatever pots or cups then float it in water trays..

 

[Brown Thumb]

I like this idea . Its Got my brain swirrling, I am lacking coconuts
It is bigger than the small trays and a little smaller than the med trays,
I have a change in sprouts this coming yr.
Thanks. MarkW

 

[Markw]

Looks good Mark, I like the use of coconut as a Wick. What did you feed them on? I may have to steal I mean borrow this idea lol

I use Chempak number 2 or 3 you should be able to get this for about £4 a pack, I also add Epson Salts to my mix

http://www.thompson-morgan.com/gard...empak-fully-balanced-feed-formula-3/kww2551TM

 

[Markw]

I forgot to mention, Chempak NPK No 2 is 25:15:15 and No 3 is 15:15:15. when setting this up you weigh you pot with moist compost and allow extra for the weight of the plant. you can then calculate the spacings or thickness of your float material, if you get it wrong it will sink !! also you will need to check the PH of the feed water.
The good thing with using old bottles is you can lift them out and move them around is you so wish.or if you muck up your dirt mix let it dry out.

 

[Dean]

I have been using 8 cell seedling trays set in a cut down foam box, holds 10 of these so 80 to the box. I punch a 1/4" hole in all four sides 1/2" from the bottom. Level stays at a constant and every few days is drained out easily by tilting the box and refreshed with water or nutrient. If there is interest I will take a few piccies.

cheers

 

[Markw]

Hi Dean yes please post a picture, I only decided on using the plastic bottles as they are easy to clean and sterilise . I use them all year round so they could be cleaned quite a few times.

 

[Dean]

Nothing wrong with it if it is working well.

I am a frugal bastard as well and have used what was on hand.

The box with cells



Holes in box on all four sides incase some block up. it holds around 4 litres of water, and or 4l is needed for a watering with some standing



its that simple. if you want to feed use nutrient if not just use water.

this tray and a couple more like it have seen a good 12 months of work and have started all my veg and baccy from carrots to tomatoes, the only thing that didn't like it was cabbage family.

Pardon the stare of them this one is not in use as it dried out, it used to be full of baccy plants. 3 40deg days and 18 hour shifts will do that

cheers

Dean.

 

[leverhead]

Mark, I like it! You've got me thinking now, I guess the 2014 season has started.

 

[Dean]

Mark, I was just pondering the system I have in place and if I was in an enclosed greenhouse situation where nutrients are at a premium cost wise I would add some hose to the drain holes and pump back in like a closed hydroponic system. Used to work in a shop that sold that sort of stuff even though none of it benefited me.

a recirculating nutrient system could be set up very easily, you commented that ph makes a difference to growth so I will assume some horticulture knowledge of hydroponics. I would think it would make a difference to my plants too but have found tap water at neutral where I hive is ok, I usually mix rain and tap for a ph of 6.

 

[Markw]

Hi there Leverhead. I think the season never stops, there is always something to do it just keeps rolling over each year .


Dean yes I did try a solar pond pump for a few weeks this year but it's just the extra cost. I even tried a aquarium bubble matt to try to get more air to the root system I think the most important thing is that there is space for the roots to grow down into the water.

Don't know how the picture of the rocket stove got on here ???

 

[Dean]

Mate what you see in my piccies are as complicated as it gets, I hand water. Fill em up to the level needed, although this year I will have a mains power pump set up for times I am at work overextended days. If I don't have this I will loose my second crop, I can't afford for that to happen. The same setup has grown me all I ever want from a veg garden and all my baccy.
i think it is a proven method like yours only slightly diff.

hoarses for coarses use what works and on hand that is my motto.

cheers

Dean

 

[jekylnz]

Hi there Leverhead. I think the season never stops, there is always something to do it just keeps rolling over each year .


Dean yes I did try a solar pond pump for a few weeks this year but it's just the extra cost. I even tried a aquarium bubble matt to try to get more air to the root system I think the most important thing is that there is space for the roots to grow down into the water.

Don't know how the picture of the rocket stove got on here ???

I thought the stove was your new idea how to run your flue chamber lol..

 

[bonehead]

why don't you just build an ebb+flow table with a cheap aquarium pump and a timer? if you do be careful once the seedlings get established they will go wild. i grow leaf lettuce in three weeks till harvest. it is easy to get your plants to big to quick and still have freezing tempratures.

 

[Aaron]

This is a bit off topic but I see talk of a rocket stove and joking about making it a flue chamber. That made me laugh because I've been thinking about building a small rocket mass kiln.

 

[Markw]

Hi Aaron firstly I love the pipe a lot of hard work has gone into making that lovely pipe. I think a rocket stove would work for a fire curing chamber but I think controlling the temperature would be the hardest thing to overcome. I was only looking at making one for baking bread and cooking yet another thing to keep me busy Lol.

 

[Aaron]

Thanks Mark I've only experimented with small rocket stoves made of fire brick but I was thinking of using a small rocket stove with a large cob mass to store the heat. I'll try to gather my thoughts on this and start a different thread soon.

 

[Markw]

That might be a good idea Aaron on starting a thread. I have looked at Cob for storage i am not sure at what temperatures you would need to get up to. The thing is to scrub out as much heat as possible into the storage.