General Hydroponics Rapid Rooter Tray | 50 Cell Plug Tray with 1.5 in Plugs

Rapid Rooter Tray for a Full Round of Hydroponic Starts

A full round of lettuce, herb or tomato starts for a hydroponic system can begin in this one tray. It is a 50-cell plug tray supplied with 50 Rapid Rooter plugs, each 1.5 in round with a pre-formed hole. The plugs are sphagnum peat moss and composted tree bark in a soft foam-bound sponge, soil-free and chemically neutral. There is no buffering step, only a soak of about 2 hours in water balanced near pH 6.0. Squeeze each plug 4 to 5 times as it soaks, then press out the excess until it is damp but not dripping. Back in the cells, the tray sits in a solid 10 x 20 in flat with no more than 1/4 in of water underneath. A humidity dome, 75 to 80°F and 16 to 18 hours of light carry it through germination or rooting. The packaged tray measures 21 x 11 x 2.5 in and weighs about 3.3 lb. General Hydroponics builds the media to support beneficial microbial activity around new roots. Short tip cuttings and seeds both work in the same cells.

Running a Rapid Rooter 50 Cell Plug Tray From Seed to Transplant

Seeds go one or two to a hole, capped with a small piece torn from a spare plug to keep them dark. Take the dome off as soon as the seedlings show. For clones, cut a growing tip on an angle, strip the lower leaves and dip the end in rooting gel. Seat the stem so damp media touches it all the way round, since an air pocket leaves the cut dry. Labeling rows by variety at sowing saves confusion later, because young starts look alike. Overwatering is the usual way a tray like this goes wrong, so let the plugs lighten slightly between top-ups. Roots usually push through the sides or bottom of the plugs within one to three weeks. Each plug then lifts out of its cell and goes straight into a net pot, coco, soil or another hydroponic system. Feed a diluted nutrient solution once the young plants are moved. The empty cell tray takes Rapid Rooter replacement plugs for the next round.

Key Features

• 50 Plugs Supplied: The cell tray comes with a full set of 1.5 in round plugs, each with a pre-formed hole.
• Peat and Composted Bark: A soft sponge of sphagnum peat and tree bark that holds water and air.
• Soil-Free, pH Neutral: No buffering step, just a soak in water near pH 6.0 before use.
• Seeds or Cuttings: The same cells start lettuce, herbs and tomatoes or root tip cuttings.
• Transplants Whole: Each plug lifts out and moves into a net pot, coco or soil without disturbing roots.
• Refillable: Rapid Rooter replacement plugs fit the same cells for the next round.

Technical Specifications