Description
The production of strong healthy seedlings is fundamental for large scale forest restoration. Such seedlings are commonly grown at nurseries using plastic pots, which reduce oxygen exchange at the roots, and increase planting shock, when seedlings are removed from the pot to be planted. A good alternative to traditional pots is the use of non-woven bags. They offer great oxygen exchange maximizing nutrient intake, and can be planted directly into the ground, reducing planting shock. One of the problems of these pots is how to handle them in bulk. This tray is designed for that purpose, gaining of our experience producing seedlings to satisfy the following characteristics:1. It can be stacked, reducing cost of storage and shipping.2. Allows to hold bags up to 12" tall, which allows to produce trees with deep roots, giving them an early start when planted.3. It has not cavities. Other designs have cavities and dark spaces, which are used by animals as home. There is no place for bugs to hide in this tray.4. Elevated 1.5" from the ground, which avoid bag's contact with the ground, maximizing air pruning.5. Bags are separated by 1" to reduce bag contact, which causes roots to move from bag to bag. This separation increases oxygen exchange as well, while keeping homogeneous air pruning around the walls of the bags.Tray designed by Camilo Mora