Hot take: the $10 seed starter kit from the dollar store works just as well as the fancy one

I was sure the cheap trays would crack or not drain right, but after 6 weeks my tomato seedlings are actually bigger than last year when I used the brand name kit from the garden center. The cells are a bit shallow but for starting things like basil and peppers it's totally fine. Anyone else notice the expensive stuff isn't always better?

2 comments

2 Comments

sagea881mo agoTop Commenter

Wait, so you're telling me the dollar store kit actually outgrew the expensive one? That's wild, I gotta see this to believe it. I've always been one of those people who thinks you get what you pay for, especially with gardening stuff, because I've had cheap trays warp in the sun or just fall apart after one season. But if your tomatoes are bigger with the dollar store kit, maybe I've been wasting money all these years. I mean, the cells being shallow does worry me a bit for root growth, but for basil and peppers like you said, that might not even matter. Honestly, hearing this is making me rethink my whole setup for next spring.

faith_thomas1mo ago

Lmao right?? The fancy one had me feeling like a fool when the cheap stuff was literally thriving while my "premium" setup was just... existing. 🤡 I keep waiting for the dollar store tray to melt in the sun but so far it's just vibing.