Humidity trays
 

Metal or plastic?
I need some opinions on making a choice between the two. I'd also like to know if anybody has a good source for these. I really don't want to spend a fortune on these and for the area I have, I'll need to get a few.
Thanks in advance :)

Plastic, no rusting
Metal, no breaking. Argg...
Plastic don't weigh as much.
Some metal trays wont rust i think

Id go with plastic. I didn't even know they sold metal trays

Plastic is what I've thought I go with, but through my online search, I've seen a few metal so I thought I'd better get some opinions. I've even seen some that are hammered copper, specifically orchid humidity trays. They are stunning but awfully expensive.

wouldnt they rust and then turn bright green?

Probably, which is another reason I wouldn't get them, but the pictures with blooming 'chids in them sure make them pretty. :)
http://www.planttrays.com/

I did come up with an inexpensive tray, though. I've searched the net for ones with a decent price but they were way more than I wanted to spend. I have one rack with 2 shelves that are 33x17 and one that is
33 x 8. It would cost a fortune getting enough of the smaller sized trays I've seen. I went out on a mission today and found them. Where else but...Walmart! I got Rubbermaid drawer dividers. They are 16 x 6 and have a small lip along one long edge to hook onto the next one. It'll take 5 each for the big shelves and 2 for the small one. They were only $2.47 each, so I got them really cheap! :) Next step is grids to go over the top, think hubby's gonna make them.

Oh yes, I remember I saw that website from when I was searching for humidity trays. I quickly passed the website after seeing that 1) they were expensive 2)there's no drip tray/grid on top.

I had an idea on how you could make a grid for the plastic trays relatively easily. take some this stuff, cut to size with a utility knife, and then use a big stapler to tack it onto the plastic tray. you could stretch it taut across the top or maybe fold the edges down a little and set it in a bit. it might need a few little supports in the center for the bigger sizes though.

click

Hi Scott, nothing specific came up with that link, just a full page of HD stuff. I was thinking the wire racks that they're now using in closet systems. We also thought of vinyl lattice board but I think the holes would have to be larger than that.

if you search home depot for chicken wire, the first item that pops up is called Green Poultry Fence (Model 090786). I'ts PVC mesh that looks significantly smaller than standard chicken wire in caliber, so it looked like it would work pretty well.

Click the item and you will see under the description store sku#, take that number down and call your local home depot's and see if its a stocked item. It will definitely work for you, you might need to add additional strength to hold the pots solid Galvanized Poultry Netting will support the weight. Galvanized will rust eventually, but will take some time.

You could use hardware cloth, comes in various mesh sizes but it is a bit stronger than chicken wire...

Thanks, I'll look into it. :)

I used plastic seedling flats for mine. Appearance was not so important and they are not moved at all. They last for a very long time, we are talking 4+ years. Using 4 side by side under lights. They are each fitted with an overflow drain and filled with broken clay pcs. The water collects from watering and the excess drains into some plastic pails. On top of the whole set-up is some white plastic egg crate light diffuser for the plants to sit on.

I have most of the plants pulled out for pest spraying, so I'll snap a couple of pics and drop them in my Growing Areas album.

Stirring the pot a little...:fight :fight

There are plenty of people that swear by humidity trays for raising the humidity around a plant. I personally don't think this is a big effect, based on my quick study with my hygrometer. Additionally, Ray has an article on his website about evaporation and humidity that explains that the way to raise humidity is to increase the surface area of the water as much as possible, which means dispersing the water into a very fine mist. A tray may have a surface area of a few square feet, but a cup of water dispersed into a mist has a surface area of thousands of square feet, greatly increasing the rate of evaporation and thus the humidity.

So...despite their lack of benefit as a humidity device, trays I still think are useful for several reasons. First, the biggest benefit, they let you water your plants properly without moving them to the sink. Second, the water may act as an insulator to stabilize the temperature around the plant, especially right at the base of the pot. This is probably most important if you have metal shelves that would otherwise result in big temp shifts since they conduct heat so well. Finally, they allow you to neatly stack and organize your collection.

Anyway, enough of me picking a fight. I'd love to hear everyone else's opinions.

:scratchhead:
Thanks a lot Scott! :)

I think with my conditions, very sunny and very hot, the trays help in keeping the plants happy. Don't know if there's any science to back it up or not but...
that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!:D

Why copper trays? Is it because heat dessipates better in copper than plastic trays?... which then cause the water to evaporate faster?

Hi Tank! Welcome! Nice to see you here :D
I only mentioned the copper trays because they are so beautiful...but logic says that they will begin to change color and I don't like that idea.
I chose the cheap way out...white plastic drawer dividers from WalMart with lattice over the top!
There's no drainage system but since I grow mine on the lanai, evaporation takes care of most of the water build-up. When it doesn't, I just empty them by hand.

We'd love to meet you and talk more about what you grow and how you do it? Why not join us in the chat room some night? We usally start arriving around 8pm est.

Hope to see you there :)

copper humidity tray
 

I did some net surfing, and I found that quite a few Orchid humidity trays that are made of copper. Was it made of copper only for aesthetics and not functionality? If it is, I will avoid copper tray for a plastic tray because plactic won't oxidize. Currently, I am using a 20" x 7" x 3" black aquarium light cover. I turned it upsidedown and used it as a tray with an eggcrate inside.

...and nice to meet you cb977.

Hi Tank Attack,
Hmmmmm, I would imagine that water would evaporate faster in copper trays. Being metal and all, they would conduct heat faster from the environment and heat the water. Maybe. Then again, the faster the evaporation, the faster it will rust!

Aw...you can call me Sue ;)
I really didn't do any research at all into the copper trays...they were just so pretty! Other than that...I know nothing!!! :D

Sue....I started using my unused clay pot and turned them upside down in my humidity trays. The water evaporates so much faster. I just don't know if it necessarily increases humidity though.

Susanne, my husband made us lots of humidity trays (all plastic) before we got our GH. For the top he used the "egg crate' light diffuser panels you use in ceiling lights. It comes 2 x 4 feet panels for about $10 at Home Depot or Lowes. It is strong enought that if you make the section about 1 inch bigger than the tray (length and width) it will support your pots. He cut it using his sabre saw and a fine toothed saw blade and you can make them any size you need. Good luck.

Sandra in South Carolina

This project's already complete...using drawer dividers from Walmart and lattice for the top. We thought of using the ceiling panels that Sandra suggests but for some reason (?) we went with the lattice instead. Worked out perfectly...

I use copper metal trays and strips on the shelves in the shade room. I was told that the sluggs that like our orchids here in Fl don't like the copper. The copper does warm up faster than plastic or even metal pans.

Wally

Have you thought of using eggcrate and cutting to size?

Susanne, your trays are very pretty!

For those who might want something larger, I really recommend the Permanest brand of plant trays. They last practically forever. Hard to find unless you have a really good garden center, but available online - compare prices, they vary a lot online!

I use the fluorescent light eggcrate in them. You can cut it with a strong scissors or a wire cutters, one grid at a time if you don't have a saw.

For something REALLY big, I bought the trays that they sell to go under washing machines. Very big! And I use the wire stacking closet shelves set inside the trays. You can even stairstep them to put the plants in the back higher for easy care and to get them closer to your grow lights.

I did the trays mainly so I could water the orchids and let them drain in place, not to add humidity. I also have a humidifier running in the grow room. However, I have noticed that, when the trays have water in them, the humidifier doesn't run empty nearly as fast as when the trays are dry. So I have to assume that the water is evaporating from the trays (and it does evaporate quite fast) and contributing significantly to the humidity.