Propagation Domes & Trays

Why a humidity dome matters

Until a cutting grows roots, it has no way to replace the water leaving through its leaves. A clear dome sits over the tray and holds that moisture in so the cutting does not dry out before it strikes. AC Infinity put it as a high-humidity environment under a transparent dome that still lets light in and lets you check progress without lifting the lid — and that last part matters, because opening the dome dumps the humidity you just built.

Drainage is the other half. The tray has to hold the cells and catch what drains, without sitting the cuttings in a puddle. Mondi's catch tray is ribbed so extra water runs off the plugs; Garland's netted seed tray does the same job with multiple drainage holes.

What this page stocks

Complete propagator kits

The Garland Standard Solid Propagation Dome & Base Tray Kit is the simple 37.5 x 23cm pair — tray and dome in one. The Stewart Garden Premium Propagator is a compact 38cm indoor unit with an adjustable vent. The Mondi 3-piece vented kit is the one for running a lot of seedlings or cuttings together. The Heat N Grow 3-part set puts a solid black tray under a clear top dome and is sized, by the maker, to sit on a heated propagation mat.

Cell trays with height extensions

If cuttings run tall, look at the AC Infinity kits. Both the 5x8 cell kit and the 6x12 cell XL arrive with a height extension, so you raise the dome instead of buying another one when growth hits the lid. The maker notes the XL as a good match for the Ionbeam S16.

Trays and lids sold separately

A dome usually cracks well before the tray wears out, which is why several parts are sold on their own. The Garland Large High Dome Propagator Lid is a 37.5 x 23 x 12cm replacement that fits Garland large propagator trays. The matching base is the Garland Standard Netted Seed Tray at 37.5 x 23 x 6cm. Ordering those two separately is the usual way to put a taller dome on a standard tray.

Bench and run-off trays

These belong on this page as well, and they are not humidity domes. The Garland Giant Plus Tray is a 120 x 55 x 5cm heavy-duty grow tray; next to it sit 60cm squares, growbag trays, run-off drain trays, pot saucers and RhizoStand pot stands. They catch water under a bench; they do not raise seedlings. Purpose-built flood tables live under flood and drain trays, and pots under pots and trays.

How to choose

1. Start from the tray footprint. This range is built around 37.5 x 23cm, so a lid or tray bought on its own will usually mate with another Garland part.
2. Decide dome height before you count cells. Cuttings reach the lid faster than most people plan for. A height extension or a high dome is cheaper than a second kit.
3. Look for a vent. A vent lets you harden cuttings off a little at a time instead of dumping them into room air. The Stewart propagator has an adjustable vent; the Mondi kit is a vented design.
4. Match the tray to the heat mat. A solid tray on a mat spreads the warmth evenly. The Heat N Grow set is sized for that pairing.
5. Choose a solid base if you want to catch run-off. Netted and lattice trays drain through; a solid tray holds what comes out. Most kits ship one of each.

Cloning stations

A handful of products here are complete cloning stations, not trays: the Sea-Hawk 24 and 48-site stations, the Turbo-Klone T24 through T144, and the EZClone 16 and 64. They root cuttings in aerated water, with no medium and no dome. The proper write-up is on cloning machines. This page is the passive version — a dome and a tray, no pump, nothing to plug in. For a full kit in one box, see propagation kits.