Tray-carrying structures, not shelving
A propagation rack or trolley is chosen on three figures: the number of standard trays it takes, the clear height between tiers, and the load rating per tier once the trays are saturated with water.
What this section actually covers
Four references appear here, and they do not form a homogeneous range: two propagation trolleys, a rack cover which is a microclimate accessory rather than a structure, and a complete shelf-growing system, listed by the supplier as available to order. The latter belongs to project work: budgets run from under one hundred and fifty euros excluding VAT for the dome to more than eight thousand.
Two points change a purchasing decision: both trolleys are unheated, bottom heat being handled by separate equipment; and these references are sourced to order, delivered on a pallet, with the lead time stated on the quotation.
Tray capacity and clear height between tiers
Capacity is expressed in standard trays: five for the trolley with integrated lighting, sixteen for the enclosed mobile trolley as for the rack cover. That figure only means something in relation to the tray format actually used in the workshop: compatibility is verified before ordering.
Clear height between tiers is the trade-off between density and workability. A tight tier spacing maximises the number of trays per square metre of floor, but it prevents a gloved hand from passing under the tier above and brings the lighting closer to the canopy; a generous spacing makes the work easier and costs trays. The trade-off depends on how long batches stay in place.
Real mobility and load rating
A trolley is only mobile if the building allows it. The points to measure before ordering:
- castor diameter and floor type: castors of a dozen centimetres will cross a threshold, small ones jam against it;
- clear width of doors, corridor corners and turning circle when fully loaded;
- brakes, essential as soon as the trolley doubles as a work surface;
- load rating per tier: a cell tray saturated with water weighs several kilograms, and the load accumulates;
- corrosion resistance: a galvanised steel structure takes a humid atmosphere far better than painted steel.
Enclosed structure or open frame
An open frame shares the room's climate: washable and easy to inspect, but it assumes a room whose humidity is already controlled. An enclosed structure, cover or dome, creates a local high-humidity microclimate around the trays and decouples rooting from the general climate; magnetic closures prevent the partial openings that ruin uniformity. In exchange, it has to be watched: with no air exchange, permanent humidity favours collar diseases, and an antimicrobial coating limits the risk without removing it.
Disinfection between batches therefore remains the decisive measure: it assumes a structure that comes apart or can be washed in place, with no inaccessible corners. What everyday language calls a growing shelf is sized here for repeated loading and repeated cleaning.
For non-professional use, Probox Propagator mini-greenhouses and trays, domes and propagation accessories are on an entirely different scale. On the lighting side, professional lighting is fitted to structures supplied without it. This section forms part of professional propagation.
