Seed starting kits

What actually matters

A specification only helps when you know which job it belongs to, so read each figure against a task. Paper pot tools state their output as a diameter, and the manufacturer lists these figures in centimetres. The paper pot maker has three listed sizes, from 1.2 in (3 cm) to 2.4 in (6 cm), plus 1.9 in (4.75 cm). The widest of those sizes is twice the width of the narrowest. The separate paper pot kit lists a single 2.8 in (7 cm) diameter, so it offers one size rather than three.

Length figures describe how far a tool reaches or how much it can measure. The seedling widger is listed at 7.1 in (18 cm) long with a maximum width of 0.8 in (2 cm). A maximum width of 0.8 in (2 cm) is the widest point the manufacturer gives for that tool. The planting ruler is listed at 39 in (1 m) long, so it spans a full metre in one placement.

A graduation interval is the spacing between the marks on a measuring tool. The dibblet's graduations are listed every 0.4 in (1 cm), so each mark is the same fixed step apart. A finer interval gives smaller steps, and a coarser one gives larger steps.

Material is the specification that says what each tool is made from. The manufacturer lists FSC-certified hardwood for the paper pot maker and FSC certified beech wood for the dibblet and the planting ruler. It lists stainless steel for the seedling widger and galvanized steel, brass and card dividers for the seed organiser. The paper pot kit is listed as FSC-certified bamboo. Galvanized steel is listed alongside brass for the organiser, so that product combines two metals. The organiser's material line also names card dividers, so not every part is metal. Wood, bamboo, steel and brass are different materials, so the material line tells you how the tools differ in kind.

Pack dimensions give the size of the product as packed. The paper pot maker is listed at 6.7 in (17 cm) long, 3.5 in (9 cm) wide and 4.3 in (11 cm) high. The seed organiser is listed at 8.3 in (21 cm) wide, 6.1 in (15.5 cm) deep and 7.5 in (19 cm) high. The manufacturer also lists a weight of 22.4 oz (636 g) for that organiser. The organiser weighs 22.4 oz (636 g) as listed, which is about 1.4 lb.

Metric figures are the manufacturer's own, and the US units on this page are conversions of them. The 4.75 cm size converts to about 1.9 in, so the inch figure is a rounded one. The ruler's length is listed as 1 m and the dibblet marks are 1 cm, so the two share a metric scale. The widger's 0.8 in (2 cm) maximum width is smaller than the 1.2 in (3 cm) pot diameter listed for the smallest paper pot.

Compare like with like, because a pot diameter and a tool length answer different questions. Where a figure is missing for a product, the page leaves it out instead of guessing. Every number here is the manufacturer's statement, and none comes from testing on this site.

Which one for whom

Your situation points to a specification, and the manufacturer's figures help you narrow it down. For paper pots in three widths, the paper pot maker's smallest size is 1.2 in (3 cm) and its largest is 2.4 in (6 cm). If you prefer one fixed size, the paper pot kit lists a single 2.8 in (7 cm) diameter. For work between seedlings, look at the widger's 7.1 in (18 cm) length and 0.8 in (2 cm) maximum width. If you want to space seeds by the centimetre, the dibblet's graduations every 0.4 in (1 cm) are the relevant figure.

For marking a bed edge or a long row, the planting ruler's 39 in (1 m) length is the number to read. To store packets together, compare the organiser's three listed sizes of 8.3, 6.1 and 7.5 in (21, 15.5 and 19 cm). A reader with a narrow shelf will care about the organiser's depth of 6.1 in (15.5 cm). If you carry it between a shed and a bench, its listed weight of 22.4 oz (636 g) is the figure to weigh. To find room for the paper pot maker, compare its pack measurements of 6.7, 3.5 and 4.3 in (17, 9 and 11 cm).

If material matters to you, the manufacturer lists stainless steel for the widger and bamboo for the paper pot kit. A reader who wants a metal tool will find steel in two products, the widger and the organiser. A reader who prefers wood will find FSC-certified hardwood or beech wood listed for three products. For tools you hold, compare the ruler's 39 in (1 m) with the widger's 7.1 in (18 cm). Readers who sow into very small pots will see that 1.2 in (3 cm) is the smallest diameter listed on this page. None of these pairings is a verdict, because each figure only describes one product.

Setup and use

Before anything arrives, you can compare the listed sizes with the shelf or drawer you plan to use. With the paper pot maker, choose one of its three listed diameters before you begin. The kit with the 2.8 in (7 cm) pot diameter offers only that one size. The bamboo paper pot kit and the hardwood paper pot maker both make paper pots, but their listed diameters differ.

Use the dibblet's graduations, spaced 0.4 in (1 cm) apart, to count steps along the tool. Lay the 39 in (1 m) planting ruler along a row to read distances in one pass. Read the 1 cm dibblet scale and the 1 m ruler together, since both are metric figures. The widger's maximum width of 0.8 in (2 cm) is the limit to keep in mind as you work between seedlings.

The organiser's listed weight is 22.4 oz (636 g), which is the figure to think about when you move it. Setting up is mostly a matter of matching these listed figures to the task in front of you.

Questions and answers

What do the pot diameter figures on a paper pot maker tell you?

They are the pot widths the manufacturer lists for each paper pot product. The paper pot maker has three listed sizes between 1.2 and 2.4 in (3 and 6 cm). The paper pot kit lists one size of 2.8 in (7 cm).

Which materials do these tools list?

The manufacturer lists wood, bamboo, stainless steel and galvanized steel across the six products. The organiser also lists brass and card dividers. The widger is the stainless steel product in the group. The paper pot maker's hardwood and the kit's bamboo are both listed as FSC-certified.

How big are these tools, and what does each one measure?

Each product lists different dimensions, such as length, width, depth or pack size. The ruler is listed at 39 in (1 m), and the widger at 7.1 in (18 cm). Only the seed organiser lists a weight, at 22.4 oz (636 g).