Skip spacing: seeding every other paperpot cell
Paper chain pots come in 2″, 4″ and 6″ spacing, but you can plant at 8″, 12″ or even 18″ with the same chains. Seed every other cell, or every third cell, then plant the chain as usual. The empty cells go into the ground too.
What spacing do you get?
| Chain | Every cell | Every other cell | Every third cell |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2″ chain | 2″ · 264 plants | 4″ · 132 plants | 6″ · 88 plants |
| 4″ chain | 4″ · 264 plants | 8″ · 132 plants | 12″ · 88 plants |
| 6″ chain | 6″ · 264 plants | 12″ · 132 plants | 18″ · 88 plants |
Common uses: 8″ head lettuce from 4″ chains, and 12″ early cabbage from 6″ chains. If you only have 4″ chains, seeding every third cell also gives 12″.
How the chain sits in the tray
A 264-cell chain folds into the tray in 12 rows. The chain doesn’t run straight along a row: it zigzags up and down the tray two columns at a time. Seeding every other cell along the chain works out to seeding whole rows across the tray. Count rows 1 to 12 from the edge where the chain starts.
Three ways to skip cells
1. A Kwik Klik skip plate (fastest)
A custom top plate for the Kwik Klik Slide with holes only over the cells you want seeded. Seeding is as fast and accurate as a full tray. If 8″ or 12″ plantings are a regular part of your crop plan, a skip plate pays for itself quickly. Email hello@moderngrower.co with your chain spacing and pattern and we’ll match you with the right plate.
2. Tape over a standard plate
Cover the holes over the rows you’re skipping with painter’s tape. It works, but takes setup time and the tape wears out.
3. Seed by hand
Fine for a tray or two, but it adds a lot of labor and gives up the speed of the drop seeder.
Skip plates in action
Farmer Seth Davis, who has used the Paperpot system from Tennessee to British Columbia, walks through seeding every other cell.
More: How to use the Paperpot Transplanter · All tech sheets · Crop guides