Introduction Most Protea and Banksia seeds germinate very well in nursery flats but flats can be cumbersome and are not amenable to studying different conditions for seed germination due to their large size. Background Research labs use specialized instruments called pipetors for measuring small quantities of liquids. The boxes are made of plastic which can be autoclaved to sterilize.
Empty boxes make excellent miniature hothouses.
We use Fisher brand boxes as they have a hinged lid which is somewhat more convenient than the non-hinged lids. During germination the lids can be kept closed with the boxes in the sun to force high heat and humidity or the lids can be kept open to keep the humidity low. At night the lids can be closed to keep small creatures from digging in the soil or chewing on the seedlings. The boxes are approximately 4 x 3 inches wide and 1.5 inches deep. They are small enough to be stacked in a window sill during the winter if you have freezing temperatures outside.