Grower pulling the Paperpot Transplanter along a bed beside a greenhouse
Paperpot Starter Kit · Made in Japan transplanter

Pro-Series Paperpot Transplanter Starter Kit

5.0 out of 5 · 5 reviews

The whole Paperpot system in one order: the original Japanese transplanter plus the chains, trays and seeding tools to plant your first 75 chains. Seed, grow and plant without buying anything else.

$2,235.00
$2,593.00 Save $358

  • Everything to seed, grow and plant. The transplanter plus chains, trays, the Opening Kit, Dibble Board and Kwik Klik Slide.
  • 75 paper chains to start. A full case of 6 in chains: 19,800 transplants.
  • Plant a 100 ft bed in about 15 minutes. Standing up, one row per pass.
  • Costs less than buying the pieces. The kit price is below the parts bought one by one.
What's in the kit

Paperpot Transplanter · 75 paper chain pots, 6 in spacing (one full case) · 20 Germination Trays · 20 Solid Bottom Trays · Opening Kit (Spreader Bars and Spreader Frame) · Dibble Board · Kwik Klik Slide seeding kit with 1.5 × 2.5 mm, 3 × 3 mm and 3 × 5 mm seed plates and a bottom plate.

Free shipping on orders over $25 in the Lower 48 · Most orders ship within 24 hours

  • 264 Transplants per paper chain
  • 15 min To plant a 100 ft bed
  • 2 · 4 · 6 in In-row spacing, or 8 and 12 in with skip seeding
  • 5 rows Up to five rows in a 30 in bed
How it works

Four steps from seed to planted bed

Open the chain Spreader bars pull a compressed paper chain open over the spreader frame, ready for a tray. Fill and seed Fill with mix, dibble every cell with the Dibble Board, then seed all 264 cells at once with the Kwik Klik Slide. Grow out Germination Trays sit in Solid Bottom Trays so you can water from below. Most crops are ready in about four weeks. Pull and plant Load the tray into the transplanter and walk the bed. It opens the furrow, drops the chain and covers it in one pass.
In the box

Everything in the kit

Every piece of the Paperpot system, from opening a chain to planting it. Each item links to its own page if you want to read more or buy extras later.

Already have trays and tools?

If you're replacing a transplanter or already own the seeding tools, get the Paperpot Transplanter on its own.

See the Transplanter →
Pick your chain

Which chain for which crop?

Chain spacing and rows per 30 in bed for the crops our growers plant most. Seeding every other cell turns a 4 in chain into 8 in spacing and a 6 in chain into 12 in.

All 19 crop guidesSkip spacing guide
For a 100 ft by 30 in bed. Source: Paperpot Growers Notes.
Crop Chain spacing Rows per bed
Basil 6 in 3
Beets 6 in 4
Bunching onions 6 in 4
Cabbage 6 in, every other cell (12 in) 3
Cilantro 2 in 3
Dill 2 in 5
Fennel 6 in 4
Garlic 6 in 5
Head lettuce 4 in, every other cell (8 in) 3
Kohlrabi 6 in 4
Leeks 6 in 2
Little Gem lettuce 6 in 4
Mesclun mix lettuce 6 in 4
Onions 6 in 5
Snap peas 2 in 2
Salad turnips 4 in 5
Spinach 2 in 4
Storage radishes 6 in 4
Summer crisp lettuce 6 in 4

Specs at a glance

Paper chains included
75 chains, 6 in spacing: 19,800 transplants
Trays included
20 Germination Trays and 20 Solid Bottom Trays
Kwik Klik seed plates
1.5 × 2.5 mm, 3 × 3 mm and 3 × 5 mm, plus a bottom plate
Transplanter size, assembled
12 in wide × 84 in long
Handle height
Adjusts from 32 to 44 in
Transplanter weight
About 35 lb
Construction
All steel
Made in
Japan
Plants
Paper chain pots, 2, 4 or 6 in spacing (8 or 12 in with skip seeding)
Rows
One row per pass; 2 to 5 rows in a 30 in bed
Best soil
Light soil with good tilth in the top 3 in
Assembly
Under 30 minutes

Guides and documents

Learn the system

Guides from paperpot.co

Step-by-step guides and crop notes live on paperpot.co, our Paperpot learning site.

Starter Kit questions

More answers in the full Paperpot FAQ, or email hello@moderngrower.co.

Do I need anything else to get started?

Just potting mix and seed. The kit covers everything else: the transplanter, 75 paper chains, trays, the Opening Kit, Dibble Board and Kwik Klik Slide with seed plates.

How fast is it?

A grower can plant a 100 ft bed in about 15 minutes. Each chain holds 264 transplants, and the transplanter plants one row per pass.

How far do 75 chains go?

Each 6 in chain has 264 cells and plants about 139 ft of row. With four rows in a 30 in bed, 75 chains plant about 26 beds of 100 ft.

Why are the chains all 6 in spacing?

Six-inch chains cover the widest range of crops, and many growers run everything on one spacing to keep things simple. Add 2 or 4 in chains for crops like spinach, cilantro or salad turnips.

How much potting mix will I need?

A yard of potting mix fills about 150 trays, give or take 10.

What soil does it work in?

It works best in light soil with good tilth in the top 3 in. Wet, heavy clay makes it harder to pull and can keep the furrow from closing well, so prep the bed well before planting.

Which crops can I plant with it?

Lettuce, salad mix, spinach, beets, onions, leeks, garlic, herbs, peas, turnips and more. The chart above shows chain spacing and rows per bed for 19 crops, with full notes on paperpot.co.

How long does assembly take?

Under 30 minutes. The assembly guide walks through it step by step.

Can I use paper chain pots on a certified organic farm?

Paper-based planting pots were added to the USDA National List in late 2022. Check with your certifier before you use them.

The original transplanter

The Japanese-made Paperpot Transplanter that's been planting market gardens for more than 30 years.

Help from Paperpot users

Questions go to people who run the system. hello@moderngrower.co · 877-850-1555

Ships from the US

In stock, with most orders out within 24 hours. Free shipping over $25 in the Lower 48.

About the Pro-Series Paperpot Transplanter Starter Kit

The Pro-Series Paperpot Transplanter Starter Kit is the complete Paperpot system in one order. It pairs the original Japanese Paperpot Transplanter with the paper chain pots, trays and seeding tools to plant your first 75 chains, so a new grower can seed, grow and plant without sourcing anything else.

What's in the kit

The Paperpot Transplanter, one full case of 75 paper chain pots in 6 in spacing, 20 Germination Trays, 20 Solid Bottom Trays, Spreader Bars and a Spreader Frame for opening chains, the Dibble Board, and the Kwik Klik Slide seeding kit with 1.5 × 2.5 mm, 3 × 3 mm and 3 × 5 mm seed plates and a bottom plate.

How the system works

Spreader bars and the spreader frame open each compressed chain over a germination tray. Fill the cells with potting mix, dibble every cell with the Dibble Board, then seed all 264 cells at once with the Kwik Klik Slide. Trays grow out in Solid Bottom Trays for bottom watering, and most crops are ready in about four weeks. At planting time, load the tray into the transplanter and walk the bed: it opens the furrow, lays the chain and closes the soil in one pass. A grower can plant a 100 ft bed in about 15 minutes, standing up.

Spacing and crops

Six-inch chains suit most crops, and seeding every other cell gives 12 in spacing for cabbage and other larger plants. Growers plant lettuce, salad mix, beets, onions, leeks, garlic, herbs, fennel, kohlrabi and more, two to five rows in a 30 in bed.