Help - Electric Propagators

[jlottie]

Invested in a propagator recently, at what stage do you take the seedlings out and repot? I have some geraniums that I put in at the weekend which have sprouted already

[Mrs Dobby]

Depends on the seedling, but usually when they have 2 true leaves, then remove them very carefully! If they are in individual seed tray inserts, then you can do it without handling the plant, but if not then handle them by the very tips of the leaves only!

Hope thats of some help!

[Nicos]

I use mine for germintion only as I use it indoors.
Once growing , I start the next batch off and leave those on the windowsill to slow them down a little.
My main problem is that the seedlings tend to bolt or grow mouldy if I leave them . Maybe my technique is wrong??

[jlottie]

I use mine for germintion only as I use it indoors.
Once growing , I start the next batch off and leave those on the windowsill to slow them down a little.
My main problem is that the seedlings tend to bolt or grow mouldy if I leave them . Maybe my technique is wrong??

Thats what I was worried about Nicos, think I will soon run out of windowsill space very soon.

[Peter]

As soon as the seeds break the surface reduce or remove the heat, assuming it is in the house house, not the greenhouse. Also ensure there is plenty of natural light.

Once germinated the ideal conditions in there result in fantasic growth rates, so calm things down, they will continue to grow unless you make the conditions actually bad.

My squash seedlings germinate almost overnight, then try and escape the lid within a day unless I do this.

Indeed when the OH forced me to use the garage instead of the windowsill one year the yellow leaved white pythons that greeted me on day two were a foot long, climbing things, not seedlings.

[jlottie]

Unfortunately its one of those that I can't reduce the temp ( Santa didn't get it quite right not complaining though )

thanks for the advice

[PAULW]

JLOTTIE
You could remove the cover and just give the seedlings bottom heat, I have found if you leave the cover on although the lid is clear they can get leggy as the lid tends to get steamed up, take the lid of and they dont run away looking for light,

[Nicos]

I wonder what would happen to the seedlings if you just heated them at night when the temperature drops???

[Peter]

Nicos, mine is an on or off, single seed tray type and I seem to get almost overnight germination of most stuff, certainly by the end of the second night.


I must get electricity into my greenhouse at the bottom of the garden, then I can try somthing I've been wanting to do for ages.

Electric propogator
inside
Growbag plastic greenhouse
inside
12'x8' glasshouse.

I hope to germinate in the first and frost-proof the second, using the third for hardening off, gradually moving stuff away from the inner sanctum.

The pessamist in me says I'll need a heater on a thermostat as well to gaurantee frost-proofing though.

[nosferato]

this is my first time using a propogator, so after you have sown seeds in moist compost do you keep watering them or leave them in prop till they shoot. i have pink velvet bannanas,pua keni (perfume flower tree),gardenia kape jasmine and ylang yalng seeds so im not getting any hopes up as i think i amy of bitten off more than i can chew lol.

[Nicos]

Oh my!!....Nosferato where are you living????
Not heard of half of those plants!!- Once germinated you need to lift the top off the propatator so the seedlings don't wilt due to high humidity.
Maybe you need to see where these plants grow..do bananas need high humidity????
Maybe ylang ylang don't ( mine have refused to grow in these warm damp conditions!!!)

[Alison]

I've started some bananas off in a propagator, took ages to germinate though. You don't need to water much as they keep damp from the condenstation and there is always the worry about the seeds rotting. Just take a peak every now and again and I tend to gently mist if they're looking very dry otherwise leave them to it. You are best getting them out though as soon as they do start to sprout as otherwise you risk leggy seedlings.

[kentvegplot]

Hi jlottie, just seen this post (I'm new to the forum). I also have one where you can't change the temperature, so I used a time switch in the mains plug to have it on for 6 hours, then off for 6 etc. Seemed to work well for my spring-raised plants. You could alter those timings to suit the type of conditions you're trying to produce.

[nosferato]

Oh my!!....Nosferato where are you living????
Not heard of half of those plants!!- Once germinated you need to lift the top off the propatator so the seedlings don't wilt due to high humidity.
Maybe you need to see where these plants grow..do bananas need high humidity????
Maybe ylang ylang don't ( mine have refused to grow in these warm damp conditions!!!)

i live in the midlands but wanted some fragrant houst plants so i looked on ebay and saw some seeds for sale hope they grow..

[nick the grief]

i live in the midlands but wanted some fragrant houst plants so i looked on ebay and saw some seeds for sale hope they grow..

Can't see why not, I grow Cacti from seed the main thing is patience something I have little of