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  • #1

    Heated propagator to cold house

    Hello,

    I got some strawberries and physalis started in a basic heated propagator. I now have a few seedlings of each peeking above the soil with their seed leaves. Reading other posts on the forum, I can see that the advice is usually to whip them out of the propagator at this stage so that they don't become leggy. I'd also like to get some other seeds started that are unlikely to germinate otherwise. My concern is that I live in a very cold house and I can't afford to heat it when I'm out (unless there's a significant freeze that is going to damage my pipes). It's frequently cold enough for me to see my breath inside when I get home from work, although it is presumably a bit warmer while the sun is up during the day.

    Should I pull the trays out and put them in a light spot on windowsill over a radiator so that they get some warmth from that of an evening and some warmth from the sun during the day? Should I leave them in the propagator but with the heat off? Or will that risk them being too damp? Do I need to just accept the cost of leaving one radiator on during the day?

    Thanks in advance for the advice.
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  • #2
    Light, Light and don't chill them
    Get them on the Window. South Facing.
    Bring them into the room at night is the window gets very cold. 9 out of 10 should be ok.

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    • #3
      Okay, they are now out of the propagator and in a southish facing window - I've put them on top of an up-turned window-box so they don't get shaded by the window frame. They're over a radiator, so will stay fairly warm when I'm at home.

      I was going to go outside to get some compost to start warming in the propagator ready for some new sowings tomorrow. Then I realised I was in my dressing gown and it had probably better wait until tomorrow!

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      • #4
        They don't look like they've done too well with the transfer. The soil was moist when I went to bed last night, but is really dry this evening despite the heating having been off. I can barely see the strawberry seedlings any more because they were tiny to begin with and have now wilted. Soaking the trays from the bottom now and hoping for the best!

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        • #5
          Personally had poor results with strawberries from seed last year, lost 95%, compared to asparagus that 95% survived. Runners only to me now. Hope you do better

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          • #6
            I had a good germination rate last year, then they all seemed to stall and die. This year, I wanted to try two varieties, but I seem to have misplaced my second (hardier) variety. Very frustrating, as I have spce in my propagator now I've moved the other things out. I had a bit of a speed-tidy before a short-notice visitor, and I'm a bit worried they could have accidentally got chucked. I was banking on the second variety actually resulting in me getting some plants!

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            • #7
              I found my other strawberry seeds - I'd put them in the freezer because that's supposed to improve their germination rates. I can plant them tomorrow
              Last edited by self-contained; 06-03-2018, 08:56 PM.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by self-contained View Post
                I had a good germination rate last year, then they all seemed to stall and die. This year, I wanted to try two varieties, but I seem to have misplaced my second (hardier) variety. Very frustrating, as I have spce in my propagator now I've moved the other things out. I had a bit of a speed-tidy before a short-notice visitor, and I'm a bit worried they could have accidentally got chucked. I was banking on the second variety actually resulting in me getting some plants!
                Thats exactly what happened to my strawberry seedlings last year

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