Is a heated propagator really worth it?

[uulwyn]

Hi all,

A question, what is everyone's thoughts on a heated propagator.

Is it worth the expense to run it, all for a few early seeds, or do you think it's a waste of money, and you could get the same results with a pot with clingfilm over it on your windowsill?

I am just interested to know, as I know they are no expensive to buy, but leaving it on worries me with the cost of electricity nowadays.

Thanks all

[marathon]

well worth the money.

I have a polytunnel so I'm about 4/5 weeks ahead with my sowings for crops for the tunnel but I would still say i wouldn't be without one. Mine cost £14.00 in B&Q it's not very big so I have to plan what can go in when but it just means I have more success with earlier sowings and seeds that need a warmth to germinate.

I grow a lot of peppers and they come up in no time where as my Mother's take an age and she is without a propagator.

Even though I'm pleased that I got one you can grow loads without one.

[Hans Mum]

i'm with marathon..... i got the B&Q one on offer this year for about a tenner and its been worth it, seeds seem to pop up in no time, then I move them onto a warm window sill and put the next lot in it, not sure about electric consumption but i had mine on for a couple of months non stop and my bill didnt make me shudder any more than it usually does

[zazen999]

I didn't use mine last year but this year I have a greenhouse so I might use it again.....

[Flummery]

I've never used one. I live in the northern half of the UK so we have 'weather conditions' here! However, I find a poly bag and a sunny sill all I need.

[rustylady]

Well worth it. I have a small one (seed tray size) and it lives on my kitchen windowsill in early spring. I start things off several seeds in each 3 and a half inch pot, and once germinated acclimatize them to room temperature.

[Two_Sheds]

Well worth it. I never thought I'd say that, being as tight as a cat's ...

I got 2 from eBay for about £25. Absolutely invaluable for starting tomatoes, chillies and celeriac. Seeds propagate in days, rather than sitting around (possibly rotting) for weeks.

btw.... I only have 2 south-facing windowsills. If you have more than me, you might get away with clingfilm only

[HotStuff]

It may well depend on what your trying to grow, but I wouldn't be without mine for my Chillies

[gadgetman]

If you're a serious grower, or intend to grow anything that are fragile to damping off, then I cant praise my Stewarts with temperature thermostat control.

Set a temp, and simply walk away! Mine kept it nice and humid, whilst the lid didnt get too moist.

Otherwise the cheaper way I started off with is a timer unit and a small heated prop. It's an OK method, by I lost all my strawberry seedlings using this method - hence getting the temp control one.

[Alison]

I've got a couple of simple ones which are dead useful in the early season. They're only cheapo ones with no thermostatic control but I find them brill for peppers, chillis, aubergines etc. Only use them where needed and don't bother putting beans or anything like that in them though. Also I only use mine for germination and pull the seedlings out as soon as they've germinated and put them on the window ledge otherwise I find they can get rather leggy.

[Snadger]

I have one and use it from Christmas continually until about March. I plan my seed sowing so that one lot goes in as one lot comes out. Invaluable I would say for early leeks,onions,toms and peppers to name but a few!

[Wren]

I got mine for a tenner in B&Q end of last year . I don't think i would have bothered but for the fact that they were on special offer. I am so glad i did! It uses hardly any electric, 15 watts o power if i remember rightly, and germination speeds are super fast. Things that took 10 days or so to germinate are through within a few days, and brassica's are often through within a day or two of sowing them! I were particularly impressed with the large squash seeds that normally take an age but were through in 3 days instead.
I might invest in another one this year. Don't be fooled into paying lots of money for the ones with extra frills and buttons though, my one has no thermostatic controls or any other buttons, its just a plain ol heated one, with a simple sliding air vent an gives my great results no matter what i put in it.
This is where retailers like B&Q and Focus come into their own if you ask me, i have seen them in mags,catalogues, posh garden centres for silly money. I am not tight, but i am not made of money either and I refuse to pay over 20 quid for one no matter if it is all singing an dancing. My plain , no frills electric one for a tenner works just as good as the posh ones.

Wren

[rana]

Get as big a propagator as you have space for as the larger models have more 'head' space. I bought a large Sankey electric propagator at a car boot sale for a fiver nearly ten years ago and it's still going strong so expect many years of service from your investment.

[Flummery]

Well, as the only person who has replied and hasn't ever seen the need for one (I get good germination from chillies and toms with a poly bag) I must add that I DO consider myself a serious grower!

[basketcase]

Well, as the only person who has replied and hasn't ever seen the need for one (I get good germination from chillies and toms with a poly bag) I must add that I DO consider myself a serious grower!

Wasn't going to say anything, as I'm fairly new to this growing veg lark so don't count as a 'serious grower', but...

I'm in Aberdeen - where the weather is even more 'conditional' - I put everything in plastic takeaway containers and other improvised propagators (plus, I confess a VERY simple, unheated propagator) on my windowledges and practically everything came up. It was a bit embarrassing, really, because it wasn't supposed to and I'd nowhere to put half the stuff.

Mind you, doesn't look as if I'd be likely to grow anything that needed special conditions.