Heated propagators ?

[Kirk]

Rather simple: Do they stay on all the time or do you have them on/off at different times of day, as in day and night.

Thinking I may need one for some peppers.
8 out of 8 tomatoes have germinated, 0 out of 4 peppers.
Thinking a little warmth may help, or not.

[veggiechicken]

Mine's a ?Sankey prop - heated but not temperature controlled. Like this one https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/sankey-p...52cm/p/0445589
I leave it on all the time there are seeds in there but, as soon as they germinate, I take them out.

[mcdood]

Same as VC I have a heated one but not temp controlled. I also Operate it the same way as VC. Peppers will appreciate the extra warmth.

[Kirk]

That is a suprise. Two answers and both the same , I was expecting a 50/50 split.
May go look for one and give it a try.
Not immediate look as it is raining, and I dissolve in the wet.

[veggiechicken]

By the time the rain stops, you'll have a multitude of answers (different of course) so it might be best to go out now!!

[mcdood]

and I dissolve in the wet.

Is emigrating an option

[chillithyme]

I have the same Sankey prop as VC, no temp control, it’s great for germination,before moving seedlings out

[Penellype]

I have a very old Stewart propagator which had the ability to heat, but I think I only ever used it that way once. I find most things germinate just fine in the house - ordinary veg in the (not switched on) propagator in the fairly cool utility room and tomatoes, peppers etc in the warmer spare bedroom, near the radiator.

Being a Yorkshire lass, I don't see the point in spending money on electricity of you don't have to!

[PyreneesPlot]

I have just a couple of heat mats (one A3 made by Tonkey & an ancient A4 one designed for a reptile tank) that I stand various props on and stays on all the time; they have no temp controls.
I remove seedlings into an unheated prop as soon as they germinate.
The heated one is kept out of direct sunlight so the heat is consistent.

[Babru]

I got the Wilko one a few weeks ago.

I find things are germinating a bit faster looking at last year's notes. As suggested, things do still germinate without one (most things, maybe not some specialist seeds), so probably not essential. My geranium cuttings have rooted really quickly though, which is great.

I leave mine on all the time.

[Madasafish]

I have just installed a Parasene 3m heated soil cable in a broken heated propagator - placed on sharp sand inside it with a cheap £10 thermostat control
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PARASENE-...53.m2749.l2649

works a treat - temperature stable at 18-21C..

That means I now have two large heated propagators.. and I may make a third if this apalling weather continues..

[Bren In Pots]

Mine's a ?Sankey prop - heated but not temperature controlled. Like this one https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/sankey-p...52cm/p/0445589
I leave it on all the time there are seeds in there but, as soon as they germinate, I take them out.

Mines the same one, only really uses it early in the season especially for chilli, basil and toms. It does make a difference to germination.

[Urban]

Peppers and chillies definately benefit from a propagator, but they can take ages to germinate even with a propagator, without the heat sometimes they just wont germinate ever

Ive just treated myself to this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Garland-Sup...s%2C148&sr=8-5

Its really nice, as it goes on the windowsill, and has 7 separate little propagator sections I can easily put my different seeds in

I also have a small heated mat, and a heated bed in the greenhouse that will need sorting out soon for my rapidly growing tomato plants

[Mark Rand]

I've got two of the Vitopod heated propagators. They are a conspicuous waste and will probably not pay for themselves while I'm allive (neither will the greenhouses), but that's not the point... One is sitting at 21°C for tomatoes and growing on and the other is sitting at 27°C for chilli germination.

One can get some very nice 150W LED lights on fleabay that are sufficiently water-resistant to go inside the propagators, if you have enough height. Haven't done this yet, but it would cut down on light being reflected off the top of the propagators and any condensation thereon.

[Mark_Riga]

My propagator is in a conservatory and I have to be careful (some years) if we get a sunny day that the seeds/seedlings don't cook.