Best Pot Type in Propagator?

[veg4681]

As my seeds germination are taking frustratingly long , I'm now starting to question the wisdom of using individual 3" pots. Anybody also using the 3" pots in a heated propagator with poor results? At the moment, I'm only using the heated propagator for aubergines, peppers and tomato (tough nuts are they are) and maybe a melon but everything else are germinating so fine on window sill or boiler room.

[Alison]

Germinating aubergines, peppers and chillies in small newspaper pots but have used 3" ones in the past with no problems. However for the last couple of years I've used the small paper ones with a single seed in each which I then transplant into 3" pots when they get their second leaves, uses less compost and less valuable propogator space as well as meaning that I don't have to handle the seedlings when I pot on the first time as I used to put 2 or 3 in each larger pot.

[smallblueplanet]

We use small celled modules, one seed per cell. Compost doesn't go 'sour' thru being too big a pot and you can fit more in the prop.

[veg4681]

We use small celled modules, one seed per cell. Compost doesn't go 'sour' thru being too big a pot and you can fit more in the prop.

Sorry does compost go bad over time e.g. over 2 weeks or so . I think I recycled some from the pots of the ditched aubergines. The new batch of aubergines and peppers are in a shallow, chilled food plastic pots.

[smallblueplanet]

I believe so, but I don't know a time scale. (Actually we've some odd bits of fungus growing on some of our pepper seeds cells atm. But I think that it might be due to using old compost. Oh well won't do it again!)

Perhaps its an 'ol gardeners' tale? But it certainly doesn't do plants any good to 'over-pot' them and it also wastes compost.

[shirlthegirl43]

Try pre-germinating the pepper and tomato seeds - that way you know they are starting to grow before you put them into the compost. they can take a good few weeks though.

[veg4681]

Try pre-germinating the pepper and tomato seeds - that way you know they are starting to grow before you put them into the compost. they can take a good few weeks though.

Yeah that's one way of doing it as you don't get to hog the limited propagator space. Is this the method of wrapping the seeds in wet kitchen paper towel to check for seeds viability. I must admit that I've taken the risky route of sowing only 1 seed per pot as I have limited seeds for some tomato, pepper and aubergine variety acquired via swaps .

In the past I've sowed a lot more seeds than I actually needed for higher germination rate but have hated throwing away the surplus seedlings when 80-90% seeds germinated. It was alright in the old days when I was growing only one variety of tomato etc.

[rustylady]

If you're using three inch pots, make sure the compost is moist (not soaking wet or too dry). I use 3 inch pots for individual seeds of marrow, courgette etc (large seed), but I sow around ten or twelve tomato or chilli seeds in one three inch pot and then prick them out when they have germinated.

[veg4681]

If you're using three inch pots, make sure the compost is moist (not soaking wet or too dry). I use 3 inch pots for individual seeds of marrow, courgette etc (large seed), but I sow around ten or twelve tomato or chilli seeds in one three inch pot and then prick them out when they have germinated.

Really? It's good to know that you can get away with sowing 10-12 tomato or chilli seeds in one 3" pot but like I say, each seed is different variety and I like the novelty of knowing which variety germinated for me. I guess one can always wait till the tomato produce the fruits to tell them apart.

Anyway I've just sown 8 each of pepper and aubergine seeds in 2 shallow pots as they're all same variety. I think for marrow, courgettes, squash or even beans, you really don't need to use propagator, same for Brassica.

[rustylady]

Really? It's good to know that you can get away with sowing 10-12 tomato or chilli seeds in one 3" pot but like I say, each seed is different variety and I like the novelty of knowing which variety germinated for me. I guess one can always wait till the tomato produce the fruits to tell them apart.

Anyway I've just sown 8 each of pepper and aubergine seeds in 2 shallow pots as they're all same variety. I think for marrow, courgettes, squash or even beans, you really don't need to use propagator, same for Brassica.

If each seed is a different variety, then I would have used cell trays, they are smaller units so you can get away with one seed per cell and still not have too much soggy compost. Don't use the propagator for beans or brassicas, but I do use it for squash.

[veg4681]

If each seed is a different variety, then I would have used cell trays, they are smaller units so you can get away with one seed per cell and still not have too much soggy compost. Don't use the propagator for beans or brassicas, but I do use it for squash.

Yeah you're absolutely right. I missed the boat on the cell tray, didn't I? They have cell tray with 15, 24 and 40 inserts, an awful lot of seeds that could have been germinated (and loads faster) than 11 of my 3" pots at any one time...but I'm learning the error of my ways. I thought I would do away with transplanting too many times but the valuable time wasted on slow germination is a factor I hadn't considered before.