How quick

[smallblueplanet]

....Put the lid on at night when you tuck them under the duvet, the seeds will not get cold if you have bottom heat.

Its not a posh thermostatic one though, just a cheapie. Also how will I keep it damp enough? I'm fighting against this one, I will take the lid off later in the season mind....

[PAULW]

SBP
I have one with ajustable thermostat and one pre set and I use them as if they were both the same, once you have sown your seeds into moist compost they should not require watering until well after the seeds have hatched, if there is condensation on the inside of the lid the compost will be damp enough.

[smallblueplanet]

....if there is condensation on the inside of the lid the compost will be damp enough.

But I've taken the lid off!

Thanks Paul, I shall bare what you say in mind, but its a bit late for me to change I think!

[samw04]

My basil came thru this afternoon.

[Nicos]

I had a fantastic chart of times of germination for veg saved to 'bookmarks/favourites' but lost it when my computer crashed ( along with a whole pike more of brill gardening stuff!!)

Anyway- I can't find it in Google- but here is another one, but it's not got many veg on it......

In the Garden Online - Techniques - Checking Seed Viability

Hope that helps???

[samw04]

Veg4681 - I'm using little cell trays for toms, peppers, cucumber, my herbs are in 3 in pots and chilli in peat pots all seeds have been bought over the last 12 months.

Nicos - thankyou the chart has helped alot they are quite early .

Oh and lots of my toms have now come thru as well .
looks like i'm a natural, to think this time last year i thought i had black thumbs .

[veg4681]

Veg4681 - I'm using little cell trays for toms, peppers, cucumber, my herbs are in 3 in pots and chilli in peat pots all seeds have been bought over the last 12 months.

Just what I had suspected. The 3" pots are an absolute non-starter in a heated propagator unless you want to waste 2 weeks and over! Unfortunately my cucumber is in a 3" pot (as are courgettes and melon) on the window sill as propagator is already full with toms, aubergines and peppers that had lost almost 4 weeks from first batch of unsuccessful germination .

[smallblueplanet]

Your cukes and courgettes/squashes are better starting in 3" pots - they'll grow big very quickly.

[samw04]

veg4681 - my basil is in 3" pot but i only filled it 3/4 up they have come thru.

SBP - i found that out as my cucumber are already 4" tall but i think i will prick them out to the unheated one if i got to get them out of the heat quick then quite happy to save space in the propagator and put them in something bigger when they come out.

[kentvegplot]

Last year planted basil early, but a later sowing caught up so not bothering this year. Don't worry if chillies take a long time - some varieties take 6 weeks, even with heat.

Going to start some early tomatoes in the propagator this weekend

[cottage garden]

Aubergines, cucumbers, lettuces and tomatoes are up. Lots of shy peppers, don't like the idea of having to wait 6 weeks for them to germinate...I will need the propagating bench for the March rush. Has anyone tried putting seeds to germinate next to a Rayburn? I guess if they are warm and are moved to the greenhouse as soon as they germinate then it should be fine. Might try it,

[littlegreenman]

I planted some tomato seeds in a propergator on Tuesday evening and they started to come through on Saturday.