Heated propagator question

[Doggler]

Got carried away in the garden centre (and on-line) the other day and bought a heated propagator and a load of seeds. The cucumber seeds grew about three inches in as many days and the carrots and cabbage sprouted pretty quickly too (now about two inches but pretty spindly). I'm not sure how long to leave them in there though. Should I move them to an unheated propagator until it's warm enough to plant outside - or until I buy more pots to plant them in!

[smallblueplanet]

Not sure about where to put them temp-wise except to say get them out the prop as soon as they germinate or you risk them going leggy and weak. Some stuff doesn't need starting in a heated prop, check your seed packets they give good advice.

[Doggler]

Leggy is a good word for some of them. Will they be OK if I take them out now?

[smallblueplanet]

yes I imagine they need light now, they don't need so much heat now they've germinated and if you leave them in they'll be stretching for light.

each type of seedling will need slightly different conditions, but even things that need lots of heat to grow ie chillis won't like the lack of light.

[Blueberry]

Doggler, you need to take them out of the propagator and put them somewhere like a greenhouse if you have one, somewhere where they will get plenty of light and which will offer a little protection (what with all this rain we are having). If you turn the pots regularly, it will help to maintain strong, upright growth.

[Doggler]

Great stuff. I knew I could rely on The Grapevine for advice. Have taken them out and left them in the spare bedroom for the night. Very new to this propagation lark so all advice is very gratefully received.

[smallblueplanet]

oh and re-reading your 1st post, although most things can be started in modules/pots somethings rarely are (normally due to not being easy to transplant after?). Think it would be easier to sow carrots direct in the soil.

[Alice]

Hello Doggler,Don't want to be a party pooper here but as a newbie maybe you have to learn the things we learned the hard way. All seeds don't have to be sown in a propagator. Things like your carrots and cabbage could have been sown outside and would probably have been the better of it. See you are pretty far south. Here in the west of Scotland my carrots were sown outside on 4th May and they're standing there in all the rain in lovely wee rows. What you do sow in a propagator should be removed from the heat as soon as germinated and moved to much cooler conditions around 55 or 60 degrees is plenty or all you get is big spindly plants with no roots. If plants have grown spindly plant right up to the seed leaves when you pot on. Last important point is NOTHING can go from any kind of propagator to planted outside. You have to harden them off first. This means get them used to being outside, first during the day then at night. I always try to get seedlings destined for the outdoors out as quickly as possible. On fine days put your seedlings outside in a position sheltered from direct sun and wind and take them in to an unheated room or greenhouse at night. After a few days (wait for forecast of mild night) leave them out over night. After a few nights you will be safe to plant them outdoors. I think the experts reckon the whole process of hardening off takes about 2 weeks but I usually manage it in a bit less time without ill effects. Word of warning, if you let plants get "checked" with the cold they can stand still for quite a long time and sometimes never recover, so worth being patient. What's another week as opposed to stand still forever. Good luck and keep us posted as to how getting on.

[Squirrel]

I wonder if the fact that there were a couple of cooler nights is why my seedlings have not grown on as strongly as I expected I thought that I had hardened them off enough with all the warm weather (the week after Easter) but maybe I had not - ah well, thanks for the info Alice, as always it makes so much sense when someone tell you how as well as why!

[Doggler]

OK, am going to move them all to the greenhouse tonight and will bear in mind the advice about re-potting up to the seed leaves. Hopefully all is not lost. I've got loads of seeds left though so I might get some more going according to the advice above, just in case! Thank you!