Propagators

[harveymt]

What are people's feelings about using propagators to germinate seed and then planting out the seedlings when they've grown up a bit?

Last year I planted beetroot and rather than thin them when a couple came up together I carefully dug them up and teased them apart and replanted both. With parsnips I just sowed direct. I left weeding a little too long and then wasn't sure what was parsnip and what was not and probably ended up pulling up parsnips.

This year I have put my beetroot into seed trays and when the seedlings come up I can tranplant them to where they are to grow. Not really different to what I did last year only I can set the tray on a table and work from it rather than on my hands and knees.

For my parsnips I am going to do the same. When the seedlings come up I can plant them out at the proper spacings.

I might do this for other vegetables too. My thinking is that I know what germinates and can plant them out accordingly and it will save me thinning them out.

Any opinions on this?

[Capsid]

I sow most of my veg in seed trays in a cold greenhouse (a big propagator?) to minimise pest damage mostly. The only seeds I sow direct are parsnips, carrots, onion sets and potatoes.

Parsnip and carrots don't transplant well and the seed viability is low the following year so all of them may as well be sown and thinned out with fresh seed bought each year.

[jacob]

Pretty much as with capsid. For beetroot I sow in modules and plant out once they look stronger than the slugs (note: beetroot is a double seed, so you'll often get in modules).

Parsnip's first action is to put down a very long root -- they don't like being moved and I would sow in situ.

[Bren In Pots]

I grow in my back garden and have limited space so I grow more or less everything in either modules or loo rolls that way I only put a viable plant into the ground.

[harveymt]

So really parsnips and carrots are about the only thing to really sow direct.

[Capsid]

Why waste the seed? I can sow 12 seeds of kohlrabi knowing that they will mostly germinate and grow to a good size whereas sowing direct will give lower germination rates and more than half may get eaten.

[Aberdeenplotter]

I see no point in growing something in a propagator which will germinate absolutely fine in the ground. Beetroot is a prime example of that. Noted your comments about leaving your parsnips too long before weeding. I sow three - four seeds per station about 4" apart and sow radishes between the stations. That way, there is no problem with identification.

[Aberdeenplotter]

Oh and as for anyone buying carrots, beet etc in trays from garden centres, you are being ripped off. Buy the seeds and sow them yourselves.

[salome2001]

I am raising almost everything in modules and then planting out after hardening off in the cold frame. My parsnips were germinated in loo rolls and they seem to have transplanted ok. The only direct sowing so far were the broad beans and some carrots (which don't seem to be appearing)

I have quickly decided that I detest pricking out even more than fiddling around filling modules with compost, hence everything goes in singly. Plus, I figure that when they do get planted out, they have a little snack box of compost to get them started.

I think I just like the control of seeing the neat little rows of seedlings in the conservatory, and the reassurance of planting out something that has half a chance against the slugs

[solway cropper]

I've found the propagator particularly useful this year because of the cold weather. Like others I sow most things in modules and plant out when ready but for tender crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, squash the propagator is the only way as temps are too erratic to guarantee successful germination.

[tamsin]

I germinate a lot of things inside (centrally heated house) and put it straight out in a plastic greenhouse at the first signs of life. It makes germination for just about everything 2-3 days instead of 2-3 weeks. Peppers n toms are about the only thing that stays in.

[salome2001]

I have stevia in mine at present... taking a long time to germinate. I did finally get passionfruit though!!