Forum home› Tools and techniques
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Seed germination - how to keep the right temperature

polbpolb Posts: 198
in Tools and techniques
Hi, I've not had much success with seeds that require a certain warm temperature. Placed in a propagator inside and I think they get too warm during the day and cold at night. I've been looking at heated propagators and wonder if anyone has any recommendations? I'm thinking one with a thermostat would be best otherwise I may have the same problem.

What does everyone else use? Thanks!
«1

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I have one of these https://www.garden4less.co.uk/super-7-windowsill-propagator.asp

    I use it for tomatoes, chillies, sweet corn and tender annual climbers etc 

    It seems just fine without having a thermostat ... once seeds have germinated I take the lid off the individual tray and a couple of days later I move the tray off the heat, pricking out into modules as soon as two proper leaves have appeared. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • polbpolb Posts: 198
    Hi thanks for the link, looks good. Would this keep seeds at around 15-20c? I'm looking to sow some teasel seeds next year and the instructions say this is the temperature they should be at for around 1-3 months. As I said I've not had much success with seeds that need a set temperature! :/
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    I have an old windowsill propagator with no thermostat and it does tend to get too hot, particularly in the morning when it gets the sun.  I use it with a plug-in timer, the kind where you push in the little plastic bits around the disk to set the power on or off for 15-minute intervals.  What works for me is to have the power on every other 15-minute interval overnight and less during the day, but it takes a bit of experimenting to find out what works.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I wouldn’t use heat for teasels ... they self-sow around my garden with no help from me at all ... even in areas which get little sun at all. They’re a UK native plant. They don’t need heat. 
    😊 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    A lot of plants can be germinated on a windowsill without any need for expensive equipment to keep the temperature at the "right" level. I have successfully germinated bananas and other exotics without anything more than a plant pot and some compost. The advice on seed packets is there for guidance but you don't need to follow it to the letter. As to teasels, I am with Dove on this. They are native and can cope very nicely with our fluctuating temperatures.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Teasel seeds are best just thrown on the ground where you want them to grow.  Think of what happens in the wild. They drop off the original plant, fall on the soil and wait for Spring sunshine to germinate them.
    I’ve never had a propagator and I sow thousands of seeds. Just wait for the right time and they’ll grow.  Must admit, I don’t grow tropical plants which would need heat.  
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • polbpolb Posts: 198
    Ok great, Teasels sound easy!

    I'll look into something heated for the trickier seeds perhaps. As I said, I've not had much success when seeds have needed to have a constant heat.

    Thanks all for your feedback!
  • EricsGardenEricsGarden Posts: 151
    I've just sewn some Teasel seeds some in trays for the first time. Did I waste my time? I've still got about a dozen flower heads to harvest seeds from.


  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    Maybe wasted time, they make a pretty good job of self sowing



    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    They look fine, but I would prick them out into individual pots so that the tap root doesn't get broken when transplanted.
Sign In or Register to comment.