Stephanie NB - I live high in the Pennines, like you in an old house with thick walls. I have an ancient (over 30 years!) Dobies propagator (I think they should get the credit!) that measures 48 x 60cms internally, so can take a couple of full size seed trays and either some pots or a half tray or two. I use it for lots of stuff, moving the plants on in stages. They go from the heated propagator to an unheated one on one of the lovely deep window sills, then I prick out into trays, still on the window sills (this is where I take over all the bedroom sills) then once they are over the shock, I move them to the greenhouse, kept frost free. With cold winters and a short growing season here, I could not manage half as well without it. Some things that need extra warmth stay in the propagator for longer; it also helps with rooting some cuttings and has even been used to help rear ducklings
The short answer is - you need a greenhouse to move things into.
The plastic ones offer very little protection in our northern climate Stephanie. It's why I don't sow anything too early, and I don't sow much.
If you're living in a more benign, southerly climate where the season's longer, they're not so bad. Up here, you definitely need a greenhouse if you sow lots of stuff. If you're at height, like B'cupdays, the same applies, as she has said. You have to work with your own conditions
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks for the responses, very helpful. The plastic greenhouse was bought for us by a well-meaning relative and it has so far sheltered fuchsias and geraniums remarkably well over winter but it's definitely not an even half permanent solution, particularly not now that the front flap took a bit of a beating in the recent windy weather!.
We got an old greenhouse free off Gumtree that we need to build; just need to get some panes of glass to replace ones that were missing, and that's a project for the next few weeks, so hopefully that will help in bringing plants on once they are too big for the propagator.
We are in the slight microclimate of the Moray coast so it's not quite a cold as up on the hills, but the growing season is definitely well behind the more southern end of the UK, hence wanting to get some seeds on the go perhaps a bit sooner this year to at least have reasonably sized seedlings to harden off in due course. I can see I will have to employ the sunnier windowsills in that process though!
No longer newish but can't think of a new name so will remain forever newish.
I'd say we're about 3 or 4 weeks behind, on average, Stephanie. With seeds - it's all in the timing!
If you feel you can start them off now then go ahead - the worst that can happen is that the weather isn't suitable to get them outside, but you can always have a back up by sowing some more a few weeks later. I've done that in the past. Light is often a bigger issue depending on what you're sowing.
Re the growhouses - having watched a couple of plastic ones disappear across the garden during rough weather, I tethered mine with rope to the fence!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Our Heat sheets were bought many moons back when we were commercial, I have kept them going, and with a little bit of luck they will do what I want for a while yet, the bench cover is Spun Fleece, rolled up in the morning, then as the sun goes over rolled back down, the cold benches alongside are also covered by fleece during the cold of the evening and night, removed again if and when the sun appears, here in South Wales, down towards the coast.
My Angelines are rooted there, tomato seeds germinating, and on the cold benches Greyhound cabbage and leeks, next peas will go alongside them in 11cm square pots, to give a good start, runner beans the end of the month also in pots but slightly bigger.
My heat sheets are four foot by 2 foot, made by a firm unfortunately no longer in business fitted with a transformer and thermostat, it sits on polystyrene trays, covered with plastic sheeet and capillary matting, to hold the heat in at night I cover with spun fleece.
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Stephanie NB - I live high in the Pennines, like you in an old house with thick walls. I have an ancient (over 30 years!) Dobies propagator (I think they should get the credit!) that measures 48 x 60cms internally, so can take a couple of full size seed trays and either some pots or a half tray or two. I use it for lots of stuff, moving the plants on in stages. They go from the heated propagator to an unheated one on one of the lovely deep window sills, then I prick out into trays, still on the window sills (this is where I take over all the bedroom sills
) then once they are over the shock, I move them to the greenhouse, kept frost free. With cold winters and a short growing season here, I could not manage half as well without it. Some things that need extra warmth stay in the propagator for longer; it also helps with rooting some cuttings and has even been used to help rear ducklings
The short answer is - you need a greenhouse to move things into.
The plastic ones offer very little protection in our northern climate Stephanie. It's why I don't sow anything too early, and I don't sow much.
If you're living in a more benign, southerly climate where the season's longer, they're not so bad. Up here, you definitely need a greenhouse if you sow lots of stuff. If you're at height, like B'cupdays, the same applies, as she has said. You have to work with your own conditions
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks for the responses, very helpful. The plastic greenhouse was bought for us by a well-meaning relative and it has so far sheltered fuchsias and geraniums remarkably well over winter but it's definitely not an even half permanent solution, particularly not now that the front flap took a bit of a beating in the recent windy weather!.
We got an old greenhouse free off Gumtree that we need to build; just need to get some panes of glass to replace ones that were missing, and that's a project for the next few weeks, so hopefully that will help in bringing plants on once they are too big for the propagator.
We are in the slight microclimate of the Moray coast so it's not quite a cold as up on the hills, but the growing season is definitely well behind the more southern end of the UK, hence wanting to get some seeds on the go perhaps a bit sooner this year to at least have reasonably sized seedlings to harden off in due course. I can see I will have to employ the sunnier windowsills in that process though!
I'd say we're about 3 or 4 weeks behind, on average, Stephanie. With seeds - it's all in the timing!
If you feel you can start them off now then go ahead - the worst that can happen is that the weather isn't suitable to get them outside, but you can always have a back up by sowing some more a few weeks later. I've done that in the past. Light is often a bigger issue depending on what you're sowing.
Re the growhouses - having watched a couple of plastic ones disappear across the garden during rough weather, I tethered mine with rope to the fence!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Our Heat sheets were bought many moons back when we were commercial, I have kept them going, and with a little bit of luck they will do what I want for a while yet, the bench cover is Spun Fleece, rolled up in the morning, then as the sun goes over rolled back down, the cold benches alongside are also covered by fleece during the cold of the evening and night, removed again if and when the sun appears, here in South Wales, down towards the coast.
My Angelines are rooted there, tomato seeds germinating, and on the cold benches Greyhound cabbage and leeks, next peas will go alongside them in 11cm square pots, to give a good start, runner beans the end of the month also in pots but slightly bigger.
I live in the south and have just bought a greenhouse, Do i need a propagator or a heated mat?
AM280.
My heat sheets are four foot by 2 foot, made by a firm unfortunately no longer in business fitted with a transformer and thermostat, it sits on polystyrene trays, covered with plastic sheeet and capillary matting, to hold the heat in at night I cover with spun fleece.