07 Jan - Buying A Propagator

Electric propagators are something I’ve never used before. Yes, I’ve used the basic seed tray with a clear plastic cover on, very useful to get seedlings started, especially when placed on a warm windowsill in the house. These are cheap, functional and largely do a good job. A plant pot with a plastic bag domed over the top also works remarkably well.

However, this year I want to get a few things under way a bit earlier in the season and I don’t have a heated greenhouse.  Last season I found that certain seeds, especially from the squash family, germinated very slowly and unevenly even in May. In an attempt to get things a bit more organised I’m going to try an electric propagator for the first time.

There are a number to choose from on the market ranging from around £15 for a basic unit to hundreds of pounds for something that’s all singing and dancing. As with all such items you need to work out your budget and buy the best you can with the money. As I’m a cheapskate and I don’t really know yet whether it’s worth it for me or not, I set a budget of around £30.

The main propagators for this price are made by ‘Stewart’ and can be found in Wilkinson, DIY stores, garden centres and online (including Amazon and other garden plant/tool suppliers). Models in this price range consist of a basic heated propagator that will take a standard size seed tray (from around £15); for around £25 you can buy the larger size model that will take two standard size seed trays. Stewart also offer the same size propagators but with built-in thermostats.

A word about any thermostat included on the cheaper models. The thermostat is usually ‘pre-set’ to an optimum heat that will germinate the average seed. It is not adjustable (actually it’s not even visible), if you want a proper adjustable thermostat to control the heat exactly then expect model prices to start somewhere over £70.

So, what’s the point of a pre-set thermostat over a basic electric propagator? Well, the cheaper models heat the inside of the propagator via the electric element in the plastic base and will keep on doing so even if the sun shines and warms it up more than expected. Those with a built-in thermostat, while not adjustable, will automatically switch off the electric element in the propagator if external conditions contribute the heating process and it gets too hot inside. This saves electricity, helps to avoid your seedlings getting cooked and, it stops the compost drying out too rapidly. All propagators have slide vents in the top of the cover to help with moisture control and cooling.

I spent sometime reading electric propagator reviews and decided to buy a model with a built-in thermostat that can take two standard seed trays. Despite a few people (unjustly?) complaining about the non-adjustable thermostat (because they didn’t read the description properly), generally most reviewers thought they germinated seeds very well and helped to root cuttings quickly. As always, I'll let you know how I get on when I come to use it.