Propagator advice

Hi I have a non heated propagator with some seeds and seedlings in. My peppers have sprouted now so should I keep them in there until they are big/strong enough to transplant, when they have their true leaves or what? Any advice will be appreciated.

 

I would transplant them now by the looks of them as they are quite tall

 

Ok thanks just wondered as it is my first propagator.

 

I would move the propagator to a sunny windowsill.
The seedlings aren't going to get enough light behind that curtain.

 

How exciting for you!
Looks like you have done something right to get them to this stage
Good luck and long may you propagate

 

When you pot them on Wardy pot them deep (leaves about an inch above the compost),Peppers can tolerate it but not all seedlings can and make sure they have plenty of light

 

Okay thats just on my bedroom windowsill and plants usually do good there. Also I did take the picture at night time. Thanks Sirius I never thought about that as its just a net curtain. Thanks M and thanks Lolimac I will.

 

I sow numerous seeds in a pot and prick out into cell trays after the first true leaves have fully formed. When they have grown some more true leaves and start looking too big for the cell or are filling it with root, I remove the first 'seed' leaves and plant them deep in small pots.

And they like warmth and lots of light.

 

Thanks well I'm out of compost at the moment so I will have to wait until friday.
Thanks for all your advice

 

Wait for the first true leave to develop . The leaves you see first are the baby leaves ( cotyledon leaves ). Its normal to leave seedlings until they have one or two sets of true leave before pricking out into a plant pot - I use plastic vending machine coffee cups

 

Hi HarryS thanks for the advice

 

Hello,

Sorry to hijack this thread, but I was wondering whether you could give me some advice, too?

I am looking into getting a propagator, but I am unsure about the right one. I was thinking about putting the propagator on the kitchen window sill which is south-facing. Would I need an electric propagator in this case? Or would you advise me on a self-watering one? I am contemplating the self-watering one, because I seem to be a bit overzealous when it comes to watering and tend to overwater... :(

Thanks all!

 

Hi. I got a Garland Super 7 Windowsill Electric Propagator and it works very well. Garland does a non heated self watering windowsill one as well. I also purchased a non electric windowsill propagator from Wilko last year for about £5, about a 1/3 of the price of the Garland but not self watering. I see this year they have a different one at £9 but still 1/2 the price of garland.

I would of thought if you had some capillary matting in the bottom it would do the same job as a proper self watering jobey.Do not think Wilko sell it but available off fleebay & garden centres.
I have started off seed that have been facing N ,E ,S & W and they have all been fine but once they come through the compost they do need the light so South would be fine but if and I say if it is sunny they will dry out quicker so have to keep an eye on them.

Not seeds but I have took cuttings last year around September and tried them in heated propagator in garage facing North. Unheated greenhouse but well b/wrapped and again heated propagator. By far the best ones so far have been on window sill facing SE. No heated propagator and even over a radiator. I let them dry right out to almost dust before I water them and they are growing very well. Naturally the Pelargonium’s like dry soil anyway so they are watered less than Fuchsias, only one failure so far as you can see.

 

Hello trogre,

Thanks for your advice and for sharing your experience. I am seriously considering buying a self-watering one and an electric one, to see which one works better for me?

In the past I had a standard one, non-electric, non self-watering, but like I said I did water too much and the soil started to mould :(

 

I used to and still do over water baby plants too much!! It may have been Anthony Rogers of this forum or one of the websites who shows, grow (by the thousands) & sells Fuchsias but not sure.

Anyway the advice for the small baby plants which really applies I would think to most baby plants unless they have a special need for lots of water was this.

He does not water until the leaves just slightly start to droop. I know it does not sound right and makes you panic that they are dying. The reasoning behind this was if the baby roots have lots of food (water) then they will not try and seek it out and therefore not grow (roots).On the other hand if they have no food (water) then they will actively try & find it which makes the roots grow and therefore get stronger, stronger roots equate to stronger plant.

I think this was found over years of experiments by the grower which seems to work for me.


It is funny but in the garage I have about 12 baby pelargoniums. About 4 of these are looking droopy and when I looked at the soil it is wet, too much water. I will not water them now until compost goes dry however long it takes and hope they pick up.