Seed sowing 2024

But the cable shouldn't be in contact with the plastic and the polystyrene, if you want to put polystyrene in the bottom it needs a layer of sand, then the cable then more sand, the cable cant lose heat where its touching the polystyrene on the bottom.

Is the thermostat sensor buried in the sand?

 

The cable was buried in a thick layer of damp sand. It didn't stop it deforming the polystyrene in the base covered with plastic sheet, though! I did do it the classic way originally
I'll say 'yes' to the thermostat sensor. It's a long time ago but I would have followed the instructions that came with it ..I always do The whole thing's dismantled now, new polystyrene, new plastic, but I'm trying to avoid using sand if I can find a lighter alternative. I just don't think that the table it's on will stand the enormous weight otherwise, not to mention me having to manoeuvre it in and out of the house on a wheelbarrow. As vermiculite holds water better than perlite and is equally non-flammable, I think I'll give it a shot with that. Or if I come across some heat mats, might just take the easy way out and shove a couple of those in the case.

 

I suppose the thermostat is working Ok, is it.

 

I'll let you know when I find it I gave the whole thing up as a bad job a few years ago, mainly due to sciarid fly invasion. I'll be spraying the whole lot with BT or Jeyes fluid or something before launching it again!
Come to think of it, perhaps not Jeyes fluid...that would make the utility room smell lovely....not

 

I have a diy constructed heated bench, Dims 1000x600, heating element soil cable 30watt (240 volt) The cable is approx in 100mm loops.
It has a foamed polystyrene 12mm tile below, polythene membrane and no more than 25mm of sharp sand which is kept damp. Yes it is heavy but was built with this in mind (100mm square legs !), 100x50 frame, 19mm OSB tray. Thermostat INKBIRD type, reaches 18Deg C subject to ambient air temperature, raises by up to 10 deg C
If you incorporate insulation around or above, your cable will overheat/melt/short circuit.
My advice, reduce the sand layer to save weight, admittedly losing thermal capacity/greater temperature variation.

 

My propagator is very old and the lid crumbled a couple of years ago but it is still working. I just put polythene over the top. Might make some hoop covers sometime. At the moment it is in the spare bedroom as I find the temperature in the greenhouse varies way too much. I have sown house tomatoes, snap peas, lettuce, shallots, radish and turnips in modules so far. They have all germinated and are on the windowsill (I have a couple of cheap LED lights as well) or in the greenhouse. I am taking a chance sowing so early but it has been very mild until this week.
I also had some red rice at reduced price in Tesco and it was very nice so I have tried sowing a few. I now have 4 tiny plants which I thought might be ornamental even if I don't get a harvest.

 

This is the rub...I can't plug mine in in it's usual home in the fruit and veg store because we try to keep that cool and very dark. No electricity in the shed or the tunnel and it would have to work too hard in the temporary conservatory, even if there was space. I've tracked down a heated mat type that can be ordered to measure which looks to be cheaper than buying bags of vermiculite (even if that was feasible). I'd imagine that a mat will also reduce the chance of the dreaded sciarid flies reproducing in sand or another medium.
Thanks to everyone who responded Anybody want to buy a heating cable with a French plug?

 

That sounds wonderful @noisette47 ! When I first started, they only had those mats which fit the 1020 trays and I had collected quite a few however, with all those plugs, it looked like hillbilly electrics so I was glad when they came out with my 36" x 48" mats. So much tidier. They sit on insulating styrofoam (polystyrene?) slabs and there has never been any issue with overheating.

 

@noisette47 I hope you've ordered one with a sensor and thermostat. If not, you can get one on eBay - look for xh-w3001 and get the one for mains power ie 110-220v AC. It's about £5 or £6 direct from China

 

Thanks,Lori and Caroline It'll be good to have something exciting to get up for in the mornings...

 

Most of my autumn-sown Sweet Peas have rotted away. I tried it as an experiment but I'm not planting them in the autumn again.

 

I never sow in autumn. It's pointless because they don't really start growing until late spring here, so I just sow them in March or April and that works better for me. I'm surprised they've rotted though becaue they like being quite wet. If they're outside or even in a greenhouse, mice can often eat the seed before it germinates. Perhaps that's happened Michael.

 

They just seem to have rotted away @suepp. I was putting it down to dampness, they are inside a perspex shelter and there isn't much ventilation in there.
Anyway it's back to spring sowing for me now.

 

Sorry to hear that Michael, when I do Sweet Peas I sow them around Christmas time and cover with a wire grid to stop the cheeky critters from snacking on them. I then just leave them be outside in a sheltered corner. Always works for me. It does sound like a ventilation issue sadly.
Best to stick to what works best for you.

 

I may try that @Upsydaisy. I usually sow them in about April and they tend to be slow so an earlier sowing might be the answer.
In fact that's why I tried sowing in Autumn and although they grew several inches, they then rotted away. I think I've got three left, out of 20.