Picture posting is enabled for all :)
Never thought of wasted heat via bottom of propagator. In the absence of polystyrene - becaused I chucked it all in the bin - I wonder if old clothes would do the job. I used old woollen jumpers in the bottom of trays to keep it damp for the plant pots standing in it once.
Goodlife, I assume your new growing unit does not have any natural daylight. Will your grow lights be on for 24 hours? Don't get those old woollies near your lamps though as they may well catch fire.
Thanks for your reply, Goodlife. I had no idea how much light the plants would need. I still haven't decided on a propagator yet. It is a toss up between the one from Two West and Elliotts that comes with 14 quarter sized trays (almost £50 with postage) or a Stewart 52cm propagator from Amazon that, according to the reviews, has a flimsy lid and will cost about £25 including postage. I am waiting to see what type my friend has but she has had this virus that is doing the rounds so I haven't been able to go and look at hers yet,
Goodlife, have a look at the reviews for the Stewart propagator; a lot of them mention a flimsy lid. The lids are solid but when the word flimsy is used, it means that it is easily damaged, fragile, breakable, insubstantial. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Stewart-52cm-Essentials-Electric-Propagator/dp/B008H1J45Q/ref=pd_cp_lp_2#customerReviewsThe Stewart propagator is heated and is 22 watts. The nearest Wilko is at least a 30 mile round trip from here, but they sell the Stewart ones at my local garden centre so I am going to have a look at them today.
Quote from: Paulines7 on January 03, 2015, 13:40:33Goodlife, I assume your new growing unit does not have any natural daylightNo, I don't 'do' natural light at all with lights..not saying you can't, but I find it just interfere with light direction and bulb is sufficient enough for good growth at young growth stage
Goodlife, I assume your new growing unit does not have any natural daylight
I don't know how many hours light they need / would benefit from - or perhaps more correctly the minimum time of darkness, if any?, that they need. Otherwise I presume it makes sense to provide the maximum extra-light-hours for fastest plant development. Strikes me that you need two, or more, rigs side by side for a controlled experiment, eh?!!
I just looked Steward website...and they have 'premium' and 'essential' range with their propagators...and replacement lids for those ranges too...and that would explain the lid difference. I bet you have to buy 'premium variable propagator' to get it with strong lid...and 'essential variable propagator' would be with 'economy' lids.
Personally what I'm looking is not the 'fastest' development but that the plants are and looking healthy.
My main problem this year is that I've moved home office to a different room and its too small for a lighting rig. Only room readily available is the boiler room, and that is swelteringly hot ... maybe that will be a benefit, I'll find out soon!