I have a cheap electric germinator which I keep on my kitchen windowsill. It has no thermostat. But does have small ventilators which I can open to control the condensation.
I am growing Tomato seeds, Chillies, Courgettes etc. in it.
At what stage should I remove the seedlings from the germinator. Is the job of the germinator purely that .............and I should remove the seedlings once they are apparent. Or should I leave them in the heat until they have formed their "proper" leaves.
The benefit of your experience would be very helpful.
Best wishes, Ann
depends on where you have to put the seedlings.... I use one side of mine as a "cracker" in that nearly all seeds get some time on it, the other side (it's a two-tray one) is there to keep my tomato seedlings frost-free....
I don't have an electric propagator but just an ordinary one and some root trainers. I usually wait until they have all germinated and then leave them on the windowsill but uncover them as I find they can shoot off too quickly and become 'leggy' if I leave them with the lid on. Then I wait until they have their real leaves and move them on. (Having said that I really am no expert so you will probably get some better advice too!)
I get things out of the heated propagator asap... as soon as I can see them emerging. :)
Me too Sadad. Once germinated they very soon get leggy. I only use the windowsills above my radiators after that no heat at all.
Thank you for your advice. Yes, the seedlings do get leggy, so now I will take them out earlier on, and put them on the windowsill to grow on. Many thanks.
Watch out for your propagaor overheating if its on a windowsill. If the sun shines on it while you are out, it can cook things in it. An ideal propagator would also have a fan to cool it when it gets too hot - but I could not afford one of those either. Theres a diy project there...
I've hardly used my heated propagator this year because we've had so much sunshine. A plastic lid or plastic bag combined with the heat of the sun has been enough for just about everything except toms & aubs, whereas assaid above the heated prop has got too hot.
Yes, you are all right. My kitchen window is south facing, so when it is sunny I put a piece of white A4 paper between the germinator and the window, this keeps the heat off, but allows the filtered light through. I learnt to do this after several experiences of seedlings shrivelling up !!
Many thanks Ann