Allotments 4 All

I am germinating cucumbers, sweetcorn, basil and marrows in a heated propagator and overnight the cucumbers germinated, but have grown up all pale and straining, like they are looking for the light.  Should i turn off the heat during the night to slow down the germination process on my other seeds and how long should i leave things in the propagator once they have germinated.

Alit you don't say where the propagator is located. Once seeds germinate they need good light or they end up tall and leggy. If you have somewhere sunny and reasonably warm, once seeds germinate they can be removed from the propagator.

Thank you for your quick response.  it is on my kitchen window sill.  The only place i have to move them to is in the unheated greenhouse.  is it too cold for them there yet.  or is inside lighting on the window sill ok along with the light outside tomorrow.

Should i remove them straight away now.  i have never had this problem before of overnight germinating and growing about an inch overnight.  Also, how damp should the propagator be inside.

If you are in the south, you could put them in the greenhouse and if you hear of a frost cover them up.  Although frosts now are likely to be light if you are down south.  I keep the propagator dry by wiping up excess condensation daily.

We have our propagator in the kitchen which is not very light, initially we had a lot of problems with 'leggy seedlings' but now whip them out as soon as they have emerged and they go in a coldframe or in a light box on a window sill.

thats really useful thank you.  i will keep the propagator dryer in future as i have grown some really smell yellow mould on the soil surrounding the sweetcorn.  i have had to put it in the greenhouse just now as the smell is awful and can't bear it in the house.  It was new fresh just opened 2 days ago John Innes compost.  i have taken the germinated plants out now and they are on the windowsill for tonight, then will move to greenhouse tomorrow.

thank you for your advice.

Alit

I put my seedlings in my conservatory which is unheated (although it has an electric heater set to Frost Protection). Do you think that this is similar to a cold frame so that these seedlings will be suitably hardened off when big enough to plant out. I am careful of ventilation by keeping the patio doors into the main house open to let as much of the heat out as possible (when it has warmed up)but I tend not to open the external door unless it seems very warm inside.

I live in Halifax, and I have had my cucumbers, tomatoes, sweetcorn, in fact everything out in the unheated greenhouse for quite a few weeks now. I must say I paniced a bit this morning when I looked out of the window and saw frost on the roof tops. But no damage to anything on the allotment.

Rosemary