[Stevens706]

Hi I’m thinking about maybe buying an electric propagator, does anyone use one, and are they worth the effort and cost? (Birthday coming up)

Any advice would be very welcome.

[John]

I've got two basic heated propagators and they are really useful BUT being cheap ones they have a tendancy to overheat. The more expensive ones have thermostats built in so you always maintain the correct temperature.

http://www.allotment-garden.org/greenhouse/Propagators/product.php?pr=264

Looks rather nice - although at £47 not cheap.

Maybe better value to consider the hot bench and cover
http://www.allotment-garden.org/greenhouse/Propagators/product.php?pr=265

Worth having a look see and then shopping around.

[Bigbadfrankie]

£189 you are having a laugh I am sure nature is not quite that fussy. I had and have still got an heated propagator but it suffered heat damage in the summer sun, i think it still works. this winter will tell but it was definately a big benifit when it worked. I hope the melting at one end is not to detremental to its use!!!
   

[John]

A lot depends on what you want to do with these things, how much you will be doing etc.

I was in a greenhouse yesterday where the chap had spent £1400 on it - as a bargain buy from the factory.  Bit rich for my blood, but it was his pride and joy. Judging by his shield full of 'best in show' medals it helped him.

I built a heater from some bits of wood, aluminium sheet, 2 lampholders and a frost stat from a car boot. Basically a deep box into which 4 seed trays with lids fitted. Below were the 2 lampholders with aluminium bent over the lightbulbs to spread the heat. 2 25W bulbs wee the heat source and the thermostat turned it on when the air temp fell in the greenhouse.

Took me half a day to build and it wasn't pretty in the day - looked wonderful glowing in the dark though.

You pays yer money, and you takes yer choice.

[gabriel]

Make a wooden fram and put in some sand. A sheet of polystyrene on the bottom, or insulation board. There are heated cables that you can buy and can be laid through the sand, quite deep to make sure the heat evens out before it reaches the surface. There are varioue suppliers, LBS is one but look around.

Gor lighting I just bought two cheap strip lights and screwd them to a piece of wood hanging over the sand. They will give you enough of the spectrum for a week or twa, but don't think of leaving them on 24 hours in February inthe hope of getting ahead it won't work.

I used this set up for starting toms in February for years for commercial use. (give toms 8 hours of light in feb after emergence)

[Stevens706]

Thanks everyone for the advice,

I will get one now for my prezzy, and give it a go, I’m just going to get a window sill type one for about £30.