[barbarella]

I am just about to sow some Chard (Bright Lights) and seem to remember last year following some advice to soak the seed first.  Was I imaging it?  Does anyone do this?

[noshed]

I never bothered and it's always been OK

[Kristen]

I grow mine in 1/4 sized seed trays and prick out to 9cm pots - and then plant out. I normally get 100% germination, give-or-take, so I don't reckon they need any special treatment!

[Pompey Spud]

sow direct under fleece to protect from flea beetle etc then thin out. Very easy this one.

[barbarella]

I checked a couple of websites and found one which said soak the seed for 15 minutes, so I did that and planted the seed individually into some of those expandable fibre plugs.  I got a mini propagator with them last year, then couldn't get refill plugs until I discovered some in our local garden centre this week.  They probably only stock them at this time of year.

I know they are easy to sow direct but I start as much as possible off in pots and trays and plant out - less chance of gaps and also I haven't prepared any seed beds yet!

[Sweet Pea 2]

Barbarella, which garden centres did you get the plugs from, I have the same problem.  Have the propagator but no refills.

[Kristen]

Have the propagator but no refills.

What sort of propagator? I got extra quarter-sized-trays and clear-plastic-dome-covers for mine (and if that's what you have I can get you a link)

[Sweet Pea 2]

it is just a plastic one, prob quarter of a normal size tray with a clear plastic lid.  Good for windowsills you see. they have spaces for the expanding peat thingys, but I couldn't get any after I had used the lot that came with it.

[Trillium]

I direct seed mine as well, they're so dependable. I scratch out a shallow trench, spread a line of seed across, shuffle a bit of soil over top to hold it down, water, and soon I've got no end of shoots up. If the soil is cold, they're a bit slower to start but eventually they'll get into action.

[Kristen]

it is just a plastic one, prob quarter of a normal size tray with a clear plastic lid.  Good for windowsills you see. they have spaces for the expanding peat thingys, but I couldn't get any after I had used the lot that came with it.

Ah ... sorry, don't know about the expanding peat thingie. I just fill my quarter-trays with seed compost, and then prick-out once they have germinated (except for Parsnips / Sweet corn which don't like to be transplanted and big seeds like Broad beans that I do one-per-pot)

I got my replacement seed trays and lids here:
http://www.keengardener.co.uk/product/view/600/garland-super-7-spare-trays-and-lids.rails

[barbarella]

Barbarella, which garden centres did you get the plugs from, I have the same problem.  Have the propagator but no refills.

I got them at my local garden centre Roundtrees in Tickenham, North Somerset.  I think there are a couple of other branches, but only in this area.  However I have managed to track them down online and it looks as though you can get them at Dobbies:  http://www.dobbies.co.uk/cgi-bin/search.pl?query=peat+pockets&stpos=0&ACTION=

The other link you quoted is for another type of propagtor made by Garland, not Gardman.  However, I also have this one, the windowsill tray with 7 quarter trays and it is brilliant.  I have been using it intensively for the last three years and it is the most useful garden aid I have (other than TOH of course )