#Propagator

Are you sure you’re using those propagators right? How to use a propagator for raising seedlings. A propagator can help speed up germination by keeping more consistent moisture levels in the soil, and raising the temperature a little. They’re a handy tool, but only if you’re using them right. They should only be used in the early part of the season while temperatures are still low, and when your seedlings get a bit bigger the lids should be removed completely to allow good airflow. So, are you using propagators for your sowing seeds in your garden? #propagator #howtouseapropagator #seedlings #sowingseeds #gardening

So @helenlikesplants and @melslittlegarden have inspired me to buy a heated propagator for my chillies, peppers & aubergines this year! 🫑🍆& 🌶️ benefit from having a longer growing season in the uk, to give you the best harvest in the summer. So they do benefit from being sown in Jan-Feb. I usually just sow mine in a normal propogator & pop them on my windowsill but this year I’m going half professional with this heated mat. I haven’t bothered with grow lights 😂 but maybe I should. I’ll keep these inside growing along nicely right up until spring, when it’s warm enough for them to live in the greenhouse. So for the next few months they’ll be taking over my house 😂 (sorry Ben) I’ve tried a few new varieties this year that I’ve bought from @thompsonmorgan1855 @shegrowsveg and @thehampshireseedcompany - but let me know if you have any faves? I’ll keep you updated with how they’re getting on but it felt good to be sowing my first seeds 🥹 Cx #gardening #seedsowing #newbuildgarden

Setting up my VitoPod heated propagator 🌱🔥 January is the perfect time to start long-season crops — plants that need a longer time from seed to harvest. All the seeds I’m sowing now fall into that category. 🌶 Chillies 🍆 Aubergines 🧅 Onions Starting these early gives them the best chance to germinate evenly, build strong roots, and be well established by the time they go outside. This setup uses a heated propagator with grow lights (part of the setup), giving consistent warmth and light — key for reliable germination at this time of year. Using the VitoPod from @greenhousesensation 🌱 #gardening #growyourown #allotmentlife #vegetablegarden #seedstarting growfromseed januarysowing earlysowing chilligrowing aubergine oniongrowing propagator heatedpropagator growlights ukgardening ukgrowers britishgarden homegrown organicgardening growyourfood gardenreels instagarden gardeningreels seedlings growbetter

More, more, more! If you were lucky enough to be given lots of chocolate this Valentine then don’t throw away the packaging. Instead you can use them as seed trays. If they have a lid they can also be used as a propagator. My latest book Way to Grow is available to pre-order. It features over 100 of my favourite gardening tips. Please click on the link in my bio to pre-order my book Way to Grow. Thanks so much for your support

🌶️ it's timmmmeeeeee! I started my chillies and peppers off this weekend and I'm very excited for those first green shoots to pop through the soil. A reminder because these are heat loving crops they need some warmth to get growing 🌱 so a heated propagator like you see in the video works a treat or a heat mat. I also have grow lights I'll pop in place when I start to see shoots. I always do my best to answer comments and questions so pop any below 👇🏻

When to plant out broad beans (fava beans) If your broad beans are just sprouting, or you’re about to sow them, go easy on the heat! • Sow February to March under cover. • Use an unheated greenhouse, cold frame, or porch. • Skip the heated propagator. Cool starts make tough plants. • Move seedlings somewhere bright and cool as soon as they emerge. • Aim for short, stocky growth, not tall and soft stems. Why this matters. Broad beans grown too warm grow fast and weak. Long stems flop once planted out. Wind and rain finish them off. When to plant out broad beans. • Plant out from March in mild areas. • Delay to April if your soil is cold or wet (like most of us at the minute) • Space plants about 20-25cm apart. Extra protection. • Use cloches or fleece if frost or heavy rain is forecast. • Remove covers once growth is strong and weather settles. Strong starts give better yields. Keep them cool early and they will stand their ground later! #broadbeans #gardening #growyourown #robsallotment

Chilli and Peppers Grow-a-long Notes: ● Seeds sown in the first weekend of January 2026. ● Temperature controlled propagator set at 27°C ● Grow lights added on the first sighting of germination ● Once majority of the seedlings were up. The controlled temperature turned down to 25°C ● Water from base twice weekly, once seedling are up. This prevents water splash back preventing damping off. ● Day befoe potting up, water the plants well. This helps avoid shocking the plants. Rather than them sulking in cold new compost for a couple of weeks. They'll feel at home, especially when the roots are hydrated AND compost is warm. ● Set temperature at 20°C and open vents to create air circulation. Speak soon. I've got to pot up the Aubergine seedlings now. Happy Gardening #january #gardentips @ghedirect Gifted to trial out: Vitopod, temperature control and growlamps.

How to start your chilli seeds 🌶️ January is a bit thin on the ground garden wise but now is the perfect time to wrap up warm indoors and kick start some chilli seeds - they’ll need a heated propagator to get going and grow lights through, so if you don’t have these, wait until March 🌱 You can join the chilli growalong this year by joining the channel on my profile and I’ll talk you through it ever step of the way (just let me know if you can’t find the link!) ✨ #chillgrowing #januaryseeds #gardeningtips #howtogarden #seedsowing

🌱A little tip for you if you’re growing using the same setup as me🌱 Happy Friday 💚 #seedsowing #propagator #growfood #greenhouse #homegrown

Want a free propagator? Here is an old gardener’s trick. This shiny, light box is easy to make (I remember making these at school). The extra light provided by the tin foil should prevent your emerging seedlings from going leggy! (Usually seedlings elongate and go leggy because they are stretching to find light). At this time of year light levels are low, so extra reflective light helps. Placing a hot water bottle in the bottom will also provide extra warmth which will help get your seedlings germinating. Chilli and pepper seedlings require a longish period so I like to get mine going in the next few weeks. They do require an extra bit of heat at this time of year though, particularly at night. So filling up your hot water bottle and placing it under your seedlings before you go to bed should help. You can also cover with an extra layer of fleece or bubble wrap at night. And, I’m delighted to say. I’ve got a brand new gardening book coming out on 9 April 2026 called Way To Grow. Published by DK. It features 100 of my favourite gardening hacks and tips. It is available to pre order in the link in my bio. Thank you so much for your support.

Well this is rather annoying, I took the propagator cover off my cucumbers as they are massive, they were inside the greenhouse shed at the allotment so I thought they would be safe from night time temperatures. I was wrong 😔 They have been damaged a bit, hopefully they will survive otherwise I’m sowing them again. #FrostBit #TheBeardedGrower #CucumberProblems

It's amazing how much difference in germination you can see just between the edge of the propagator & the warmer middle. In case you're wondering, I'm just about to thin these celery seedlings down to one per cell. It's five year old seed which is why I sowed so thickly, but actually it came up just fine. You probably know this already, but you can find a link to our germination hints page with ideal temperatures from our bio. #realseeds #germination #propagation #growingtips