The Poultry Keeper

Lisa · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 9:20 am Post subject: Any one use a heated propogator?

Anyone used a heated propogator? I'm thinking of getting one to help germinate things like tomato seeds. Sometimes I've not had very good germination rates and I think its because our house isn't very warm (well, not the places I could put the plant pots anyway) and I read somewhere that they need a minimum temperature to get them going...

Heather · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 9:28 am Post subject:

yes I have a windowsill one Lisa - seems to work well - think it is called a super seven or something (Has seven compartments that you put along it ) Have never tried germinating tomatoes without it so I can't do a comparison !!

HTH
Heather x

Knobby · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 9:28 am Post subject:

I use one....problem is if youre not careful......you can have the seeds too damp and they start to rot !

nigel · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 9:34 am Post subject:

We use the Super Seven too Lisa and use it every year for tomatoes and peppers, it works really well.

We got 100% germination rate last year.

Lisa · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 10:19 am Post subject:

Great - it was the super 7 I was looking at too Razz

And thanks for the tip about not keeping it too wet Knobby.

Well - that's the easy bit decided (order one super 7 asap). Now I've just got to narrow down my enormous list of all the seeds I like the look of in the catalogues. Damn that "Totally Tomato" show Laughing

Heather · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 10:51 am Post subject:

LOL At least the totally tomatoes catalogue no longer exists (though a great shame at the same time) that was far too much choice !!!

Does anyone know where to get Broad ripple yellow currant from as future foods ( I think someone recommended them last year) seem to have gone down the pan too !

and I don't even eat tomatoes though maybe that is one for me to conquer this year - I managed eggs last year, well sort of - I still haven't eaten an egg that looks like an egg - IE boiled, poached or fried !!

nigel · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 11:02 am Post subject:

I don't know of a supplier in the UK now, it was me that recommended Future Foods last year. I believe they are more available in the US though.. if that's an option

Heather · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 11:06 am Post subject:

Maybe the heritage seed library ??? don't know how old it is...

Edited to add - looks like they do - well it's on their adopt a veg list anyway

Anybody a member of the Heritage seed library ? - it's something I've been meaning to do for a while, maybe this will be the push for me ....

Lisa · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 11:26 am Post subject:

Have you tried Plants of Distinction - they list one called Broad Ripple Yellow: "hundreds of 1/2" fruit, cordon, originally found growing in a crack in the pavement in Indiana.... "

Could that be it?

Sadly they don't have their catalogue online - shame, 135 varieties of just tomatoes to dither over... Shocked

I've got it down to 24 I'd love to taste, but that's way OTT... Confused

Contact details from back of catalogue:

email: sales@plantsofdistinction.co.uk

or tel: 01449 721720

Nicky's Nursery also list

Tomato Current Yellow Not sure if that is the same one, or just a simillar one.

Heather · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 11:32 am Post subject:

yes the first one sounds like it - haven't got round to sorting out catalogues / orders yet - need to check what I have that is still viable as I didn't grow anything last year Shocked

other than a few tomato plants in growbags in the garden

Lisa · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 1:06 pm Post subject:

Ah, your gardening year last year sounded just like mine Laughing

But that's one of the great things about gardening - there's always next year Wink

Its the planning what to grow I find so hard. Logically I think my 10 pole allotment ought be able to supply us (me, the OH, one dog and 4 chickens) in all the veg we can eat, all year round.

But by previous experience there'll be some times I've got way too much of something (tomatoes, probably, at this rate Wink

) and other times there's nothing much left, if anything at all.

I've started with planning to plant 52 seed potatoes (one plant for each week of the year?).

Now there's just everything else Laughing

How's everyone else decide what to plant?

Sue B · Joined: 18 Oct 2005 Posts: 362 Location: Lincolnshire

Well that's easy Lisa....Get a glass of wine, every seed catalogue you can lay your hands on, then put your feet up giving in to temptation ordering loads of stuff which you've no room for, that you probably wont eat or that you've still got from last year and have great fun.....works for me Very Happy

Lisa · Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 6:29 pm Post subject:

LOL!! That sounds rather familiar too...

Attila The Hen · Joined: 19 Sep 2005 Posts: 409 Location: Shetland