Free Heating Mats

I'm definitely interested if this is still open.

 

Picked up a few 52" thermostatic controlled propagators.

Have been using the excellent Inkbird to control a heat cable wrapped around Brahea Armata outside.

Looking out for a good min max thermometer

I see Inkbird do a nice looking one?

ITH -20

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inkbird-Hygrometer-Thermometer-Temperature-Humidity/dp/B07MH5GNFS

 

I fear that perhaps my earlier post in this thread may have been a litlle misunderstood. Most likely, I had typed out all the words, but they and the letters came out in the wrong places. Anyway. Lets say, I have used propagators in the past.

In my own GH, when growing fuchsias from cuttings. I usde the whole stage/bench on one side of the GH. Even when I was using propane gas to heat the house, I built this propagator. So it was about twelve feet long by 30" Very much like a cold frame bought inside. It had a sloping top of glass. Soil warming cable with Humex soil thermostat. The around the inside of the frame, I used another heating cable for air heating. Gas heating became too costly, so back to an unheated GH. The dimensions of the propagator enabled me to harden off seedlings as well as standing more advanced pots.

I make mention of this hardening off for a reason. So our gardening friend may not even have a GH, so a heated tray on a windowsill. Wowee! tiny green seedling eventually appear. Now is a very critical time. Very little is written about this stage. Do I now take the seedlings out of the propagator. This is my own practice. I leave well alone until the second pair of leaves appear. Then I will gently prick out and usin a cell tray, as it were, pot up. Here the above heating cable comes into it's own.

Sadly our friend, pricks out and stands her new 'babies' on the windowsill. Come nightfall, temperatures drop and, 'baby' whatever feels the cold. At this juncture, in my lectures/talks. I illustrate. So here I lie in bed. Suddenly it turns cold. I bend and cuddle into myself to conserve warmth. Poor little seedling does likewise but is unable to eventually unwrap and stretch out.

So pricking out is perhaps a problem time. At this stage, I found my propagator to fit the bill. So, so sorry friends for ramberling on. Put it down to 'me age'. Yes, go on using propagators. Make the best of your hobby.

Question. When the experts run out of advice. What then?????????

They begin to take note of what others say.

 

One thing I quickly noticed when I started growing plants in the early 70s was that when reading books written by "experts" I was amazed how many just appeared to the quoting exactly the same things regarding growing conditions and compost etc. for various plants.

They, "the experts" were just following the generally accepted line and not many were writing from their own experiences, and when I started to try just a few experiments of my own I was quite amazed at the time how wrong they were on occasions.

Main ones being on hardiness, in those days it was mostly, it will survive out doors or it wont, no thought of micro climates or even location.

Things have moved on.

 

If you dont try you dont find out, having said that there are some things that just wont work/happen, but its nice to try, and the more knowledge you accumulate the more the interest grows.

 

I have an issue with experts. They tend to have an arrogance and will tell you how great they are, rather than help.

I'm a recently converted enthusiast who has learnt through trial and error. We've had failures, we've had successes where the plant shouldn't survive. We've planted stuff that has taken over and wont plant again (in this environment).

I treat every day as a school day

 

On that note....one of my baby Cleome died and the other two look dodgy. I'm good on errors!!

 

I would have loved to take you up on your offer, but I'm still trying to get the hubby to install the electrics in the greenhouse. one day I will have power

 

Cleome can be gits to grow, if your baby Cleome dont survive, let me know, its a plant I grow every year, and I will send you some (at no cost). I could send you 1 plug each of the 3 colours.