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Turn up the heat – a guide to electric propagators

It’s the middle of winter – and outside of a few hardy veggies, there are precious few opportunities for winter planting.

That’s where an electric propagator comes in – enabling you to grow from seed much earlier, providing a nurturing environment where seedlings can flourish before you plant them in the greenhouse or garden in early spring.

This month, we take a look at the benefits of electric propagators. We’ll be exploting  how you can use them to get a head start on your gardening in the new year and to protect your exotic plants all year round.

A better start in life

The key feature of a propagator is to provide the ideal conditions for seeds to germinate, and for young seedlings to thrive – nurturing them until they’re ready for planting out in the greenhouse, cold frame or garden. Electric propagators do this by heating soil temperature to a consistent level – usually around 20 – 25°C.

The advantages of using an electric propagator are that you can start the growing season earlier, and add additional capacity – so you can benefit from more produce, and can enjoy your plants for significantly longer during the year.

Protection over winter

The other use for a propagator is to protect your tender and exotic plants from the cold during the winter months. This is particularly useful when you need to protect plants that simply wouldn’t survive outside or in the greenhouse.

How to choose a propagator

There are dozens of electric propagators on the market, ranging from small, simple units designed for a few trays, right up to large heated propagators with sophisticated digital thermostats.

When choosing your propagator, you’ll want to look for:

  • Size – think about how many seedlings you want to germinate. Consider where you’re going to put the propagator, and measure the space accordingly. If you’re going to be using your propagator to protect plants over winter, then make sure it has enough height.
  • Power - If you’re purchasing an electric propagator, you’ll also need to think about access to the nearest electric socket.
  • Output – different propagators provide different levels of warmth, so think about what you’re using it for. If you want to grow exotics, then make sure that the propagator you’re choosing is capable of heating soil to the right temperature.
  • Ventilation – on sunny days, there is always the chance of the temperature within your propagator becoming too hot. Vents will enable this hot air to escape for better temperature control on hot days.
  • Controls – the ability to keep a consistent soil temperature is important. Purchase a propagator with a thermostat to ensure maximum control and consistency.

Heating up your greenhouse

At Keen Gardener, we don’t just provide propagators for indoor use – you’ll also find larger models ideal for transforming your greenhouse.

In addition to greenhouse propagators, we also have a range of heating and thermostat options, designed for larger scale operations – so you can extend the growing season and protect plants inside.

For the winter months, we also offer a fantastic range of greenhouse heaters – the best way of keeping your greenhouse frost-free during winter.

Propagators from Keen Gardener

At Keen Gardener, we stock an excellent range of electric propagators from three of the UK’s most trusted brands:

  • Biogreen
  • Garland
  • Stewart

Whether you want to transform a small windowsill or a large greenhouse, we have the perfect propagator you need to give your plants the best start in life, and to protect them when the temperatures drop.

All our propagators are available at an unbeatable price, and backed up by our lowest price promise.