Garland Extra Large High Dome Propagator

Product Information

The base features a fully enclosed and completely water proof heating element which gives an even spread of heat across the base with no hot or cold spots. Temperature is precisely controlled by the include thermostat which can be accurately set in 1 degree increments between 5 and 30 degrees celcius. Whilst this propagator does heat well, unfortunately there is no thermostat or temperature control. However, it seems to work effectively without the need for any of these added features. In general, the temperature inside the propagator rises by around 8°C and maintains a consistent heat. A lower-wattage propagator will heat up more slowly, but cost less to run, than a higher-wattage unit. There was only one way to test the EarlyGrow 3-Bay Heated Electric Propagator! I took my kids to our local garden centre, where they chose a small variety of fruit and vegetable seeds they wanted to grow. I tried to guide them within the suggested ‘germination months’, but they were naturally drawn to the strawberries! Hey, might as well give it a try right?! So we planted strawberry, peas, and giant pepper seeds. My boys ready for some planting!

Other considerations include watering and ventilating. Ideally you will want the internal atmosphere of your propagator to be warm and humid, without too much disturbance. A capillary mat will hold quite a lot of water, which will be drawn up into the pots and trays and help to keep the air moist. This means less time spent watering and more time for the propagator to stay closed and undisturbed. Also, you will want to control the amount of air that circulates within the unit to ensure there is no loss of young seedlings due to damping off. Tomatoes are very susceptible to damping off, which is generally caused by a combination of cool air and moisture. The lid height will dictate how long you can keep your produce growing in the propagator – if the plants start pushing the ceiling, they’ll have to be taken out.

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If you want to buy a heated propagator, the following information should help clear up any doubts or questions you may have: Choosing the Right Size

This is a great piece of kit getting great results from my tomato and chilli I'm using it with the lights so the seedlings aren't leggy at all but I'm having to buy the height extension because growth on the tomatoes is so good. Most standard propagators either come with on large seed tray, or one larger tray and a few separate smaller trays. These may be contained under the same roof, or in individual ‘cells’. Obviously, the germination time is entirely dependent on the plant or vegetable variety, but it’s just a good example that the EarlyGrow is very capable of generating the right conditions for seed germination – which is of course the most important factor here. Looks like peas will be on the menu soon!There’s only one open heating space, so you’re not restricted by smaller ‘cells’. The only real downside to this is that seeds can’t be individually ventilated. The plastic lid has two vents, which can be opened or closed to help regulate the temperature inside the propagator. If there are separate trays, or there’s enough space to use your own pots, you can have a lot more flexibility on using different compost types and planting different seeds. This propagator is certainly very effective, prompting seeds to germinate often in a matter of days, or maybe a week at most. It encourages germination in a wide range of plants from tomatoes, to chillies, to flowers like achillea. This propagator is made up of 4 individual seed trays, as well as a heated base. While it requires a little more space than other units I’ve recommended, measuring 39 x 25 x 16cm, it still fits easily on most average window sills. Each tray measures 8.5 x 15.5cm, while the height of the lid is 8cm. This allows seedlings to grow tall and develop strong roots before replanting.

For example, the Garland Super 7 Propagator is one of the best heated electric propagators for catering to different seeds; it has seven different pods and each one has its own ventilation. These type of set up allows you to keep some seeds cooler than others, all whilst using the same propagator. The EarlyGrow 3-Bay Heated Electric Propagatoris impressively simple to use, yet cleverly designed. It’s got three well-sized “cells” that sit on top of a reservoir in the base of the unit. Fill it with water, set up the absorbent material over the base, turn it on and you’re good to go! In terms of performance, this propagator can be used to grow a wide variety of seeds. It comes with a 13W carbon fibre element that provides an even heat distribution, raising the temperature by around 8°C. Having said that, it’s still best installed on a sunny windowsill if you’re growing plants that prefer a lot of warmth.I love my new propagator! It was easy to assemble, holds lots of plants and the temperature probe is really useful. I bought two heights of sides and this is super as I am not restricted by size of cuttings. Then, you’ll need to multiply the wattage of the propagator by the number of hours it’ll be used each day. Divide this number by 1000 and multiply by 14 (or your specific kWh rate). To give an idea of size: there are units that are small enough to fit onto windowsills, whilst others will need to be placed on a table/worktop/greenhouse shelf. Large, one-cell units that measure around 52 x 45 cm can be used to try to germinate around 140 seeds. They’re often big enough to fit 2 x 24-pot seed trays, and if you get 3 seeds in each pot, this can mean the potential to plant 144 seeds. The number of compartments will allow you to grow several types of different types of seeds; you can adjust the soil type and environment to suit the individual seed.

As I’ve already mentioned, this propagator is high performing, boosting the temperature by 8-10°C. The heat distributed is evenly spread across the base thanks to the reliable carbon fibre element, while the growing conditions can be controlled using individual vents across the 4 seed trays. The idea of adding a propagator to your house might seem daunting – doesn’t it cost a lot of money to have a heat source on for a long time? Measuring just 76 x 18.4 x 15.2cm, this propagator fits most average windowsills. Each tray comes with a transparent lid so you can easily monitor the progress of your seedlings, while the air flow and temperature can be controlled using the red vents on each lid.Having a propagator with separate ‘cells’ will mean you can choose to ventilate certain cells and not others which allows you to adjust the environment to the individual seed. Extra features on this propagator are very limited. There is no thermostat and no timer, although a timer can be separately hooked up. Many users found that it got too hot for some seedlings, so I’d recommend keeping an eye on things for the first few days.