Home made propagator

[carolann]

Morning everyone.
A couple of months ago I got some fish boxes with lids from our local supermarket (they only throw them away). After washing them out they still had a pong so I put them outside. Yesterday I cut the lid of one and placed a piece of glass in the hole now I have a great propagator to start my seeds off next year. I have 3 more to make now. My brother called around and wants one for his spare room so he can start his seeds off.
Carol.

[Rosefriend]

What a great idea Carol - cheap and easy to use. I don't know whether we have anything like that here, but I will definitely keep my eyes open. Could you use Clingfilm if there wasn't any glass available?

RF

[Deleted]

Brilliant idea Carolann - I've never seent he fish boxes you describe, but our butcher regularly throws out plastic meat creates ... must see if I can find some glass to fit ;D ... cheeers ...

[madonplants]

Geoff Hamilton would have be proud, if he was still alive. Well done, great idea.

Keith

[carolann]

Thanks peeps, will take a photo tomorrow so that you can see what they look like. Rosefriend I dont know about the cling film but a piece of clear perspex will do the job.
Carol.

[carolann]

Here are a few pics of the propagator, it holds 2 full sized seed trays of 4 half size ones.

[oldmoleskins]

great idea Carolann... for those unable to seduce a fishmonger, I've seen smaller (1 tray?) type polystyrene boxes used by greengrocers, or rather discarded by them - broccoli and herbs come into the country refrigerated too!

OM.

[Dutchy]

On a bigger scale.
Out here new fridges and such come in cardboard boxes but inside is always this big snugly fitting white one, just like that fismongers box.
One could build a whopping big mini GH.
All you have to seduce are the people from the shop as they are forced by law to take those boxes back with them and dispose of responsably.
What can be more responsible than recycling?

I big huray for the great idea Carolann

[Chuckles]

Fab idea Carol, its amazing what you can do with a little bit of imagination, they look brilliant.

Reminds me of you lining your home made coldframe out with polystyrene Dutchy, do you still have it

[carolann]

thanks everyone, the boxes came from Morrisons and I have asked for some more to be saved for me , they get quite warm inside and keep a lot of the heat during the night. I put a min and max therm inside during the day when its sunny it was up to 90.c and at night it dropped to about 60.c which is not bad as the rest of the GH was only 6.c and we have had some frosty nights this last week up here. ;D

[Ladygardener]

that's a brilliant idea Carolann what seeds have you in them?

[carolann]

LNG I have put in some chicory which I got from OM in the seed tial. I am trying various ways with both lots of seeds.

[Chuckles]

How's that home made prop of your's doing I had a chuckles moment at the end of December ;D

greety said:

Not sure if this is going to work but I was talking to a friend yesterday about sowing seeds and popping them in a bag until they germinate and I had a Chuckles moment

I have a few of those opaque plastic Chinese takeaway cartons hanging about and thought I'd try them instead of the poly bag. So..............damp kitchen roll folded in the bottom, seeds placed on top, lid on, placed on warm shelf near heater........we'll see what happens

This morning I checked and had an Abutilon seedling, so it's now in the HP in the GH

[carolann]

Its in full use at the mo Chuckles with 60 Sweet peas inside. I have got another box ready for the seeds which have to be sown in Jan. Our Chinese takeaway has gone back to the tinfoil containers but I have lots of Mushroom trays and cream containers with lids to play with. I sowed some lilac/pink Cornflower seeds yesterday in a cream pot so that is on the radiator in the kitchen, it needed some heat and I dont have any in the GH.