I thought I'd share an improvised invention with people here.
My old heated propagator wouldn't work after I had bought some interesting
seeds. I needed a decent temperature controlled model and a new one would
be about 60 or 70 quid. It struck me that this was expensive considering
the components so I started a bit of research.

This is what I came up with. The cheapest thermostatic heaters available
were aquarium heaters.

This is what I did. I had one of those big plastic containers that are all
over the shops at present. I put water in it immersed a weighted tray in it
so that the water went up the sides of the tray but not over the top.
To get everything working I actually have quite a bit of water in the
container and the tray is siting on a plastic pot.

I then placed the original lid of the propagator over the top. It was too
big but if slanted it kept its position.

I then experimented with a soil thermometer and the settings on the heater
until I got the desired temperature (as you have to do with a conventional
propagator) and I planted my seeds.

It works. I now have some seedlings. The heater cost me less than a tenner
on Ebay from a reputable firm. The other stuff I had anyway but buying it
would have been less than another tenner I suppose. It is big saving on the
cost of a conventional propagator.


Neil Jones
http://www.butterflyguy.com/