This is just what I needed. I've been propagating indoors then moving plants outdoors and the hardening off is a pain. I've had a lot of trouble with the plants getting shocked by the sudden exposure to sunlight, so I plan to use this process in my greenhouse this year. Thanks for the video!
Love to see the misting system on a timer with a sensor and to lower the ph of water especially if its alkaline for acid loving plants thanks the heated bench video was excellent 👍👍👍👍👌
Hi Great video and very well explained. I built a small propagation table 3 years ago and it works well but I tend to get some fungal type growth in the sand round the seed trays. How do you sterilise the sand and prevent fungal/bacterial growth. Thanks again for your videos.
great vidio thanks. I have make one 12` X 3` and made a rectangular cover from a from a cheap plastic tomato house frame which I cover with a sheet of plastic from a matress cover . it works great . The insulation was too expensive for me so I have used thick sheets of polystyrene from packaging .
I've a makeshift one with a couple of polystyrene leek trays, sand, soil 6m soil heating cable, heavy duty bin bags and a PID controller + solid state relay + thermocouple kit. A 6-cm x 40cm commercial; tray fits in it snugly. It does the job and once everything is germinated I pour the sand back in the bag it came out of. I don't have the space for something more permanent but I need to build something more robust. I was thinking a vermiculite base on top of the plastic. Vermiculite is a cheap, low mass insulator. On top of that the cable and a copper sheet to spread the heat evenly. Perhaps fix the cable to the copper sheet with copper P clips However there might be a risk of localised heat at the clips damaging the cable sheathing and insulation. Sand on top of that. * A bin bag liner on top of that so I can irrigate and bottom water the whole tray. A dry base is also useful for drying things out with gentle heat. Higher side to give height for the seedlings Place a sheet of twinwall over the top to keep the heat in to make it as much a closed system as possible and let some light in. Overhead lighting as necessary. * The thermal conductivity of sandstone is only 1.83 -3.9W·m−1·K−1, whereas that of Copper is c. 400W·m−1·K−1 so I may experiment with everything above the copper plate. In fact perhaps a heat mat on top of the insulation and no sand above would provide more efficient coupling.
Would this system work with a lighting system(HPS, LED) above? Especially if I wished to raise batches of long growing plants like Chilles or peppers etc. More for later batches to catch up with the first batch of plants.
hi how often do you add water to the sand ,and what happens if it does dry out .. thanks .great video ..used this to install mine built on your design thanks great help
@@MattWilkinsonwilkoteq well if it dries mate it burns out my Polly stank of smoke .. so keep it moist . never let it dry out .. he might not reply to you but i will ..
Hi, new subscriber here...we have a similar (using the same cable but smaller) bench/propagator in our little greenhouse but have made a tunnel like structure from clear plastic that goes on top...the idea was to keep the heat & moisture in and hopefully get things off to a good start, we didn't insulate under the sand between the wood and plastic like you though. Its brilliant for growing on lots of plant cuttings as well as seeds...wondering do you never cover yours, after watching this I'm hoping it's not dangerous to have a cover on. Thanks, off to have a look around your other videos now. Ann
Hi Ann, we sometimes use a mini polytunnel for some extra protection, but do be careful of over heating and preventing air circulation, potentially damaging young seedlings. www.quickcrop.co.uk/mini-polytunnels
+Ali H - Hi again Ali - thanks for watching us so late ( your time ) .You definitely live in a total different weather zone to us. We get to 20 c only if we are lucky. I guess every place has its plus and minuses weather wise. Because your climate is so different from ours we have to look in to your question and come back to you soon with an answer.
Great video, really helpful. Thanks! By the way is there a way to automate moisture (drip water top off) in the bench? I can't see how to monitor the water under the sand practically, or would I need to physically feel for moisture in each area each day?
It is difficult to monitor the water automatically but if the temperature is constant then the evaporation rate will be fairly consistent, allowing you to time your watering.
I made one but I put the little blue part and some of the black cable inside on top of the sand . Is that ok do you think ? Also ,exactly where should the thermostat prob be ? near the top of the sand or 2 inches down in the middle of the sand ? Thanks
That blue connector should be kept dry, so its probably best outside the bed. Place the thermostat somewhere in the middle of the bed to get a more accurate reading.
thanks . I had to remove the table and sand when building a new greenhouse recently and I`m in the process of redoing the whole thing with new sand so I have an opportunity now od doing it right . thanks for the video .
Hi hope you don’t mind me asking but do you have to keep the seedlings on the hotbed until you plant out or can you take them off the hot bed once small plants. Thanks
Can you explain why the sand needs to be wet...I've seen the same with dry sand and pebble rocks which seems to work fine. Thanks in a dance for your reply.
theoretically couldn't you just use water flexible tube about the same diameter and run hot water through the tube into a reservoir to replace the expensive soil warming cable.
We have used this method before. We had a small water heater that fed into PEX pipe that was coiled through the sand and then was routed back to the water heater. Basically it just kept sending the same water through itself as needed. Downfall is that the water heaters go out after about 5 years and they are expensive, upside is that you can heat a much larger area with much less energy output.
Trace heating / soil warming cables are hella expensive. Mooch around a construction/refurb skip for polyiso as that is expensive too. It's a shame the parasene doesn't have a 'sense' pair and 'actual temp'display
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great video - super well presented, love the editing - quick, concise, covers everything.
This is just what I needed. I've been propagating indoors then moving plants outdoors and the hardening off is a pain. I've had a lot of trouble with the plants getting shocked by the sudden exposure to sunlight, so I plan to use this process in my greenhouse this year. Thanks for the video!
Your video was the best one to follow. We built as you said and it is absolutely fab. thanks so much
Love to see the misting system on a timer with a sensor and to lower the ph of water especially if its alkaline for acid loving plants thanks the heated bench video was excellent 👍👍👍👍👌
Absolutely brilliant excellent very direct informative no waffle loved it
Very informative and well put together video. Thank you.
Hi! Can you tell us a little more about the cable? Do I have to buy "soil" cable, or can I use "gutter" cable or "pipe" cable? thxn!
A very informative video!, would it possible to integrate a misting unit into your system? would you be able to show how? many thanks!
Hi Great video and very well explained. I built a small propagation table 3 years ago and it works well but I tend to get some fungal type growth in the sand round the seed trays. How do you sterilise the sand and prevent fungal/bacterial growth. Thanks again for your videos.
great vidio thanks. I have make one 12` X 3` and made a rectangular cover from a from a cheap plastic tomato house frame which I cover with a sheet of plastic from a matress cover . it works great . The insulation was too expensive for me so I have used thick sheets of polystyrene from packaging .
Thats great, brilliant improvisation.
just what I;ve been looking for to go into my new pollytunnel, many thanks...
I've a makeshift one with a couple of polystyrene leek trays, sand, soil 6m soil heating cable, heavy duty bin bags and a PID controller + solid state relay + thermocouple kit. A 6-cm x 40cm commercial; tray fits in it snugly. It does the job and once everything is germinated I pour the sand back in the bag it came out of. I don't have the space for something more permanent but I need to build something more robust.
I was thinking a vermiculite base on top of the plastic. Vermiculite is a cheap, low mass insulator.
On top of that the cable and a copper sheet to spread the heat evenly.
Perhaps fix the cable to the copper sheet with copper P clips However there might be a risk of localised heat at the clips damaging the cable sheathing and insulation.
Sand on top of that. *
A bin bag liner on top of that so I can irrigate and bottom water the whole tray. A dry base is also useful for drying things out with gentle heat.
Higher side to give height for the seedlings
Place a sheet of twinwall over the top to keep the heat in to make it as much a closed system as possible and let some light in.
Overhead lighting as necessary.
* The thermal conductivity of sandstone is only 1.83 -3.9W·m−1·K−1, whereas that of Copper is c. 400W·m−1·K−1 so I may experiment with everything above the copper plate. In fact perhaps a heat mat on top of the insulation and no sand above would provide more efficient coupling.
Hello, very nice video. how many units of electricity is used in a day/month.
Would this work for overwintering pelargonuims of a more mature size?
Would this system work with a lighting system(HPS, LED) above? Especially if I wished to raise batches of long growing plants like Chilles or peppers etc. More for later batches to catch up with the first batch of plants.
Is there anywhere I can look up the size bench I need for a given soil warming cable size?
Cool! Or in this case, warm!
Other than size, are there advantages to using this type of heated propogation station over using a heat mat?
Great thanks / how do you keep the sand pest and disease free ?
Hi great video. Do you have a DC version of the cable and thermostat? Thanks Robert
Fantastic video. Are you related to Simon Pegg by chance?
hi how often do you add water to the sand ,and what happens if it does dry out ..
thanks .great video ..used this to install mine built on your design thanks great help
I was wondering the same - why so much water to start with too?
@@MattWilkinsonwilkoteq well if it dries mate it burns out my Polly stank of smoke .. so keep it moist . never let it dry out .. he might not reply to you but i will ..
Hi, new subscriber here...we have a similar (using the same cable but smaller) bench/propagator in our little greenhouse but have made a tunnel like structure from clear plastic that goes on top...the idea was to keep the heat & moisture in and hopefully get things off to a good start, we didn't insulate under the sand between the wood and plastic like you though. Its brilliant for growing on lots of plant cuttings as well as seeds...wondering do you never cover yours, after watching this I'm hoping it's not dangerous to have a cover on. Thanks, off to have a look around your other videos now. Ann
Hi Ann, we sometimes use a mini polytunnel for some extra protection, but do be careful of over heating and preventing air circulation, potentially damaging young seedlings. www.quickcrop.co.uk/mini-polytunnels
Quickcrop ok, thankyou for replying and so quickly too :) have a happy growing year. 😃
hi in iraq heat from 45 to 55 c in summer which vegetable seed good 4 this heat and thank you so much.
+Ali H - Hi again Ali - thanks for watching us so late ( your time ) .You definitely live in a total different weather zone to us. We get to 20 c only if we are lucky. I guess every place has its plus and minuses weather wise. Because your climate is so different from ours we have to look in to your question and come back to you soon with an answer.
Start Chile peppers of various types in the winter and by summer you should have a huge crop of peppers
Brilliant. Thank you.
How do you deal with the bench filling up with water? Theoretically, if there is no drainage, won't the water level just continue to rise?
As it is constantly being warmed the moisture will evaporate.
What is the power consumption of such a product?
Great video, really helpful. Thanks! By the way is there a way to automate moisture (drip water top off) in the bench? I can't see how to monitor the water under the sand practically, or would I need to physically feel for moisture in each area each day?
It is difficult to monitor the water automatically but if the temperature is constant then the evaporation rate will be fairly consistent, allowing you to time your watering.
@@Quickcrop I guess you could leave it outside, covered with plastic top, with holes to let the rain drip in
Hi there, great video, just wondering if you sell/ship to Australia?
Excellent educational video Quickcrop... would you mind estimating the total cost on one 4x8 bed as shown? Thanks from Toronto- zone 4 ( cold!)
Unfortunately we don't ship to Canada.
whot the price for your heat cabel
can i make it without the heating cable? Because there not elctricity connection to the greenhouse.
You need a heat source, any ideas?
I made one but I put the little blue part and some of the black cable inside on top of the sand . Is that ok do you think ? Also ,exactly where should the thermostat prob be ? near the top of the sand or 2 inches down in the middle of the sand ? Thanks
That blue connector should be kept dry, so its probably best outside the bed. Place the thermostat somewhere in the middle of the bed to get a more accurate reading.
thanks . I had to remove the table and sand when building a new greenhouse recently and I`m in the process of redoing the whole thing with new sand so I have an opportunity now od doing it right . thanks for the video .
Hi hope you don’t mind me asking but do you have to keep the seedlings on the hotbed until you plant out or can you take them off the hot bed once small plants. Thanks
Once established the young seedlings can be removed from the hotbed, but do take care to protect them from frost.
I love your large soil warming beds, do you keep them all at the same temperature, or vary depending on the plants you're growing?
***** Thanks, we sometimes vary them according to plants but not by much. It's usually fine at the same temperature
thanks!!
Can you explain why the sand needs to be wet...I've seen the same with dry sand and pebble rocks which seems to work fine. Thanks in a dance for your reply.
The moisture acts as a medium to efficiently transfer the heat through the sand.
Wouldnt the cable wiggle its way about?Not remain at its 6cm distance?
It does tend to sit in the bed. Its an electrical cable, it won't move about like a hose.
Is this product sold in the USA?
No
HI there! Do you know if gutter warming cables can replace the soil warming cables?
I'm sure they will do a good job.
thanks for the answer! the video has helped me a lot. thanks so much!
theoretically couldn't you just use water flexible tube about the same diameter and run hot water through the tube into a reservoir to replace the expensive soil warming cable.
+julio quinones Theoretically it would work. It may need with some adaptation, please let us know how you get on.
We have used this method before. We had a small water heater that fed into PEX pipe that was coiled through the sand and then was routed back to the water heater. Basically it just kept sending the same water through itself as needed. Downfall is that the water heaters go out after about 5 years and they are expensive, upside is that you can heat a much larger area with much less energy output.
s M do you know any supplier that cheap?
Hello, could you use these benches to propagate Macadamia cuttings?
Yes, if you create a humid environment for the plants.
how do I get those cables you are using can not find them
roy21809 Quickcrop sell them
Hello ! can I line it with buble wrap ?? please!
Well Ihad some handy and didnt have any heavy duty around! hopefully it will be Ok thank you!
Here is a video tutorial on how to build a heated propagation bench
thx a lot Quickcrop
heater not coming on?
Quickcrop looking òf Cameroon plant
Why do you use wet sand instead of dry sand?
The moisture in the sand acts as a conductor in order to maintain heat transference. Cheers.
Trace heating / soil warming cables are hella expensive. Mooch around a construction/refurb skip for polyiso as that is expensive too. It's a shame the parasene doesn't have a 'sense' pair and 'actual temp'display
This is all good until they sprout into freezing cold air. Need a top lid with grow lamp.
I wonder if it would be cheaper just to buy an electric blanket!
Weird plug on the cable.
Would grow lights be an advantage
Grow lights are good for developing strong healthy seedlings, although they not be necessary in a naturally lit polytunnel.
You should always make the ground cable about twice as long as the other ones for security.
There's always at least one clever dick isn't there.
In my first work I always used Woodprix plans.
The thermostat wasn't mounted correctly it's like 1 cm from the side on the right size and 1.5 cm on the left side. It looks ugly!!