Fertraso - Propagator Pro 70

An unheated propagator of 58 by 38 by 24 cm, with a watertight base tray and two adjustable vents in the lid.

With a propagator, height is what you run out of first

Almost everyone picks a propagator on floor area: will my tray fit. That is the dimension that usually does not catch you out. Height does, and sooner than you would expect.

Work it through. Inside the base stands your tray or your pots, and those are already five to eight centimetres tall themselves. On top of that comes the cutting or the seedling. The moment a leaf touches the lid, condensation sits on that leaf and you have exactly the wet spot where fungus starts. At that point the lid has to come off, and you lose the climate you bought the propagator for in one go.

This one is 24 cm tall. That is more than most propagators of this footprint and it buys you a week or two before you have to harden off. Measure your existing tray and subtract it from the 24: what is left is the room your plants actually have.

Why the base is solid

The base tray has no holes. That means water and nutrient solution stay in it, which is the intention: you water into the tray and the medium draws it up from below. The drawback of that same property is that you cannot see excess water drain away, so water in small amounts and check that it has actually been taken up before you give more.

Keep the two vents shut while your cuttings have no roots, then open them step by step. That is hardening off: you let the humidity fall at the rate the roots take over.

Technical Specifications:

• Type: unheated propagator with lid
• Brand: Fertraso
• Dimensions: 58 x 38 x 24 cm (length x width x height)
• Base tray: watertight, no drainage holes
• Ventilation: two independently adjustable vents in the lid
• Material: impact-resistant plastic with a transparent lid
• Supplied with: base tray, lid and a manual
• Heating: none, this is an unheated model

Frequently asked questions

Does it have heating?
No. If you want bottom heat, stand the tray on a separate heat mat.

Can I leave water standing in it?
A shallow layer, yes, since the plugs draw from it. Do not leave plugs sitting in water for days, because the water pushes the air out.

When do I open the vents?
As soon as the first roots appear. In stages, over about five days, until the lid can come off entirely.

Will my standard seed tray fit?
Measure your tray. The internal dimensions are a little smaller than the 58 by 38 measured on the outside.