Author Topic: Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?  (Read 856 times)

djseaquist

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Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?
« on: November 27, 2023, 06:22:46 PM »
When winter approaches, I find that I have to take a 4 month break from growing plants from seed. The temperature gets too cold to germinate seeds. And even if the seeds sprout, I run the risk of the cold damaging or killing the young seedlings.

W.

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Re: Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2023, 06:33:42 PM »
I haven't done much propagating lately. But, I used to do quite a bit, and I simply used heat mats and grow lights, a pretty standard, basic setup. Make sure you use a good seed starting mix. Don't use too much mix, so use small containers such as seed starting trays. Don't water them too much, but don't let them get too dry. Heat mats and grow lights should provide you with more than sufficient heat to ward off cool temperatures, which shouldn't really be a problem when propagating seeds inside during a zone 10a winter (it was a little more of a problem for me, since I actually have a winter where I live).

turtle_hermit

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Re: Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2023, 07:11:08 PM »
I'm always propagating something during the winter, usually seeds to get a jump on the spring time.
Heat mats, plastic bags, and propagation trays with dome lids all help.
Grow lights are good, but I tend to use sunny windows most of the time.

Daintree

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Re: Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?
« Reply #3 on: November 27, 2023, 07:22:08 PM »
I have a zone 12 greenhouse, heat mats and lights, so it is NEVER winter for me!

Carolyn

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Re: Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?
« Reply #4 on: November 27, 2023, 07:54:05 PM »
I just move the propagated stuff into the house.
May want to look into a grow tent.
I think then it's 24/7/365 propagation.
I bought one, but my parents wouldn't let me use it when they realized how big it was ;D

drymifolia

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Re: Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?
« Reply #5 on: November 28, 2023, 07:01:44 AM »
I do a little propagation over the winter...



These are on a heating pad and in a greenhouse that has heaters that prevent a freeze, but usually they are still very slow to sprout over the winter. But the time I tried storing the seeds in a fridge instead, I had higher failure/rot rate in spring, so I just go ahead and put them in soil in the fall now.

roblack

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Re: Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?
« Reply #6 on: November 28, 2023, 09:35:13 AM »
Usually starting some kind of seeds year round, but our climate is not typical of forum members. It's still a good idea to get a jump on Spring.

Just got a bunch of passiflora and pepper seeds, time to do some soaking and sowing.

hipasfolk

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Re: Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?
« Reply #7 on: November 28, 2023, 11:39:48 AM »
I'm terrible at germinating seeds even outside of winter but I've currently got a few dozen fig cuttings in my guest bath under a grow light and am hoping these do better than the ones I attempted over summer, only one made it 😂

nullzero

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Re: Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?
« Reply #8 on: November 28, 2023, 12:01:13 PM »
Humidity Dome, LED grow lights, temp controlled heatmat. That is usually the standard setup. I set my heatmat at 75f to 78f.

Run grow lights half the day. I do seeds and cuttings.
Grow mainly fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

Lovetoplant

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Re: Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?
« Reply #9 on: December 16, 2023, 12:28:00 AM »
Humidity Dome, LED grow lights, temp controlled heatmat. That is usually the standard setup. I set my heatmat at 75f to 78f.

Run grow lights half the day. I do seeds and cuttings.

Any good particular brand of the heating pad you use?
Thanks

nullzero

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Re: Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?
« Reply #10 on: December 17, 2023, 02:20:12 PM »
Humidity Dome, LED grow lights, temp controlled heatmat. That is usually the standard setup. I set my heatmat at 75f to 78f.

Run grow lights half the day. I do seeds and cuttings.

Any good particular brand of the heating pad you use?
Thanks

Vivosun works good from Amazon, but there is like a dozen other Chinese companies that make almost exact model. I would look at price and if there is at least 100 reviews on the heatmat.
Grow mainly fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

W.

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Re: Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?
« Reply #11 on: December 17, 2023, 04:19:38 PM »
I have a couple of types. They're all made at the same factory in China, anyway, so there's not much difference in them. All these brand names just give us the false illusion of choice when in reality we all just buy the same thing, made in the same place, from the same website. It's merely the 21st Century expression of Henry Ford's quote about the Model T, "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black."

drymifolia

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Re: Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?
« Reply #12 on: December 17, 2023, 04:26:34 PM »
I have a couple of types. They're all made at the same factory in China, anyway, so there's not much difference in them. All these brand names just give us the false illusion of choice when in reality we all just buy the same thing, made in the same place, from the same website. It's merely the 21st Century expression of Henry Ford's quote about the Model T, "Any customer can have a car painted any color that he wants so long as it is black."

It's a fairly simple game they play: own a dozen or more trademarks, delete any that start getting bad reviews and add new ones, starting any new one with enough fake reviews that it'll start near the top when people sort by rating. Wash and repeat

Fruit Jungle

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Re: Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?
« Reply #13 on: December 17, 2023, 07:35:19 PM »
I have a zone 12 greenhouse, heat mats and lights, so it is NEVER winter for me!

Carolyn

 ;D

Careful, your plants may turn into that annoying Floridian always braggin to their outdoor plant friends about their incredible winter weather.

Daintree

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Re: Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?
« Reply #14 on: December 17, 2023, 09:30:06 PM »
Ha!  ;D

John B

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Re: Do you guys propagate during the winter? If so, how?
« Reply #15 on: December 18, 2023, 12:50:20 PM »
Germinating seeds on top of the fridge has always worked for me when it's cold. I have some cherimoya seeds germinating now so I can graft a few over summer to give to a few friends who expressed interest.

We built my wife an office outside. I added a large skylight to brighter up her office. I swore to her it was not to temporarily grow sensitive seedlings in the winter. Now she has a nice climate controlled room with trendy white walls with plenty of light. I don't think she'll mind a few symbiotic friends over winter😅.   Just a few imbe and jabo stowaways.