Everything You’ll Need for Successful Winter Propagation
Don’t let the winter season stand in the way of your propagation pursuit!
As we enter the coldest time of the year, here are some products we recommend for winter propagation success!
Heated Propagators
When propagating plants from seedlings and cuttings in the colder winter months, it is advantageous to have a constant and consistent heat source to nurture their early development and encourage them to root.
A heated propagator will do the job nicely! Bottom heat applied to fresh cuttings not only increases the strike rate or success rate, but it also increases the speed at which the cuttings will root.
Start your growing season earlier by using a heated propagator in the winter months, especially when germinating plants accustomed to warmer climates that wouldn’t be able to grow in the colder months.
Here are three of our best selling heated propagators…
Garland XL High Dome Heated Propagator
Vitopod Large Heated Propagators
X-Stream Heated Propagators
The Vitopod and the X-Stream Heated propagators are the front runners at the moment, they are quite evenly matched, and equally as popular with our customers. These propagators can both be thermostatically controlled (thermostat included) and feature large vents enabling you to control ventilation and humidity levels.
They are both available in small or large variations, with the larger sizes enabling you to propagate up to 450 seedlings!
You can also get both of these heated propagators in kits that come with Sunblaster LED Propagation lights.
(Use the coupon GHEDIGITAL10 when ordering your Vitopod Propagator to access your 10% digital discount.)
We also included the Garland XL High Dome heated propagator in this list as it is a longstanding favourite with our customers, however this propagator doesn’t come with a thermostat like the Vitopod and X-Stream.
Root!t Hobby Heat Mats
If you already have a propagator, a quick and easy way to upgrade your setup at a lower cost without having to buy a heated propagator, would be to get a heat mat to place underneath your existing propagator. Heat mats are an effective way to generate a consistent bottom heat for your propagator to help with the early rooting of cuttings and seedlings.
Root !T Hobby Heat Mats
Root !T Insulated Mats for Heat Mats
Root!T Heat Mat Thermostat
We highly recommend the Root!It Hobby Heat Mat if you are looking to add a heat mat to your existing setup. These heat mats emit a constant heat which can measured by a digital thermostat to give you greater control and to also help with power consumption. They can also be used in conjunction with an Insulated Mat for the best results to help evenly distribute heat.
You can now get all three of these products together in our Root!T Hobby Heat Mat propagation bundle.
Top Tip: When using the Root!t Thermostat make sure you place the probe in the root zone to get the most accurate reading.
X-Stream Aeroponic Propagator
We had to give the X-Stream Aeroponic propagator a mention here, our most popular propagator in-store at the moment, which was recently featured in The Telegraph by award winning gardening writer Bunny Guinness.
The X-Stream Aeroponic Propagator has a misting chamber underneath that provides your cuttings with access to highly oxygenated water, enabling roots to grow faster and stronger.
However, the X-Stream Aeroponic Propagators will need to be used with a Root!T Heat Mat in the winter months…
Root !T Hobby Heat Mats
X-Stream Aero Propagator
X-Stream Aero Propagator with Sunblaster LED’s
Winter proofing your X-Stream…
X-Stream propagators are the ideal way to start off your new season plants but the cold will slow down root development.
A Root !T Hobby Heat Mat with Root !T Heat Mat Thermostat is the ideal way to combat this.
Simply place the propagator on to the heat mat, plug the heat mat into the thermostat, place the temperature probe into the water (near the surface) and then select the temperature you require on the thermostat.
Pro Tip: Using an insulated mat under your heat mat will ensure that all of the heat goes upwards and doesn’t waste any heat.
Other Useful Products for Winter Propagation
Here are a few more products we recommend that might help you with your winter propagation project.
Don’t let your plants suffer in the cold, a cost-effective Lighthouse greenhouse heater will help to keep the cold weather from damaging your crops. It’s simple, but it’s effective! The 3kW powerful output means it can quickly heat up large spaces. It also allows growers to reach and preserve the desired temperature allowing plants to thrive..
Unsure what propagation media to go for, then why not try Root Riot cubes instead of Jiffy Peat Pellets. Made from composted organic materials, these new cubes have a spongy texture which retains the perfect air/water ratio for healthy root growth.
And last but not least, why not grab some smart Gardena planting gloves to keep your hands warm on a cold winter morning.
Gardena Soil and Planting Gloves
LightHouse 3kW Greenhouse Heater
Root Riot Propagation Cubes
To wrap things up…
We hope that these product suggestions will help you with propagating in the colder winter months! If you have any questions regarding any of these products, don’t hesitate to give us a call for further advice.
Thanks for reading!
GHEDirect LTD, 
