Mini Greenhouse

A mini greenhouse, also known as a heated propagator, is especially well suited for raising plants for the garden, window boxes, the windowsill, or simply your own kitchen herbs, in any season.

In most cases it consists of a sturdy plastic tray with a matching cover, and can also be fitted with heating and a thermostat if required. Different sizes are available.
Essentially, a mini greenhouse works on the same principle as a full-sized hothouse. It traps warmth and retains moisture.
In early spring, plants are often started off indoors. Using propagator trays that protect the seedlings from dry indoor air is particularly beneficial for this purpose.

Peat pots are placed in the propagator tray and filled with bought-in potting compost. The pots are labelled before sowing and the sowing date is noted.
The appropriate seeds are then sown into the pots and covered with a thin layer of soil.

The propagator is then placed on an east- or west-facing windowsill. Thanks to the clear plastic cover and the humidity inside the mini greenhouse, the seeds germinate noticeably faster than they would outdoors in nature. As soon as the seedlings appear, move the propagator somewhere slightly cooler but as bright as possible, so the little plants don't become leggy. Thin the seedlings by pulling out the weaker ones, leaving only the strongest, which are hardened off and planted out in May.