Bustaseed Tip Out Propagation Kit

  Tip Out Propagation Kit

Readers of my journal will know that in 2019 I went on a quest to find heavy duty module trays to replace the flimsy modules that didn't last and needed replacing on a regular basis and found CMH Containerwise Material Handling, and trailed and blogged about their range of Long-Life Propagation Trays. 

Soon after Charles Dowding teamed up with them to make smaller trays closely followed by Hew Richards, which I had suggested to CMH and was informed by them that the gearing up cost to produce them was too much, A year later Charles Dowding went into partnership with CMH to make the smaller module trays happen, Hew Richards then creating his smaller tray range with them. 

As I have not been looking to increase my holding of heavy duty trays until last year when I purchased some of Charles Dowding and Hew Richards modules from CMH, I had not come across Bustaseeds, until their Tip Out Propagation Kits were offered as a prize on one of the gardening Facebook groups. 

I contacted Niall Magee the director of Busterseeds and asked to trial their Propagation Kits and he kindly arranged for a twin pack of Tip Out Propagation Kits to be sent to me that arrived last week. 

Removing the Retail Packaging Sleeve that keeps the kit together until you want to get into it and play the clear Lid made of 800 micron formed APET is made to fit the profile of the green base tray which is made of heavy duty injected moulded polypropylene  

The base tray includes a 20mm wide dedicated access point for bottom-watering  between the cell insert and the side of the tray on the left on the photo above

I really like this as I bottom water my CMH modules, as it helps prevent saturation and surface mould, thus there are no holes in the base tray 

The Kit Dimensions are L 350mm x W 250mm x H 50mm (cell depth)

Weight of Full Retail Kit 795g

I removed the 7 rows of 5 cell inserts and placed the lid next to the tray

I lifted the green base tray which feels very durable and well made, in the photo above you can see how the lid is profiled to fit into the bottom of the tray to make storage when no longer needed easy.   

The dimensions of the Cell Insert are approximate and again the Inserts feel robust and durable and likely to last longer than the 5 year guarantee than the product comes with. 

7 rows x 5 cells per strip giving 35 cells per tray. The white inserts will help reflect light and the 50mm deep cells are perfect for seedlings, but I can see how deeper root trainer versions would be beneficial. 

I can see me starting off my sweetcorn in these this year, As I have used various modules and container over the years, but have not found an ideal product yet, but this could be the one.   

In the photo above the Cells Inserts have no compost in and they pop off the rectangular upstands that hold them in place within the tray, that's why the lid is not sitting flush.   

I've seen one YouTube Review where they guy complained that he had to cut his seed labels in order to get the propagator lid on but with the lid and the tray being 50mm deep a standard 100mm long 12mm wide plastic label is going to be fine and if needs be, it can be placed at an angle. 

The ability to remove individual, 5-cell rows allows for easy monitoring of roots, is a real benefit. I have tried transparent module in the past, but this is ideal, I can also look out for any slugs or their eggs.  

OK this is a stock photo and I don't expect the white cells to be that clean and gleaming when the soil blocks are decanted, but they are going to be easy to clean. It takes a long time and elbow grease with different size brushes to clean the CMH Modules, these are going to be a lot easier to clean. 

Ease of removal will prevent root transplant shock.

Now that I have arthritis, following my cancer treatment, I can see that these kits are going to be easier for me to use due to its easy-to-handle design. . 

Common Criticisms

• Your Using Plastic As I have covered before, it's better to invest in long life heavy duty plastic gardening equipment than the flimsy plastic modules that need replacing on a regular basis.   
• Price: Several reviews mention that the initial cost is higher than traditional trays, though most feel the longevity justifies the investment.

Where to Buy in the UK

You can find these kits at major gardening retailers including:

• Gardening Naturally
• Mr. Fothergill's
• Quickcrop
• Amazon UK
• D.T. Brown 
• ebay
• A google search also found :-

Offers currently directly from Bustaseed.co.uk

There are discounts applied for quantity and if you want more than 10 units contact Niall Magee of Bustaseed 

As I use these Tip Out Propagation Kits I will Blog about then and will label the post Bustaseed 

Bed 16A Decanting Humus III

 

A sunny day today and around 8C so an early lunch and a long afternoon on the allotment continuing with decanting the soil and back filling with woodchips from Bed 16A Raised bed on "Avalon" the name for my two half plots 1 and 1A at Mill Green allotment.

I could now get in the raised bed frame and start to decant the humus material

It was nice to see many more plot holders visiting today, during the wet weather it's only been the die-hards that visit all year round.

One knows which plot holder are likely to get a no-cult notice this year already, and funnily enough its the ones that did last year. That's not my problem I shall leave the no-cults to Jane, I'm only the site rep and not a policeman for the council.

A couple of 30 litre pots filled later I had a trench excavated and placed a decking board as a shutter to the trench and back filled it with woodchips and then capped it off with decking boards. 

A couple of 30 litre pots filled later I had a trench excavated and placed a decking board as a shutter to the trench and back filled it with woodchips and then capped it off with decking boards

Decking board shutter placed to hold back the woodchips from entering the lower area to be excavated next.

First barrow load of woodchip dumped levelled and compacted using a 115kg of me via my feet

Second barrowload of woodchips levelled and tamped with the rake and then again compacted by walking all over the area.

I started to decant the remaining humus, but I was quite frankly knackered, I had been taking small breaks to hydrate and catch my breath but with the time getting on, yes I finally remembered the battery for the clock on the shed, I decided enough was enough for the day. 

Rain and sleet forecast for tomorrow, so it's debateable if I wlll be able to continue tomorrow so I recovered the bed to keep the rain out until I have decanted the rest of the humus and back filled the whole of raised bed back to surrounding ground level.

Bed 16A Decanting Humus Continues

9C today, my phones battery was really low this morning so I put it on charge and went to the allotment in the afternoon for a couple of hours. Work continued on bed 16A decanting the humus material enough that I could fill a trench with woodchips and then place some old timber decking cut to fit, such that I can now step into the footprint of the raised bed and continue to decant and weed the humus into 30L Pots with handles.

Bed 16A after excavating a trench to a spade depth and back filling with woodchips, then adding some old decking boards cut to the width of the raised bed. 

Covering up Bed 16A as the rain started to fall just before coming home, board laid to support the garden Tray 

Garden tray over the bed and some weight to prevent the wind from moving the tray

I ripped up enough old decking material to 800mm long to line the bottom of the whole bed, once all the humus has been decanted.

Bed 16A Decanting Humus

9C this morning with rain forecast in the afternoon so a couple of hours on the allotment this morning starting to decant the humus material on bed 16A into the 30 litre potato pots with handles, that I emptied yesterday.

The timber scaffold boards and tray that has been keeping the soil dry in the bed were removed.

Bindweed and mares tail roots were removed from each shovel load decanted into the 30Litre pots with handles.

90 Litres of humus weeded and decanted into the pots with handles before rain stopped play.

Polka (late) Raspberry Bed

11C today and overcast with some light rain, but dry enough for a couple of hours on the allotment this afternoon.

I worked on the Polka (late) Raspberry bed, giving it a dusting of coffee grounds and 1500 litres of year old rotted woodchip mulch that has been standing in 30 litre pots with handles. This will free up the pots to hold the decanted soil from bed 16A raise bed base which is what I'm working towards getting on with as the dryer weather arrives.

Lots of bird song today and the Merlin Bird ID app let me know what was around me and chirping away

All Gold Raspberries Continued

A visit to St Georges Hospital to give a shed load of blood for the Haematologist and the Rheumatologist this morning and a couple of hours on the cold but dry allotment this afternoon.

Photo above All Gold Raspberry Beds from the man path by the dip tank and tap

All Gold Raspberry Beds all fertilised with coffee grounds and the woodchip mulch topped up.

The muddy main path covered with woodchip at the corner opposite the entrance to plot 1

All Gold Raspberry bed from the entrance to plot 1

Polka Late Raspberry bed

Rhubarb Livingstone

Climbing Frame Greenhouse Beds in need of weeding and a mulch. 

Climbing Frame Greenhouse Beds in need of weeding and a mulch.

All Gold Raspberry Beds

 

With rain nearly every day since the Christmas Holidays, I managed to get a morning on the allotment today. I cut up all the Winter raspberry canes that I had cut back from the All Gold boundary beds and the Polka and Autumn Treasure (late) Beds.

View of the front of plot 1 from the main path taken from the entrance to plot 1

The boundary beds have been given a sprinkle of coffee grounds and I started to top up the woodchip mulch to the beds.

A coffee and a chat with Wally and only one other plot holder was on the allotment this morning. It started to rain around 1:30 so it was time to go home for a late lunch.

View of plot 1 from the main path by the water tank and tap

Half of the boundary beds fertilised with coffee grounds and woodchip mulch to the top of the scaffold boards forming the beds. Three 30L potato pots with handles filled with cut up raspberry canes.

The "Daytime" Rule

 

If you see a hedgehog walking across your lawn in February sunlight, do not smile. Do not take a photo. Pick it up immediately. In the visual language of nature, a nocturnal animal exposing itself to daylight and predators is not a greeting. It is a biological SOS.

The Myth: A common misconception is that hedgehogs seen in the day are simply "sunbathing" or "waking up early" to forage. We project our own desire for spring onto them. The Scientific Reality: The European Hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) is strictly nocturnal. Its circadian rhythm is hardwired to avoid diurnal predators (badgers, foxes, and historically, humans). When a hedgehog breaks this cardinal rule, it indicates that homeostasis has failed.

The Override: The drive to stay hidden is so strong that only extreme physiological distress—such as the final stages of starvation, hypothermia, or systemic infection (often lungworm, Crenosoma striatum)—can override it.

The "Wobble": If the hedgehog appears to be "drunk" or wobbling, it is likely suffering from Hypoglycaemia (critically low blood sugar) and dehydration. It is looking for heat, not just food.

Seasonal Context: The Failed Hibernation Right now, in mid-February, this is a critical emergency. Biologically, hedgehogs should be in Torpor (hibernation). In this state, their heart rate drops from 190bpm to 20bpm, and their body temperature lowers to match the environment (down to 4°C) to conserve energy. If you see one now:

Arousal Failure: It may have woken up (arousal) due to a disturbance or a mild spell, but found its Brown Adipose Tissue (brown fat reserves) depleted.

The Energy Trap: Waking up costs immense energy. If it cannot find food immediately (and invertebrates are scarce in Feb), it begins to digest its own muscle mass. It is out in the day because it is desperate, blind with hunger, and freezing.

Why This Matters Ecologically Hedgehog populations in the UK are in freefall (down 30–75% in rural areas since 2000). A hedgehog seen in February is usually an adult or a "late autumn juvenile" that failed to reach the critical hibernation weight (450g) in December. If this individual dies, we lose a breeding adult just weeks before the reproductive season begins. Saving one "daytime walker" in February can protect an entire lineage of hoglets in June.

Your Action Do not "wait and see."

The Glove: Pick it up using gardening gloves (to avoid ringworm transmission).

The Box: Place it in a high-sided box (they can climb) lined with a towel.

The Heat Source: This is non-negotiable. Fill a hot water bottle (wrap it in a towel so it doesn't burn the skin) and place it in the box. The animal is likely hypothermic; it cannot generate its own heat.

No Food Yet: Do not force-feed. A cold hedgehog cannot digest food; eating while hypothermic can cause fatal ileus (gut stasis). Warmth first.

The Call: Contact the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) or a local rescue immediately.

The Verdict A hedgehog in the daylight is a ghost. It has abandoned millions of years of evolutionary instinct because it is dying. Don't wave at it. Save it.

Scientific references & evidence

British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS). Found a Hedgehog? (The definitive protocol: "Out during the day is always a bad sign").

Reeve, N. (1994). Hedgehogs. (Standard text on circadian rhythms and nocturnal adaptations).

Rasmussen, S. L. et al. (2019). The ecology of the European hedgehog. (Data on hibernation weight thresholds and winter mortality).

Morris, P. A. (2018). The Hedgehog. (Explaining the physiology of torpor and arousal costs).

Harvesting Snowmen Carrots

I've been keeping an eye on the weather as I really need to get the raised beds constructed and get the allotment ready for the growing season, but as I mentioned earlier, hospital visits and rain has been preventing me. 

The timber gates that were supposed to be fixed and still binding and I rang idverde to inform them that they had not fixed the problem. 

The allotment was just far to wet to do any digging at all so I decided to harvest the Snowman carrots from The Square Foot Garden Bed 2 

The lettuce has not survived the sub zero temperatures 

Snowman carrots from The Square Foot Garden Bed 2. My stamina on the allotment is not as good since I have reduced the steroids from 7.5mg a day to 5mg and I got somewhat puffed out just walking to Wallys shed to have a coffee and biscuit with him and John who I have not seen for nearly three weeks. 

I do enjoy those last of the summer wine moments.  

Snowman carrots washed minus 3 of the largest ones that I took round to daughter Emma and Digby to try.