Propagator set has no holes plus a few other things.

[Billabong]

Hiyer guys and gals I'm super new to all this, I'm just starting to really get into gardening after a bit of a false start a while back. So anyway I'm planning on planting some radishes in me propagator set. I've also direct sown some of them in a raised bed but I'm not holding out huge amounts of hope for them for a few reasons.
I think the soil might need replenishment from a few things I've grown previously and because honestly I can't tell if the soil is soggy or dry. It kind of looks soggy but it's less damp than it looks when dunking the finger in there. Lastly the area has a bit of a slug problem. But I'm working on it....
anyway so onto really the reason I wrote to you all today. I'm planting radishes in propagator set as I say. There is no holes in the bottom of the actual cells and it just seems like there should be because we'll wouldn't it rot the roots? . It also came with trays to go under the cell part of the set so it doesn't make sense that they wouldn't be to catch water. Should I get piercing some holes?
Last but not least another point related to my raised bed. I realised its pretty damn close to a long established tree. It doesn't block sunlight or at least I haven't noticed what sunlight it does block causing a problem but I do worry what else it might do seeing as it's fairly close. charles Dowding in one video was talking about how on one of his plots he noticed plants producing more the further they got away from one particular tree. Now my tree has been there god knows how long and one other difference is my bed is raised by between 1 and 2 feet where as his were ground level. So I'm hoping that it isnt leeching water and nutrients. Certainly I had to dig for some potatoes recently and I saw no evidence of any root system coming up from underneath, but I have no experience so I might be totally wrong.

Anyway just a few questions for starters. Plenty more where that came from. Thanks verymuch
Dean

 

[Tetters]

Welcome to the forums Dean.
This is not the right time of year to sow your seeds, and you would do far better to start in the Spring. It is too late now and winter is just around the corner.
Now is the time to tidy up the garden, and dig a veggie bed out there. Radishes, for example need to be sown out in the ground, and they don't need a propagator.
For future reference, any container you do use for seeds should be spotlessly clean and have holes in the bottom for drainage.
Tell us a bit more about your garden

 

[Billabong]

Welcome to the forums Dean.
This is not the right time of year to sow your seeds, and you would do far better to start in the Spring. It is too late now and winter is just around the corner.
Now is the time to tidy up the garden, and dig a veggie bed out there. Radishes, for example need to be sown out in the ground, and they don't need a propagator.
For future reference, any container you do use for seeds should be spotlessly clean and have holes in the bottom for drainage.
Tell us a bit more about your garden

Hi there. Thanks for the response. According to the package these particular French radishes can be sown in September for a quick harvest.

As you're wondering my garden is a disaster area full of weeds and long grass but I'm looking to improve slowly but surely. I have one raised bed that I just want to grow veggies in and admittedly I have managed to grow some food so far without too much trouble. I think I had a bit if beginners luck.
Not much else to tell about the garden. It's not very big. It has trees blocking some sunlight but I have managed to position the raised bed in a sun sweet spot. I don't think I would be able to grow crops much anywhere else though other than ones that like shade. I'm hoping to have a asparagus plant or two soon which apparently can provide a long term food source for up to a couple decades. That's one ambition. Of mine.
I have a front garden that I would like to grow some bushes maybe to keep people from gawping in. Not sure yet

Yes you're right I've since found out radishes are no good for propagators anyway. As its root vegetable. Ha its obvious now I think about it.
Thanks again for your response

 

[Tetters]

Is your propagator very big? The one I'm using at the moment is about 4x2ft. It's useful for germinating the seeds, as well as giving a bit of bottom heat to cuttings, but not a patch on the ones I used to have. Propagation was my job before I joined the ancient inhabitants. My work equipment had a spray system as well. Brilliant!!
You'll have to let us know how the radishes do.....please. If the warm weather keeps up, they might thrive, fingers crossed.

PS The name you use takes me back to the Coolabah trees