Heat Mats for starting seeds indoors

[April Manier]

I suppose it depends on how many you are doing. We are thinking in terms of bed feet. We have a 50 greenhouse that wwill have every inch possible full!

 

[baymule]

Here's what I use for germinating peppers. And no, Monty, my house is not at least 72* unless the wood stove is cranking .
It can get up to the upper 70's during the day, but at night gets down to 55, which is where the little electric wall heater is set.

This setup works great. I had very slow germination with peppers before I started using it. It's a sweater box with little Christmas lights inside. The seeds are sown in those clear boxes that lettuce mixes come in from Costco. Once they're up, I transplant the seedlings into their own individual pots.

http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/7504_teg_projects003.jpg

That is brilliant! I love it!

 

[momofdrew]

I use them I got mine from Johnny Seed store on sale... I always had trouble with warmth before my house is never that warm even ontop of the Ref..

Thimbleberry I love your idea a good way to get extra use out of your old tree lights...

 

[Jared77]

Hey Thistle how long of a strand is that? I like that idea. And my house is 65* during the day and mid 50s at night.

 

[thistlebloom]

Hey Thistle how long of a strand is that? I like that idea. And my house is 65* during the day and mid 50s at night.

I don't know, but probably a 25 footer. You can see in the picture below that it gets pretty warm in there, but that isn't how warm the soil is. I used a soil thermometer to check and it was 70ish.

At night I toss a blanket over it to compensate for how cool the house gets.

 

[lesa]

Thistle, you are one smart gardener! That is an inspired idea!

 

[Nyboy]

I womder if that would stop the chickens water from freezing?

 

[lesa]

Nyboy, I have seen setups with just an ordinary light bulb, that they say will keep chicken water from freezing. Sure I saw something on BYC. I broke down and bought something from Tractor Supply. It is like an upside pan with some kind of heat tape on it. It plugs into an outlet. I have had it for years. I occasionally have to add a little duct tape to the bottom, but other than that- it has been perfect.

 

[HunkieDorie23]

I don't use them either, but I recently started some seeds that were a couple of years old and they were just on the kitchen counter under a light. The day I cook a crock pot of chilli next to the seeds, I had a ton of them pop up. Maybe even a space heater near your seeds for a couple of hours would be enough or set them next to a crock pot of chilli and you get dinner too.

I like the Christmas lights idea also, I would use something you have instead of buying something new. I know to proof bread dough some people put it into the oven with the light on (not the oven just the light) and that is enough to get a good raise in your dough. Look around your house and see what you have to work with.

 

[journey11]

Hey Thistle how long of a strand is that? I like that idea. And my house is 65* during the day and mid 50s at night.

I don't know, but probably a 25 footer. You can see in the picture below that it gets pretty warm in there, but that isn't how warm the soil is. I used a soil thermometer to check and it was 70ish.

At night I toss a blanket over it to compensate for how cool the house gets.



http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/uploads/7504_teg_projects001.jpg

That is awesome, Thistle. Thanks for sharing that tip! I didn't realize those regular Christmas lights put out so much heat. I could tell by your first pic it had to be nice and warm, given the condensation on your seedling containers. Now I am kicking myself for tossing all of mine out after I got the LEDs.

On a side note, but related to the topic at hand, here is a heat/germination chart I found today for various veggies... Ought to give a good idea of what to shoot for.