Start of 2015 Seedling Planting!

[secuono]

Mine didn't get big enough and were tiny things last year. So starting them sooner, in better soil and bigger pots this year.
I use styrofoam to reflect the light back, mostly to keep from blinding us and having the room so bright than actually for the plants.

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

with the light setups, does anyone/everyone use a timer or shut them off at night? i would shut mine off each night but i wanted to see the comparison if some kept the light on 24/7 or had a daily routine.

 

[majorcatfish]

oh yes a timer is very important 14 on 10 off have been very happy since switching over to a 6 bulb t-5 high bay fixture.

the bulbs have a cri<color rendering index of 89 plants do very well but notice that they do get a bit leggy, so this year going to try 1 red and 1 blue bulb
as for heating mats be careful those things can cook your seeds, thermostat died in both mine last year and the soil was 120+ so used the little personal heater that i purchased for the greenhouse a couple years back and keep the plastic down during germination and once the they have sprouted the heat from the fixtures lights and ballast would be able to pull be the plastic during the day the soil stayed a comfortable 70*
this photo was from early last year before the mats had gone bad.

as for a seed starter/ potting mix the last couples years been happy with a brand called sunshine.

but we all have our ways of starting and tending to are children ...

 

[so lucky]

wow, @majorcatfish, your light set-up looks fantastic! What are you using for the shiny reflective surface? Looks kind of like a solar blanket?

 

[majorcatfish]

@so lucky all that shine stuff is your good old heavy duty 18" reynolds wrap foil with paints tape at the top to help from breaking with a piece of 2"x1/4" wood to hold up the foil. the plastic is your run of the mill 4 mil from lowes.
i did run out of room so did a quick redneck addition to the table last spring using the t-12 fixtures. worked pretty good

will use the lower table to start some early type seeds that i will not be buying from the farmers market..

 

[journey11]

I like that setup, @majorcatfish ! Tenting it with plastic is a clever idea. I think I will need to work out something like that to help keep mine warm on very cold nights. If the outside temps get much below the teens, I have to bring all of my flats in since my sunroom is unheated. This whole mess has to go out there though, because the woodstove dries things out too fast and even somewhat in the sunroom when I have to leave the door ajar to keep a good temp in there. All of my houseplants spend the winter out there as well or else I'd kill them from lack of watering.

I do love the woodstove for drying laundry in the winter (a pair of jeans is dry overnight!) and also for when my carpets need steam cleaned they dry quickly. Not so great for plants though. (Or my sinuses... )

 

[thistlebloom]

@journey11 how about a little personal size heater for those cold nights? I have to keep one in our closet set very low all winter or it gets so cold in there that I get mold growing on the walls. It hasn't impacted our electric bill in a noticeable way. I just replaced the 20 something year old ceramic heater with a small unit from HD for $20.

 

[majorcatfish]

@journey11 you can pick these little heaters up at wally world for $19 they are a personal ceramic heater,fan/low/high heat variable setting, tip over shut off.
they are perfect for anyone who starts their own seeds that do not have a permanent greenhouse works great in my redneck greenhouse.

 

[catjac1975]

I would add a bottom heat pad along with the space heater. Plants love to be warm.

 

[journey11]

@journey11 you can pick these little heaters up at wally world for $19 they are a personal ceramic heater,fan/low/high heat variable setting, tip over shut off.
they are perfect for anyone who starts their own seeds that do not have a permanent greenhouse works great in my redneck greenhouse.

Would it be safe to leave it running all night?

I've been wanting to invest in some heat mats too, but they are kinda expensive. Thought about heating cable, but I don't think a sand table would work out well inside. I'm sure I'd get faster growth with some bottom heat though. I germinate them upstairs when the humidity domes are on, no problem. Our house stays around 80 degrees in the winter with the woodstove. Usually have to open a few windows when I get too hot!