best price online for seed heat mats?

[KellyFG]

I'm hoping to start a couple of flats in the greenhouse with the help of heat mats. Has anyone seen them at a great price online?

 

[adoptedbyachicken]

no I have only seen some really unreasonable prices. I have a matress heater that I'm thinking about using on a table top, but need to do some testing to see if it will be cool enough.

Mom uses the top of the her upright freezer so the seedlings have the laundry room light nearby. It's naturally very warm on top of those and she has great success.

 

[OCMG]

I bought a doggy bed heater that goes to about 101 is that too hot?
I wast hinking of getting another for my plants it is activated by weight.

 

[doc_gonzo]

we swear by www.teksupply.com they have it all, right down to the nuts , bolts, and hose clamps. excelent prices and one stop shopping, check out their prices on complete gh setups. btw i'm thinking that 101 deg is about 25 deg higher than most seedlings need for germination. but hey if we're baking i like poppy seeds on my rolls.

cheers

doc

 

[patandchickens]

I bought a doggy bed heater that goes to about 101 is that too hot?

For a whole lot of seeds, yes it is. (I couldn't offhand name something that would germinate well at 100 F but I am sure there are some)

For those who don't want to buy a heat mat, the traditional kludge is to put the seed trays on top of the water heater (back when they were not insulated as well) or the fridge (ditto) or in some other warm part of the room such as on top of the upper kitchen cabinets.

If you need more than that, get a metal tray of appropriate size, rig it up so you can put a lamp underneath it and fiddle with lamp wattage and height til a thermometer in a flat of soil atop the tray shows the right temperature. I've done this with an all-metal tray-table (you know, the kind for eating dinner at the sofa while watching tv). Taping a cardboard collar around the sides would probably improve performance although of course you'd need to have it set up that way when you adjust it to get the temp set right. (N.b. be aware the part of the tray over the lamp will be warmer than the edges - but you can use this to your advantage)

I ahve also read of people using a string of the tiny Christmas lights (the 'regular' not LED ones) underneath a seed flat. You would need to make Real Sure they didn't get water dripped on them and I am not personally convinced it is the most electrically safe setup but I know some people do use it.


Pat

 

[OCMG]

For a whole lot of seeds, yes it is. (I couldn't offhand name something that would germinate well at 100 F but I am sure there are some)

Actually all you wouold have to do is put a layer of two of cloth or something in between and the heat wou;d be much less.Then it would work, remember it is for a dog initially and it is compatible with cloth.

Myself I use grow lights and do not need an underpad, my seeds germinated in record time in a fairly cool room.