Heat Mats for starting seeds indoors

[ducks4you]

I'm thinking about buying one. What is your opinion?

 

[journey11]

I've been thinking about getting something for heat too. They are so expensive though! I think what I'll get, when I do, is a heat cable and sink it in a wooden flat full of sand. I wonder if one could disassemble the heating cable from a dog water bowl and use that? Those are water proof and cheaper!

But for now, I just start out inside in the warmest room I have, by a window. Then put them under my light set-up in the sunroom (which is colder) after they've sprouted. I remember Steve saying he puts his on top of the fridge to germinate, since the fridge gives off heat on top. I know since we put a freezer in our basement under the area where the kitchen sink is, our pipes have never frozen in the winter again, so it's quite a bit of heat.

 

[ducks4you]

Hey, I'M gonna wait for them to clearance, and then use them NEXT year. $25 is too much, and that's everybody's price right now...for ONE.

 

[MontyJ]

If I'm starting seeds indoors, or in the grow chamber, I don't use them. Generally indoor temps are perfect for starting most seeds and the day or two gained from additional heat isn't worth the cost. Bottom heat can also speed the drying of the soil resulting in poor germination. If you consider that most garden seeds germinate well at soil temps of 50 and above, the starting mix in your house will be well above that already. Granted there are some seeds that prefer warmer starting conditions, but your house is probably at least 72 which is perfectly suitable for starting almost anything.
Here is an experiement I once did back when I was growing giant pumpkins for competition:

There was a heated debate going on as to whether heat mats were required for better germination. So, I took several seeds and started them. Some I put in the usuall place on my dresser and others I placed at various warmer places such as on top of the fridge, on top of the cable box (which sits directly over the flat screen tv and we all know how warm those things are) and a couple on top of the water heater. The seeds in the warmer places germinated exactly one day earlier than the ones on the dresser. After one week in the grow chamber, you couldn't tell them apart.

I haven't really tried the same experiement with other crops like peppers or tomatoes, but I have excellent germination rates (at or near 100%) on the bedroom dresser.

 

[Smiles Jr.]

Something that I have done to avoid the high cost of the little heating pads is to do all of my plant starting on a table with slats instead of a solid table top. I place all of my seed containers in thin plastic trays on the table. I have an electric heater that looks like an old steam radiator (I think they are oil filled) under the table. I only need to set the heater on low to maintain a soil temp. of 70F to 80F. These heaters are on sale in the springtime for $16 to $20. I have accidentally doused my heater with water with no problems - but I sure wouldn't recommend it.

I like my heater because I can use it for many other purposes. Like right now I have it on med. under my rabbit doe since she is due today or tomorrow and it got down to 8F last night. I also use it to heat under my work bench in the shop if I absolutely have to go out there in cold weather.

I have often thought about buying old small heating pads at yard sales, slipping it into a heavy duty plastic garbage bag, and placing it under my seed pots. But I have never tried it. I saw several heating pads for $5 or less last summer.

You DO want to be very careful with anything electric when using liquids in your growing area. Ground fault interrupter outlets are certainly needed.

 

[897tgigvib]

I use them.

If you do use a heat pad, make sure the flat is raised up off it a few inches. An old stove or barbecue grill works fine with a couple short pieces of 2x4 under the sides to raise it, and the pad under it. Else, the heat will melt the plastic flat and cook the seeds.

But done like this is perfect for the seeds that germinate best warm. It is also perfect for rooting cuttings.

Mine only use 17 watts which is important for me because I am off the power grid.

Marshall...on proxy server

 

[April Manier]

An electric blanket on a timer works, but it's NOT code. Put blanket on table on lo, cover with plastic, place flats, voila! I use a heat pad in my starter box. There's an article about it on my blog on how I built it. I find it a great way to go. An electric blanket is like 40, it covers 10x the space, and can put put on a timer to avoid teh auto shut off mode. Sometimes they have themn at goodwill.

 

[thistlebloom]

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.

 

[MontyJ]

And no, Monty, my house is not at least 72* unless the wood stove is cranking .

LOL! Hey, not all of us are eskimos!

 

[897tgigvib]

I love it! Merry Christmas Germination System!