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Growing from Seed

cool propagation site

17 years ago

Last year I had a lot of trouble trying to get my tomato and pepper seeds started...I like to start sometime in February in the basement......I use a small heated mat under plastic trays.... I have a good grow light (HID), but the problem is the basement is rather cool, and even with the heat mat I can't seem to get enough warmth into the soil to get the seeds to germinate...seems like I can't get anything moving until the middle of March....I'd like to either buy or build a small enclosure that would hold in the heat...something in the way of a hot house for the basement....if anyone has had the same type of problem, I'd be encouraged to find out how you get around the coolness problem.....thanks

dixie

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Comments (2)

karyn1
17 years ago
I'm surprised that you're having such a hard time warming up your trays. I have many of my plants downstairs on a stone floor. I'm using a couple 1000 watt HID lights for the plants and seed mats for rooting cuttings and germinating seeds. I'm not having any problem keeping everything warm. The lights heat the room so well that I don't even bother with space heaters.

If you are only looking to enclose a single flat you can use an old aquarium. A 30 gallon tank should fit right over a standard flat and that will make a little greenhouse. You can check out a pet store and see if they have any cracked tanks that they'll sell cheap.
Karyn
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sheltieche
17 years ago
Dixie
Due to circumstances last year I did not start my toms and peppers Feb, was only able to do it mid April. By that time it was pretty warm even outside and after soaking my seeds germinated in 3 days, in one week they were big enough to go outside in cold frame and during that summer I had early tons of toms and peppers.
Morale of the story- it is only benefitial to start toms and peppers early if you can give them lots of light and warmth during that period. If you not able to do it easily, save yourself trouble- start them later, possibly in warm house instead of basement- after all you might not be able to find time for 3 months but for couple of weeks you can find nice warm spot even if you have to rearrange furniture ;)
You would not notice difference in your seedlings development. 2 weeks of nice warmth will do same job as 3 months of barely adequate basement temps.
I also use old electrical blanket and believe me when I set it on medium high my soil is getting hot to touch...
BTW those blankets will be on sale now in big box stores...
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Check out this site. They have that book for $59.900. AND they have LOTS of other books, too. Also, I just happened to think that I sent a lot of info to someone via email this evening. These are some of my most favorite sites, to tide you over til you get your book. This first one is a hoot! I have never had any problems from signing up to get his free book, and the info there is amazing! http://www.freeplants.com/frame%20set.htm George Mander is great too. He actually has a lot of articles on Roses at his Roses of Excellence site. This one is called 'Cuttings from cuttings, from cuttings' http://www3.telus.net/georgemander/articles/cut_from_cut.html From U of Georgia College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Propagating Shrubs from cuttings http://www.ces.uga.edu/pubcd/b641-w.html From TAMU, info on air layering. Sometimes that is the only way to propagate something, vines in particular. http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/ornamentals/airlayer/airlayer.html U of Florida http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_MG108 From NC State University http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/graphics/headers/nccesheader.gif All of these sites have valuable information. I hope you can use some of them. For my own use, I printed lots of stuff out and I keep it in a 3" binder. I have info on everything from Bulb propagation to cuttings to seeds, and I use it all. Please let me know how you do with your cuttings. Janie Here is a link that might be useful: Bookseller
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