I have the same shelf as zenman, but I don't use a heat mat. I buy the mylar blankets from the sports dept at Walmart. They are in a small box hanging on a rack and the cost is about $3. I drape this small blanket over the top shelf and attach it with clothes pins to cover down to the next shelf. I don't use any lights on the top shelf, and because heat rises, the heat from the lights on the second shelf heat the area above that shelf. The blanket holds the heat in and the tray with the dome cover holds the moisture in the tray. At the first sign of germination, I remove the dome and move the tray down under the lights and drop the lights down until they almost touch the plants. I grow in a building that is well insulated and will only add heat if the outside temp is below freezing. The lights create some heat, but I intentional grow tomatoes on a cooler shelf. Peppers, on the other hand, need to be on one of the open shelves that has a light under it as they will benefit from the extra heat that rises from that light. I also have my light fixtures plugged into surge protectors so that I can control all of the lights by just flipping a switch rather than plugging and unplugging cords. The sports blankets that I use look a little like aluminum foil, but are soft and almost transparent. When I first start the plants I use another blanket to wrap around the shelves because the silver color tends to reflect more light onto the plants (I think). Sometimes I remove it from the lower shelves and some years I just add a small fan to make sure there is some air movement on the plants. Later in the season, I remove it because I don't want the plants to be too hot, but I leave the top part covered and continue to use it as a germination chamber. I am attaching a picture, but the light wasn't on in the room when I took the picture so you have to look closely to see the top shelf which has no lights. I have watered from the bottom, from the top, and misted and I never have had damping off, so I can't say which is best. I would never mist if I wasn't running a fan though. Here is a link that might be useful: My shelf

Rick, since you've resurrected this thread I thought I'd add my stellar success with nelsonii as both a seed parent as well as a pollen donor to this thread!! I think I mentioned this earlier that in order to double my chances of getting some viable seeds on my two nelsonii flowers I selfed them both and simultaneously put papilio on one and Exotic Star on the other. Well, both took and the seeds were all good and are now germinating for me!! I've been advised by some experts on this forum that I most likely would have needed two different clones of nelsonii for the selfed seeds to have taken so I can assume (hopefully) that they are indeed x papilio & Exotic Star!! I also put nelsonii pollen on Komoriya's Deja Vu and Chico and got viable seeds from both!! Chico's seeds are very small but some are already sprouting. The Deja Vu seeds just hit the water! All of nelsonii's seeds were good, (the ones that matured,) there were no seeds with the usual white spots. I am psyched!! I'm hoping I can keep my plant happy, she is now putting up a new leaf to add to the seven she already has.☺☺☺Donna

Here, in Coastal S. Carolina, our MG chapter (Grand Strand Master Gardener Assn.) is presently building a "Carolina Fence Garden" (see http://www.scwf.org/articles/index.php?view=43 for more info), in conjunction with a middle school. The kids are doing ALL (well, almost all; we won't allow them to use "sharp tools", or to bust up the concrete left over from the school costruction, etc.) of the work, and did all of the design. The math classes did all of the calculations (area, amout of fencing to obtain, amount of concrete for the fence post holes, amount of mulch, etc.); the language arts classes "articulated" the project and are journaling the progress; the science classes studied the plants/soil/climate/ exposure; the visual arts classes did the artistic renderings, and so on. MGs did the "shopping" and material acquisition. We started near the end of last school year with the "heavy lifting" (grading, tilling, mulching, fence building), and let it "rest" over the summer. This week, we restarted the project, (hurricane season is now over, here) with planting of shrubs, trees and flowers. All of the money for this project came from grants, with a few donations, including an irrigation system by a parent, and the tilling/grading by a MG with equipment. MGs supervise and teach (we held an impromptu class on how to stake trees)and the kids do the work. Usually, there is 1 MG working with a group of 3 - 5 kids, in OJT: plant placement (why this plant should be here rather than there); digging holes for plants (proper dimensions and depth); mulching (amount and placement); backfilling, and watering-in. These kids have been GREAT! Most are highly motivated, and when questioned, express high interest in this project. Yesterday, I worked with Aaron and Vanessa, resetting some fence posts (blown over by the last 'cane to go through here) and they got right in the mud and got the job done! The school administration is SUPERB and 100% with us; they have provided refreshments and lunches for the volunteers, and the teachers are right there with their students. Many kids & teachers bring cameras to photo the progress and kids at work. We have another project in the planning stages - - a large butterfly garden in another area of the school grounds. A successful project depends on ALL of these things, but mostly INTEREST, TIME, and ENERGY of ALL parties: kids, MGs, school administration, even parents.

Hazel, how exciting to hear about your plants! It's a fun and rewarding time of year, isn't it? I have decided not to worry so much about doing every little thing just so, Dawn is right, plants know what to do. SO. . . when did you plant your beans? You planted them from seed? What kind of beans did you plant? I have not planted mine yet but I'm thinking I need to get on the ball and do it. My habit has been to plant later rather than earlier and I think this year I want to go ahead and get my seeds in the ground. It's been a warm and extremely dry season so far. I'm sure the colder temps are behind us. I just want RAIN!! My carrots and beets are still very small but at least they have a start. Everything I started indoors, under the grow light I made, I have been very disappointed with. (I'll do my homework for next year) I started my squash and cukes too early and I'm just going to plant seeds next week. My tomatoes are just pitiful. I think I'll keep trying and transplant next month and have a back up plan with plants from a nursery. Here in Enid, my selection is a joke, BUT actually last year I bought a cherry tomato plant, variety unknown, that just did marvelous and produced till the frost did it's number on it. My peas that I planted from seeds look great, about 3" tall now. Oh how I hope I get a good crop, I do love my peas! My asparagus is doing superb, almost all of the 18 or so plants have sprouted and are now covered with soil and hay. Dawn, you have so much experience and give great advice, so here is a question for you. What kind of Espoma do you use? I had no idea there were so many to choose from! I also have been adding organic material to my soil for the past couple of years and it's looking good, I would like to simplify things and get a basic fertilizer, if that is what can be done. I have had the OSU extension center do soil sample tests on different parts of my garden for a couple of years and my pH is good, just needs a bit of potassium and phosphorus, which I have added. Thanks all!