From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Upa Creek, Mo

For any of you that use heat mats for germination what is a reasonable price to pay? And from what I have seen, the temperature regulators are sold seperate. I found a place by me and the mat is $28 (around 15"x24") and the temp regulator that connects to it is $35.

Thanks

11/19/2010 1:34:54 PM

Georgetown, Ontario

I think thats what I paid for mine. I don't use a temp regulator I'm not sure how important it is......check out this post in my diary and the next few after that. I had 100% germination this year using this method, just make sure the soil is not very wet (the mistake I made the year before) http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=128786

11/19/2010 3:48:57 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Hey Luke, I use these ones from Lee Valley.

They keep things a constant 10-20 F above the room temperature...they work great and don't need a regulator.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?cat=2,44713&p=44602

11/19/2010 4:19:37 PM

Brooklyn Corner, Nova Scotia

If you pay more than $20 then you paid too much, IMO. I use the same one as Glenn, still working great. Brooks turned me on the to heater in the cooler which has worked very well.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=129482

11/19/2010 5:38:28 PM

El Paso TX.

What I used this year that also worked pretty well was an old sterlite storage bin with an old electric blanket I had laying aroud folded up in the bottom ( Pic of setup - http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc189/JDFanning_bucket/PICT0231.jpg )-- had very good success with it and the total cost was $0 since they were things I had laying around the house !

11/19/2010 7:59:04 PM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Luke,
we carry them at www.extremepumpkinstore.com

11/19/2010 11:17:51 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

Thanks all for the input fellas. My kitchen is one big lab right now utilizing different methods. I probably just need to go hunt or fish and not worry so much since it's ONLY November... lol. My only qualm with not having a regulator is we keep the temp low, so if we are at 65-68 and the mat averages +15, I'm afraid it might not germinate at ~80.

11/20/2010 10:50:52 AM

Www.extremepumpkinstore.com

Luke you can put it in one of those black plastic seed germinating trays with a dome on it, it will keep it warm.

11/20/2010 12:45:57 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Luke, after many years of service my heat mat did not work this year and I went back to using the top of my electric hot water heater tank and that worked great....lol....

I've used the smaller heat mat like Tom said and it works great...you can even use it with the cooler method.

11/20/2010 12:50:51 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

Alright thanks again. I am going to pick up the heat mat alone today to start some trial and error.

Tom, I'll be in touch soon once results come back and to discuss amendments.

11/20/2010 1:08:25 PM

Joliet, IL

a good germination mat with a temp thermostat sensor placed in a pot at seed level set for 87 degrees makes life inside my head a lot easier while waiting for those babies to pop. 7" humidity domes are available and a standard black flat tray can hold eight 5" peat pots nicely. i like a bigger propagation mat that can do to 2 flats side by side and under a 4' flourescent. after they pop, the domes come off, the mat gets unplugged, and i lower the lights in place to a couple inches above the sprouts for the couple days before acclimation to true sun starts and they go in the ground 4 days after sprouting.

11/25/2010 11:48:50 AM

Wa

You can get these for less than $20 at any nursery in the spring, check your local water bed supply store, they are the same thing as a water bed heater also. much cheaper. fyi

11/26/2010 12:57:05 AM