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Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

I just bought one of these, will be my first time using one. Anybody have any words of wisdom? Any does and do nots? As long as I have the heat on the bottom I don't need overhead light until they sprout right?

4/23/2009 4:54:44 PM

Ohio

Mark, I use a heating mat and set it in the bottom of a big plastic cooler ,I crack the lid a little and it stays right around 85 degrees.

4/23/2009 9:22:59 PM

Vancouver Island

I'm experimenting with a "baby wipe warmer" that keeps temperatures between 85 and 90. Got it at Walmart! Silly, but hopefully effective. I put damp scrubby sponges on the bottom and put the seed in damp paper towel.

4/23/2009 11:11:07 PM

Upstate S.C.

pmknchick, you must have got the warmer WITHOUT the sponge. Walmart carry's a brand that has a sponge with it. Plus be sure to crack the lid on the warmer its can get hot. Check my diary about my research with the warmer.

4/23/2009 11:15:58 PM

Rochester, MN

I don't think the baby wipe warmer worked out well for me...it got too hot at times...even cracked...seemed to generate more heat the more I cracked it. It got upto 98 degrees in spots. (had sponge also) So went back to my old method..of the water jug in the cooler and went 16 for 16! I think my watermelon did better in the baby wipe warmer..but not as good as the jug in the cooler....just my thoughts and results. I'm giving the baby wipe warmer now to the church's garage sale ;-).

4/24/2009 12:57:50 AM

Mark, check the temp at the seed depth in your containers when using a matt, you might have to put something under them if to hot, to cool, then reduce the size of the container. Keep an eye on them drying out at the same time.

I've been using a box like in Boom Boom's diary for a couple of years, when I have the cots peaking out I move the pots to a matt under timed lights.

4/24/2009 6:44:34 AM

Honesdale, Pennsylvania

I have been using a regular heating pad in the bottom of a cooler along with a jug of hot water changed daily. It keeps a constant 85-90 degrees plus the water adds a little moisture. It has been working good plus I can use the heating pad all year long as my back needs it from carrying the monkey around.

4/24/2009 7:10:28 AM

Santa Rosa, CA

Mark,

Here is my two cents. I put the heat mat inside a "camping type cooler". As Brooks mentioned, you want to keep the enviornment around 85 degrees. This year I am using a thermostat. (Got the idea from Joel Holland's video).

The sprouts don't need light until the seed pushed through the soil-less mix. At that point you want to get it out of the chamber and into the light. Otherwise, the plant will get "leggy."

Chuck

4/24/2009 11:30:59 AM

Farmville, Virginia (mfowler@hsc.edu)

Thanks for the advise guys!

4/24/2009 3:27:25 PM

Webster, NY

I have a small digital thermometer that I set right on the mat. When it's too hot (and it usually is) I place bath towels between the seeds and the mat. I add and subtract towels as needed to keep the temp between 75 - 85.

4/24/2009 5:12:37 PM

Ohio

I was doing some experimenting today,
I sat the Wal Mart baby wipe heater with the lid open down inside a plastic camping cooler and closed the lid tight on the cooler, and right now my temps inside the cooler have been at 85.6 degrees for the last 5 hrs.

I dont think I would set my plants inside that baby wipe container itself with the cooler lid closed because that would get way to hot for germinating I think. But what I would do is just set my plants off to the side of the heater and just use it for a heat source only for the cooler. The heater does take up a little room in a regular plastic cooler but it should work well for 4 plants using if your using pete pots.
Again, I wouldn't set anything inside baby wipe container while its in the cooler, set your plants off to the side of it close the lid and then check your temps to see where your at .

4/24/2009 9:57:13 PM

nOVA sCOTIA

The WalMart baby wipe heater has been around for sometime now. We used it here for my son shortly after he was born and didn't have a very good experience at all. Every time i had to change him i would open the lid and grab what i thought was a warm baby wipe. As soon as i touched him with the wipe he would cry to the point where i thought i might have to defend myself. My wife with her soft little hands finally realized that it was gettin too hot inside that monster. Just my opinion but i think it gets way to hot in there for those tender little seedlings.

4/24/2009 11:29:31 PM

Ohio

yea, but its not to hot if you dont sit your plants inside the heater though, you set the seedlings/pete pots 'beside' the baby wipe heater thats in the plastic cooler. I just checked it 5 minutes ago and the temp is 85.3 degrees. So the last 11 hrs its been a steady 85 degrees. Instead of using a hot jug of water and having to change the water once a day you can drop in this heater instead. Takes up about the same amount of room a jug would. Just another idea Im throwing out there for the guys who isnt having much luck with the bay wipe heaters.

4/25/2009 4:15:22 AM

Joliet, IL

get a thermostat hook up for the propagation mat. they sell them online at many places. when using 4" peat pots with starter mix, i place the sensor at seed level in one of pots to control the temp. put a themometer in one of the pots to make sure the thermostat is shutting on and off at the right temps. a black plastic garden try with a tall humidty dome works great to keep in moisture. also, my propagation mat has a small metal raised wire rack so the propagation mat never touches the actual black plastic garden tray. i imagine some styrofome between the mat and the tray would make a nice buffer zone. towls used as a buffer heat up and hold hotter temps from past experience. i like the rack. i also use plastic sandwich bags over each individual pot to help retain moisture. i go very light on my moisture in my original seed starter mix, so keeping it in until you see them pushing dirt is key for me. at signs of life, pushing dirt, i place the pots directly under the lights after removing the plastic bags and out from under the humidity dome. once they sprout, the bottom heat and too much humidity can be more harm than good if left that way for a longer period of time. i think the wiz had a nice pic of a similar set up in his diary. i have some pics back in my 2004, 2005, or 2006 diary.

4/26/2009 6:54:57 PM

Joliet, IL

from my 2006 diary. here is a pic of my set up.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=46748

and here is a pic of the thermostat i use.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=46747

4/26/2009 7:26:24 PM