From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Winston Salem, NC

about to order one or the other. Do you like the chamber with the heat mat or just a heat mat?

2/14/2013 4:05:57 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

Remember, just my 2 cents, but I like the chamber. I bought a heat mat, and ended up building a chamber around it (cooler and foil). I found with my mat alone, it was too hard to keep the temp steady usually falling on the cold side. It was a $20 mat.

2/14/2013 4:30:55 PM

Torrance, Ca.

I'm doing the same thing I did last year,,, heat the whole house to 95 for the week.......

Worked great! ;)

2/14/2013 6:02:20 PM

Rhode Island

agree --- chamber with a constant temp is always best.

2/15/2013 9:53:17 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Find and old cooler...a string of christmas lights or 15-25 watt bulb, and a thermometer that measures 60 to 100 degrees and you are in business

2/15/2013 1:36:40 PM

President - GPC

..... Sent from a GalaXay Far Far away.....From one LukeZ to anotherZ......That AL foilZ workZ damZ good ehh? Wrap DoZe potZ in foil on topZ of the heat matZ...in that chamber...cover with blankey... and 3-4 dayZ go POW! Can control to .5 degreeZ +- .05 with a digital senZsor...

2/15/2013 1:58:56 PM

Winston Salem, NC

Thanks guys...wonder how the wife would feel about bumpin the thermostat up to 95 for a week

2/15/2013 2:38:30 PM

Germany

HOT! (What else?!)

2/15/2013 2:41:36 PM

Torrance, Ca.

She wasn't very happy with it but understands my addiction!;)


No,,, really,,,,, I do just what WiZ and Luke said and worked great!

2/15/2013 3:36:51 PM

Muddy Waters

If your on a tight budget a Styrofoam cooler will work.I find them on the side of the road.There meat packing coolers.Yes Im a garbage picker.I must confess.The heat mat can go inside the cooler.or a light bulb should work.Dont burn down the house, load test in a good area first.Then I crack the lid & adjust my temp to 95 degrees.otherwise for 25$ you can by a nice chamber with clear lid.

2/15/2013 4:36:01 PM

Muddy Waters

So Cal Grower if it was 95 in the house I would be buck naked sweating like a pig.Wow! thats hot!I cant stand the heat.

2/15/2013 4:38:11 PM

Colorado

medium size cooler,15 watt light bulb-safe,cheap ,very effective

2/16/2013 2:31:22 AM

Spanaway

cojoe is right cooler with a 15 watt light bulb
works the best i have tryed

2/16/2013 12:51:14 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Remember soil temp not air temp..

2/16/2013 6:24:19 PM

Belmont, NH

chicken egg incubator works for me and has for several years

Bruce

2/16/2013 7:25:02 PM

Billerica,Massachusetts

i use a mat with a rectangular cake top

2/21/2013 10:40:30 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

An oven with the light on works awesome also...only problem is making sure someone does not preheat your seeds to 425°

2/21/2013 1:15:34 PM

Mission Viejo, CA

Better check your oven temp before you try using it to germ seeds. Last year (rookie season) I stuck my first 3 seeds in the oven. It got about 110 degrees in there and cooked them. That sucked.

I put the next batch in the office and put a desk lamp over them. Temp was just about perfect. All three of the next batch germed fine.

2/21/2013 2:10:33 PM

Upa Creek, Mo

I'll chime back in after reading what Kevin said. I too bakedand lost a good seed in 2011 by not practicing and over heating and watering. You can fart on it over and over if that works... point being, do some trial and error now and use what method works best for you.

2/21/2013 2:33:43 PM

Stanwood, Washington

I did the oven thing the last two years and didn't have much success. With the door closed it got too hot so I had to crack the door. With the airflow, I had problems keeping the moisture content right. Got less than 50% germ rate and the ones I did get were taking 7-10 days to come up. Plus I baked my thermometer on accident when I went to bake a Papa Murphys Pizza. :) This winter I created a germ chamber with an ice chest and a heat mat. It seems to be working well with my test germs so far. Every thing is nice and humid and the soil doesn't dry out.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=193914

2/23/2013 11:35:21 PM

President - GPC

Test early and often...so when itZ time to GO, your are @ 100%. If not...then use whatZ already been proven....

3/1/2013 9:30:36 PM

Spanaway

when i use the cooler with the light i check soil temps
stays in the 80's no problems 100% germs can not complain

3/2/2013 1:19:11 PM

Joliet, IL

Good large size germ mat with sensor probe set at seed level to thermostatically control heat. Along with flourescent lights above the humidity dome for a buffer source of greenhouse heat. Set it and forget it. 180 out of 181 in last 3 years starting many AGs for growers with land letting them run wild. Seeds suspect and light to the touch or hollow sounding not considered in the stats. Of 181 seeds that sound and feel good, only one didn't at least break dirt. And it was 6 years old.

Its a very nice system with practice.

3/12/2013 8:46:45 PM