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Vermont Green MTN State

I was told that after you see green the heat pad gets shut off even when the lights are out at night or seedlings become to leggy. Is this true? Or should I turn the heat back on at night while the lights are out?
Doeski

3/1/2004 9:45:52 AM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

If the growing area stays around 70 dgrees I see no reason for the heat. How cool does it get?

Many folks leave the seedling under 24 hour florescents anyway.

3/1/2004 10:29:45 AM

This is just my opinion...From what I've heard, the heating pad is basically to get them to germinate faster. If you try to germinate them in cooler soil, it will take longer, and that means there's a higher chance of rot. Once they germinate, there's really no point in keeping the soil at 80-90 degrees. It's unnatural.

Another thing...you mentioned turning the heat pad on when the lights are out. Those things are unrelated; the heat pad warms the soil, and the lights warm the air. There's nothing wrong with 24 hour lighting for the short time period that your seedlings will be under it. For pumpkins, this is fine.

However, if you're keeping other plants under grow lights for an extended period of time, keep in mind that most plants like a dark period to rest (sorda like humans sleep, plants need to sleep too!), and some plants also prefer a temperature drop at night.

3/1/2004 11:18:00 AM

Vermont Green MTN State

Ok
I will use it for quick germination only.
Thanks!

3/1/2004 3:37:42 PM

If you use a heat pad and leave the heat on for too long after germination you will burn/kill any roots near the bottom of the pot.

3/1/2004 3:55:18 PM

Roanoke Il

I normally plant 3-4 days after germination right in the ground in a coldfame which has 2 200watt growlights or 1 growlight 1 200 watt heat lamp and at night I turn the lights to the ground keeping them on this keeps the cold fram about 30 degrees warmer than the outside temp they do go off when it reaches 80 degrees the cold frames are covered with old blankets at night to retain heat.

3/1/2004 5:21:23 PM

Roanoke Il

Also a cooler with a 15 watt light bulb will keep the inside temp of the cooler around 85-95 degrees ideal for gremination. hope this helps mark

3/1/2004 5:24:50 PM

Ya know, I got to thinking. I have an incubator at home because I hatch eggs at home every spring, and my mom does it in her classroom too. Anyway, that incubator maintains around 103 degrees for the eggs pretty well. When it gets too hot, I just crack the cover a bit.

That could easily be converted into a little seed starting chamber. So if any of you need something cheap, it's just a styrofoam cooler that you can get at any hardware store. There are rectangular viewing holes in the front and in the cover, covered with clear plastic. On the back side, there's a hole where the light fixture goes through, and we use a cylindrical bulb, 40 watts I think. There's also a few ventilation holes about the width of a pencil in the cover. For humidity (which plants need too) we use plastic or styrofoam egg cartons filled with water, then snugly fit chicken wire over them to set the eggs on (or in this case plant pots). With a little trial and error, this setup could easily be converted into a seed starting chamber. Just a thought.

3/1/2004 9:06:20 PM

Indiana

Brigitte
If you wanted a thermostat for somthing like that. A cheap fish tank heater will work (you have to break the glass and cut off the heating element and connect those wires to the lightbulb wires)
Steve

3/2/2004 10:05:20 AM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Steve she gets a better hatch rate than I get with my fancy smancy incubator. If its not broke dont fix it...lol

3/2/2004 4:45:55 PM