How To Make A Heat Mat For Seed Germination
The germination mat helps keep an even germination temperature between 65 80 f.
How to make a heat mat for seed germination. 73 75 degrees f soil temperature. To control heating times use a thermostat or timer. They keep the soil temperature at 70 f it is best for the germination process. Once your seeds sprout and start to pop out of your rapid rooters or soil you should remove the heat mat.
Commercial heat mat surface temperature thermometer placed on top of soil. This can make a significant difference in the expected harvest in your vegetable garden. When you are late with starting vegetable seeds indoors shave a few days off the planting schedule with the aid of the seedling heat mat. Otherwise the temperature will be too high and your roots will effectively get cooked q.
Heat mats help in the germination process therefore they also called germination heat mats. Why seed mats are important for germination. Do i leave the heat mat on 24 7. The purpose of their use is to make the soil temperature ideal for propagating.
Our seedling sprouting area is near our windows and since we start our spring garden seedlings in january it can get pretty cold for them. Some seeds require total darkness for germination. Most seeds require heat to germinate particularly warm weather annuals such as garden tomatoes solanum lycopersicum and petunias petunia x hybrida which only germinate in temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees fahrenheit. Use a seedling heat mat during the seed germination test if you want to see the results sooner.
Place the seed flat on top of the mat evenly distributing the heat source across the bottom of the flat. 80 82 bottom temperature gap between heat mat and seed trays. Plug in the heat mat and set the thermostat to the desired temperature range. With a heat mat we can ensure quick and reliable sprouting for our vegetables.
Even after the seeds have sprouted little seedlings often need additional heat when you start them early in the year.