How To Make A Homemade Heat Mat For Seedlings

These are mats on which you set your pots with seeds and they provide a small amount of heat to keep the soil temperature warm.

How to make a homemade heat mat for seedlings. The only drawback is the cost. For gardeners everywhere this was a great invention as it gives the seedlings a quicker chance at success. Commercial heat mat surface temperature thermometer placed on top of soil. Seed mats are especially helpful for planting teeny tiny seeds like lettuce carrots radishes spinach and many herbs.

Even after the seeds have sprouted little seedlings often need additional heat when you start them early in the year. They also work well for any seeds that need to be planted shallowly. Providing a heat source under the seed tray urges the seeds to germinate in a hurry. Diy light heat mat surface temperature.

To control heating times use a thermostat or timer. 80 82 bottom temperature gap between heat mat and seed trays. An inexpensive diy heat mat for starting vegetable seedlings greg holdsworth contributor greg holdsworth all photos rope lighting finds new life in a diy heat mat. 73 75 degrees f soil temperature.

Seedling heat mats have become popular over the last number of years. Commercial heating mats and cables are made just for this purpose but christmas lights work equally well. Unlike the hydro seed mat it s easy to control the temperature and the heat can be evenly distributed. It s a great post holiday project for gardeners.

A good low cost alternative is to simply make your own homemade heating mats for your seeds and seedlings. After only two seasons 2 of my 25 00 hydro farm seedling heat mat stopped working. I m now using lcd rope light system for the first time this year. Bottom heat is typically recommended for supplying additional heat either in the form a commercially available heating pad designed for seed starting or as part of a do it yourself project.

If you wish to build your own heating mats for the plants you need to pay attention on certain requirements. Starting and growing your own transplants from seed is one of the most. Make your seed mats over the winter so you ll be ready to start planting as soon as the warm weather arrives.