Jiffy Heat Mat Issues

natural · February 14, 2007

Has anyone experienced uneven germination using the black rubber heating pads?

I seeded 2 trays (50 cell, like Craig's) with peppers.
I placed them on the heating pads with the temp control set to 85 degrees. They are covered with the clear domes.

On both trays, the seeds in the outside perimeter cells ( on the short sides) germinate in about 6 days. Then the seeds in the outside perimeter cells (long sides) germinate a day or 2 later. No interior cells germinated.

I placed the temp control gauge in an interior cell about midway down in the mix.

My assumption was that the interior cells would be warmer than the perimeter cells. I thought the peppers would germinate better in the warmer cells, but its happening backwards. How hot is too hot???
Help?

landarc · February 15, 2007

I typcially rotate the trays, I have no reason, but, I figured there might be uneven heating and rotating might help.

Gimme3 · February 15, 2007

no experience w/a heating pad ...but to answer your question re: How hot is too hot...the chart i refer to gives this data that u may find useful...

listed in this format wherein the first number is degrees Farenhiet and the second number in parentheses is the percentage of seedlings germinated, and the third number is number of days to seedling emergence...
for Peppers...here goes...

41F (0%) no emergence at all
50F (1%) still too cold
59F (70%) 25 days
68F (96%) 13 days
77F (98%) 8 days.....THIS is Optimum
86F (95%) 8 days
95F (70%) 9 days
104F (0%) way too hot

Good Luck w/em Natural...)))

wilderness1989 · February 15, 2007

Thanks for the information Gimme3.
John

natural · February 15, 2007

thanks for the info, Bob and Gimme3. I'll take another shot at this.

dcarch · February 15, 2007

Many factors effect plant growth.
1. Light.
2. Temperature.
3. Gravity changes direction of root and stem growth.
4. Root growth is drawn by moisture.
5. Some people believe that sound wave effects plant growth.

Question is, does magnetic field have any effect on plant growth? Most heating pads generate magnetic fields when they are energized by AC current.

dcarch

February 14, 2007	#1
natural Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: North GA Posts: 530	Jiffy Heat Mat Issues Has anyone experienced uneven germination using the black rubber heating pads? I seeded 2 trays (50 cell, like Craig's) with peppers. I placed them on the heating pads with the temp control set to 85 degrees. They are covered with the clear domes. On both trays, the seeds in the outside perimeter cells ( on the short sides) germinate in about 6 days. Then the seeds in the outside perimeter cells (long sides) germinate a day or 2 later. No interior cells germinated. I placed the temp control gauge in an interior cell about midway down in the mix. My assumption was that the interior cells would be warmer than the perimeter cells. I thought the peppers would germinate better in the warmer cells, but its happening backwards. How hot is too hot??? Help?

February 15, 2007	#2
landarc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Left Coasty Posts: 964	I typcially rotate the trays, I have no reason, but, I figured there might be uneven heating and rotating might help. __________________ Lets see...$10 for Worth and $5 for Fusion, man. Tomatoes are expensive! Bob

February 15, 2007	#3
Gimme3 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northeast Georgia, USA Posts: 348	no experience w/a heating pad ...but to answer your question re: How hot is too hot...the chart i refer to gives this data that u may find useful... listed in this format wherein the first number is degrees Farenhiet and the second number in parentheses is the percentage of seedlings germinated, and the third number is number of days to seedling emergence... for Peppers...here goes... 41F (0%) no emergence at all 50F (1%) still too cold 59F (70%) 25 days 68F (96%) 13 days 77F (98%) 8 days.....THIS is Optimum 86F (95%) 8 days 95F (70%) 9 days 104F (0%) way too hot Good Luck w/em Natural...))) __________________ ....Can you tell a green Field.....from a cold steel rail ? Roger Waters, David Gilmour

February 15, 2007	#4
wilderness1989 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: 5b - Effingham, Illinois Posts: 59	Thanks for the information Gimme3. John __________________ I'm from the government and I'm here to help you. ;-)

February 15, 2007	#6
dcarch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NY Posts: 2,618	Many factors effect plant growth. 1. Light. 2. Temperature. 3. Gravity changes direction of root and stem growth. 4. Root growth is drawn by moisture. 5. Some people believe that sound wave effects plant growth. Question is, does magnetic field have any effect on plant growth? Most heating pads generate magnetic fields when they are energized by AC current. dcarch __________________ tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato tomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomatomato matomato