Discussion forum for the various methods and structures used for getting an early start on your growing season, extending it for several weeks or even year 'round.
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#1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: California Central Valley
Posts: 2,543
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Wondering if anyone in mild-winter climates has used a seed-starting heat mat in the greenhouse. Typical outdoor winter temperatures are 40s at night and 50s days, though we have occasional cold snaps and it has gotten as low as the 20s.
Usually I start my seeds with a small seed-starting mat in the back room on top of the washing machine, which means the whole shebang has to be moved when we do laundry. But this summer a fellow gardener gave me a large heating mat that won't fit in the laundry room, and I was thinking of using it in the greenhouse. We've run an extension cord out there for a fan in the spring and summer, as needed. |
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#2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Wasilla Alaska
Posts: 2,010
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I have and they work great
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#3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Omaha Zone 5
Posts: 2,514
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A local garden center with an indoor greenhouse built a hoop house within the greenhouse and has professional rubber heat mats to boot. They wanted the extra heat and humidity to start the super hots and also malibar spinach that the ambient greenhouse couldn't provide.
- Lisa |
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#4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Brantford, ON, Canada
Posts: 1,341
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My lowest temperature is minus 20C some nights. I use a heat mat and sometimes cover the plants with a cloth. Fortunately the typical low temperature is usually around 0 to minus 8. I consider minus 20 a critical temperature calling for careful action to protect the plants.
I use those body heating pads with control being buttons low med and high from a pharmacy, since they are much cheaper than the typical heat mat, which needs an adjustable transformer for control. |
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