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jleiwig

Got my heat mat up and running last night!

jleiwig
15 years ago

So I saw a post in the Tomato forum about a surplus supplier that had an 18x52 heatmat for 12 bucks plus shipping. I ordered one and then picked up a 600 watt dimmer at Lowes last weekend. Last night I finally had the chance to hook it all up. Now i'm able to fit 4 10x10 flats across the shelf on the heat mat to start my seedlings in!

It works like a charm, I just need to be careful with it and make sure I don't cook any seedlings! I should invest in a thermometer for the soil, but I think I've spent all I'm going to spend on seedling growing.

I'll try and get a picture of it tonight if I remember. At least my tomatoes should be very happy here shortly when I start them!

Comments (5)

  • sinfonian
    15 years ago

    Congrats! You're up and running now. I agree you can get carried away on spending on your setup. I did. Mostly I blame the lack of proper budgeting for small projects like this. Sure is fun though!

    Great price on the heat mat. I should look into that deal. I don't have one. Would save me space in the kitchen, not having to germinate everything there, hehe.

    I don't have a soil thermometer, but I have my wireless thermometer sitting under my lights where my seedlings are. Best I can do.

    Good luck and enjoy!

  • Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
    15 years ago

    That's definitely a good price, j, and I'm interested to see what that does to your electric bill. Do the instructions say it can go outside, or is it just an inside?

    I'm too cheap to go that route, I took scrap lumber and built a box and use the waste heat from my lights to heat the box.

    Dan

  • anniesgranny
    15 years ago

    I use my instant read meat thermometer to check soil temperatures, so it does double duty for the seedlings and for the kitchen. I also use my waterproof (body) heating pads, set on low, with a wire rack on top to raise the seedling tray off of them a half-inch or so, and they keep the air in the domed trays (also free, clear plastic rectangular salad greens containers) a constant 80F. So far the only cost of raising seedlings has been for my soil-less mix and the seeds, but right now I'm using a small single bulb shop light. In just a few days I'll be home, so I'll be purchasing some 4-foot double ones.

    I have discovered the perfect seedling chamber....an old picnic cooler! With the 2' light suspended from the handles by straps, foil taped to the inside of the lid to reflect light (along with the white interior of the chest) and the lid open just far enough to bring the power cord out, my tomatoes and peppers are really happy campers! This is how the plants will make their 1200 mile journey next week....



    Granny

    Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

  • engineeredgarden
    15 years ago

    That's fantastic, Granny! Wow, those seedlings are getting big! Your cooler idea is really good....

    EG

  • jleiwig
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    I'm not really sure about the mat, but I wouldn't put it outside if it were me. It's 327 watts according to the info I have found. It came surplus, so ther is very little on it.

    I'm not too worried about the electric bill. After all I've spent, that is the least of my worries! It does have me thinking about taking my soil heating cables taht never really worked out as well I had hoped for seed starting, and using them in one of my SWCs.

    If I kept the soil above 65 degrees, and wrapped a couple layers of plastic around my tomato cages creating a greenhouse effect, I think I could have a very early crop of tomatoes if I planted them out there in late March.

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