Garden seed growing question

[FarmboyBill]

Do I need a heat source on the bottom of the trays with grow lights?

Do I need Both?

[lhspirited]

A lot of people will recommend that, but I've started seeds with my growlights for 15+ years, and I've never used bottom heat. My seeds have done great without it.

[Maura]

We have never used bottom heat. I think it will depend on what you are starting and the temp of the room they are in.

[northergardener]

Originally Posted by Maura

We have never used bottom heat. I think it will depend on what you are starting and the temp of the room they are in.

Maura is right, it totally depends on the temperature of the room. I start my seeds in the basement, which is 60 degrees, and a heat mat means my tomatoes and pepper actually germinate.

[nate77]

I also start my seeds in the basement, and heat was the only way to get peppers to germinate, everything else, including tomatoes did okay without.

I grow a lot of different peppers. They germinate much better with bottom heat. I have some super hot peppers that must have bottom heat and still take a month or longer to germinate.

[whiterock]

IMO, yes, both

[7thswan]

I use a set of christmas lights under. As soon as they germinate I turn it off. Some seeds need the warmth, or they will rot before they are coaxed to germinate.

[Callieslamb]

Or put them on the top of your fridge until they germinate, then put them under lights.

[manygoatsnmore]

I like the idea of using Christmas lights underneath. I used a string of them in a mason jar to provide heat for some chicks hatched in November (in the middle of the coldest weather we had all year and momma couldn't keep them warm). Very useful things, Christmas lights!

[samm]

I used some some scrap blue sheet foam insulation , and placed a rope lite up and down with small pieces of the foam in between for spacers, then used some scrap 1/4 inch sheet rock on top of that and covered it with an old plastic table cloth then set my seed containers on it , hung a fluorescent light over them, hung it right down on them, left the rope light on all the time, and put the fluorescent light on a timer.i had to set mine up in a room in the barn, so I needed the extra heat from the rope lights, I have had excellent results.....I'm getting excited cause I'm starting seeds in the next couple of weeks ��

[FarmboyBill]

I saw a U Tube where a guy had bought 2 florescent lights. He took the lights out and screwed the holders to a piece of plywood, side to side. Then he put back in the bulbs, put eye screws on the other side of the plywood, and a chain to them and hung it down almost against his potting trays. Think im gonna try that.

[Marcia in MT]

You might get one of those small dial thermometers to check on the soil temperature in your set-up. Then check and see what seeds need what temperature; catalogs like Johnny's give you that information, and I'm positive it can be found on the web.

This way, you'll know for sure what you should -- or should not -- be doing.