Seedlings in cold garage - Page 2

mysidx · December 13, 2011

I guess the heat lamp could be over kill.

Alpinejs · January 7, 2012

My new system is yet untested, but in another week...........!!

I got one of those roller shelves from Costco. They have about six shelves
about 2'x 4' I am guessing. On two higher shelves, I put two double tube
florescent fixtures. The entire shelf will be double wrapped with plastic type
tarps with a blanket and tarp on the top. A day or so before planting, I will
test the small electric heater for the appropriate temp. Both lights and heater
will be on timers. I will play it by ear as to when I should move them to my
hoophouses which are heated. Last year, I just grew them in the hoop house
in 3 1/2" square black pots and no lighting and it seemed to work fine, but
this year, I intend to grow a couple thousand more seedlings than last year
and I have less space, so a new system was called for. Time will tell. Oops,
I forgot to mention that my "rig" is in the garage like so many of the posters.

amideutch · January 8, 2012

mysidx, this link should help. Ami

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...Cold+Treatment

mysidx · January 8, 2012

Thanks for the link Ami

rockhound · January 10, 2012

Odd as this may sound, I use a small incandescent bulb for heat since they give off as much heat as they do light. The socket is on the shelf with a cake pan arranged over it upside down with ventilation room. The heat from the bulb rises, is absorbed by the metal pan and spread out somewhat. This gives me the bottom heat I need especially for peppers. Seedling pots go on top of the pan until they sprout, then under my daylight spirals to grow and start some more on the "heat pad". It's a small set-up but cheap and adequate for my needs.

January 8, 2012	#18
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	mysidx, this link should help. Ami http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...Cold+Treatment __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

December 13, 2011	#16
mysidx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Baton Rouge,Louisiana Zone 8b Posts: 340	I guess the heat lamp could be over kill.

January 7, 2012	#17
Alpinejs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Alpine, Calif. in winter. Sandpoint Lake, Ont. Canada summers Posts: 850	My new system is yet untested, but in another week...........!! I got one of those roller shelves from Costco. They have about six shelves about 2'x 4' I am guessing. On two higher shelves, I put two double tube florescent fixtures. The entire shelf will be double wrapped with plastic type tarps with a blanket and tarp on the top. A day or so before planting, I will test the small electric heater for the appropriate temp. Both lights and heater will be on timers. I will play it by ear as to when I should move them to my hoophouses which are heated. Last year, I just grew them in the hoop house in 3 1/2" square black pots and no lighting and it seemed to work fine, but this year, I intend to grow a couple thousand more seedlings than last year and I have less space, so a new system was called for. Time will tell. Oops, I forgot to mention that my "rig" is in the garage like so many of the posters.

January 10, 2012	#20
rockhound Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Tennessee Posts: 285	Odd as this may sound, I use a small incandescent bulb for heat since they give off as much heat as they do light. The socket is on the shelf with a cake pan arranged over it upside down with ventilation room. The heat from the bulb rises, is absorbed by the metal pan and spread out somewhat. This gives me the bottom heat I need especially for peppers. Seedling pots go on top of the pan until they sprout, then under my daylight spirals to grow and start some more on the "heat pad". It's a small set-up but cheap and adequate for my needs.