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3 acre corner in Whittaker,Mi USA (faulkner5@msn.com)

When it comes to getting your seeds going...Do you turn off the heat pads after they have sprouted or do you leave the pads on along with the lights??

3/20/2010 3:10:39 AM

Rhode Island

pads stay on, light should be only a few inches above the new leafs,even after germination.( if not the stems get very leggy.

for around five to seven days before setting plants out ? place them in a cool area ( like a garage )at night and then back under the pad and lights during the day.

caution--your lights and heating pad should not be placed in a area where the air temp will vary. no windows or such as the heat could get to intense.
we grow ours on a table inside the house where the heat and lighting is stable.

3/20/2010 6:56:27 AM

3 acre corner in Whittaker,Mi USA (faulkner5@msn.com)

Thanks pap!!!

3/20/2010 5:16:19 PM

Rhode Island

on very sunny warm days we usually put the potted plants in a cart and let them sit in the sun -then into the garage at night. inside heat and light as mentioned above on cloudy cool days.

3/20/2010 6:47:17 PM

Western PA

My theory for all plants after they have sprouted is a no heating pad rule, for the reason you are going to have to harden these plants off prior to planting them out in the patch and spoiling then with that really warm soil I think hampers the harding of process. unless you have some heating cables working over time in the patch that soil wont be no where near the temp it was sitting on that heating pad. therefor making it more shocking for the seedling when transplanted.

3/21/2010 3:22:35 PM

3 acre corner in Whittaker,Mi USA (faulkner5@msn.com)

That makes good sense also pumpkin picker!!I'll have to watch them when I'm ready really close and make sure that I bring the heat down on them if I need to. THANKS for the advice!!!

3/22/2010 12:30:34 AM