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Methods of creating warmth for germination


Logolight

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O.K.  Throughout this summer I've been germinating palm seeds in my garage because the sun provides the heat during the day and the car engines provide the heat during the night to an average temp of 30C.  At this point I figure I have about 3 more weeks of natural heat from the sun before the garage gets too cool for germination and I'm in the middle of germinating Carpentarias and Wodyetias.  Now I've read about the various ways to create artificial(bottom) heat for seed germination like heating pads, heat lamps, and water heaters.  So here's my concerns;  

-I don't trust using a heating pad for bottom heat because it would be dangerous to leave it unatended.  

-Same concern for using a heat lamp.  

-I have an electric water heater that dosen't radiate heat.

-I have an electric range so no pilot light.

-Not sure if building a small geeenhouse would generate enough heat while also creating too much sun light since some palm seedlings evidentaly don't react well to direct sunlight at first.

So my question is what kind of artificial heat are some of you using that is safe enough to leave unatended for extended periods?

Thanks.

Dave

Jacksonville, FL

Zone 9a

 

First Officer

Air Wisconsin Airlines (USairways Express)

Canadair Regional Jet

Base: ORF

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The back of your refrigerator may generate some warmth depending on design. If so, you may have a cabinet above it, or simply place on top if the wife will allow.

Also, an old aquarium or cooler with a little night lite inside is enough extra warmth.

animated-volcano-image-0010.gif.71ccc48bfc1ec622a0adca187eabaaa4.gif

Kona, on The Big Island
Hawaii - Land of Volcanoes

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I too have had good luck with a night light.  I used a small plastic craftman toolbox and put the night light in the bottom and set my baggies on the tray on top and closed the lid.  Get a high/low theremometer in there for a couple of days/nights to make sure you're in the desired range.

If the whole unattended electrical device is bothering you then you could keep your seeds in your car.  I've done it in my glove box and it works ok.  I would crack my windows if it was a sunny day and leave them closed if it was a cloudy day.

I'm currently using two scavenged melamine laminate cabinet drawers stacked together.  One on the bottom and one on top as a lid.  The heat source is a short strand of christmas lights layed on the bottom and covered up by a thin piece of sheet metal so it evenly distributes the heat like a hot plate.  It took a couple of different length strands of lights before I got the right temp:  80F at night and 90-100F during the day.  In winter I might have to change strands to get more heat.  The two drawers give me lots of height though so I can put real tall tupperware containers in there.  Half full of medium and half just humid air for the first spears to emerge into.

Hope that helps a little.

Matt Bradford

"Manambe Lavaka"

Spring Valley, CA (8.5 miles inland from San Diego Bay)

10B on the hill (635 ft. elevation)

9B in the canyon (520 ft. elevation)

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Funny, just yesterday I moved my operations into the garage, where the sun hits hard on the metal garage door. Outside it seems I'm not getting enough heat anymore (too much rain).

Heat sources? Try the attic if you have one, it gets sweltering hot in there (except in the coldest month, at night). You can also try a basking light too, available at any pet supplies store. I germinated biz seeds in the middle of January using a basking light shining into a closed clear plastic enclosure.

In the garage I have had germinations happen during the winter for leftover seeds buried in used germinating medium, left completely unattended for months.

Frank

 

Zone 9b pine flatlands

humid/hot summers; dry/cool winters

with yearly freezes

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It might be tricky to find, but old waterbed heaters work good to heat an area under plastic. They need to protected from moisture though.

Ryan

South Florida

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I've heard many people in the past mention an airing cupboard as a good location.  My seeds seem to be quite happy germinating in my heated polytunnel.

]

Corey Lucas-Divers

Dorset, UK

Ave Jul High 72F/22C (91F/33C Max)

Ave Jul Low 52F/11C (45F/7C Min)

Ave Jan High 46F/8C (59F/15C Max)

Ave Jan Low 34F/1C (21F/-6C Min)

Ave Rain 736mm pa

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(Logolight @ Sep. 13 2006,09:55)

QUOTE
So here's my concerns;  

-I don't trust using a heating pad for bottom heat because it would be dangerous to leave it unatended.  

-Same concern for using a heat lamp.

Dave,

I can see your concerns using electricity for generating heat..but

I think this is your best option especially during night.

I use both heat mats and heating cables for germinating.

The most "safest"way is the use of heat cables controlled by a thermostat.

Heating cables are the cheaper option and these days they come ready to use with a plug at one end which can be pluged straight into a "ready wired"probe type thermostat.

You then bury the cable in sand and place whatever your germinating on top. The cable heats the sand in turn heating your germinating bags/containers or what ever your using.

This is by far a lot safer than heat mats.

If you have a Reptile shop close by you can purchase both the cable and thermostat.

Jason.

Made the move to Mandurah - West Aust

Kamipalms,
Growing for the future


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I've used a closed plastic container with two aquarium heaters heating up water in the container. Aquarium heaters are very safe. You then just float your germination containers on top of the water. The plastic container I use is about 90 litres. The heaters are even thermostatically controlled.

regards

Tyrone

Millbrook, "Kinjarling" Noongar word meaning "Place of Rain", Rainbow Coast, Western Australia 35S. Warm temperate. Csb Koeppen Climate classification. Cool nights all year round.

 

 

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Dave,

I'm all in favor of simplicity, and I've never used any kind of additional heat. You have two basic choices:

a) some kind of arrangement (and there are a number of suggestions above) that'll provide you with extra heat. More work and a little bit extra expense, but certainly (in general) quicker results.

B) simply put the seeds on top of moist medium in a suitable plastic container, then leave the container for a couple of months in the warmest place in your house. (Trópico/Frank suggested the attic, which is generally a great place). Germination may take a little bit longer but the advantage with this method is that you can just FORGET about the whole thing for a couple of months. No need to check on anything! I like that because I have too many other things to remember....

Bo-Göran

Leilani Estates, 25 mls/40 km south of Hilo, Big Island of Hawai'i. Elevation 880 ft/270 m. Average rainfall 140 inches/3550 mm

 

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