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homemade bottom heat and grow lights for starting seedlings

2609 Views 4 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  Shannon, 
E
Here is my homemade bottom heat for starting seedlings, I used a 24ft length of rope lights (do not use the LED ones) 16ft od 1/2x1/2 wood strip cut into 4..4ft lengths. My bench is 8ft long with 4ft set up with the lights, the other 4 ft for putting the trays when they sprout. be sure and take the seedlings off as soon as they have sprouted. I use 4-4ft shop lights with just regular bulbs , you don't need expensive so called "grow lights"! the 4ft strips of wood are for the seed trays to set on just above the lights. the lights keeps the soil in the seed trays a constant 74-78 which will sprout most seeds in 1/2 the time otherwise


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Nice setup!!!!
What starter soil do ya use??
Any special secret ingredients,?? (pinch of ep. salt or sumpin?)
I have my set up inplace & gonna start cup'n manure compost/peat humus tanite & soak seeds
tamorrow a.m. ta be ready when I get home from werk.. :)
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No secret starter soil. I use Mortons mix #2 which I buy local. It has vermiculite, perilite, peat, no starter fertilizer. I do water the seedlings from bottom (in a tub). After the seeds have sprouted, they come off the bottom heat and moved to another table, then out into the cold frame. I don't soak seeds.
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Nice job. I like it. I 'm also using shop lights, but I'm using a electric blanket. It's working great.
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You are so "crafty". LOL
My set up is homemade too but I use heat mats and those pellets that expand. This year I moved the lights down closer and after they sprout, I'm going to drape foil sheets (emergency blankets) around the shelves in hopes that the reflectiveness will give my seedlings more light. They weren't as stocky as they should have been last year.
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