I am at the point where I want to purchase a heating mat to encourage my african violet leaves to produce babies. If I were to do this...can you recommend any brands or where I might find some on the internet. Thanks, Deb
Heating mat for propagation?
I bought two 20x20" seedling heat mats and a thermostat to control them from Park Seeds last year, and I've been very happy with them.
They have a special deal ($30 each rather than $39 each) if you buy two, and they also have a special deal on buying one heat mat with the controller... Since I wanted 2 heat mats and the controller, I called them, and they sort of combined their special offers and let me have the second heat mat for $30.
I'm glad I went with the thermostatic controller, since I was targeting a specific temperature and my basement ambient temperature is variable.
There are cheaper alternatives, including laying a heating cable in a tray of sand/gravel or building a "light box" (basically an enclosed structure that's heated by an incandescent bulb or two hooked up to a thermostat). In past years, I've provided a little bottom heat to some seedlings by putting the seedling tray on a metal shelf and putting an upward-facing pot light with a 40 watt incandescent bulb underneath the shelf. I know there are threads on these things, I think in the propagation forum.... If you have questions, LMK, and I'll try to find the threads (from last Feb/Mar).
Does the heat cause the ears to appear sooner than 6 to 8 weeks?
Nanna
Oh yes ! Just like with seedlings they like to be warm and cozy helping the growth to be faster. Allison
I used to have tropical frogs that needed ot be kept cool, but not cold at night, thus I had a few flat, sticky, heat mats that would stay on the side of aquariums. Now that I've come to my senses and grow plants, not frogs, I use those pet heat mats to warm-start seedlings. When I find the rest, they will go under my AVs.
I wonder about plants above a pan with a fish-tank heater in it...
Kenton
I considered setting something up with a fish tank heater, Kenton, but it would have to be a big enough pan for the heater to be submersed without touching the sides.... The thermostat on the heater would be a plus, although you'd probably have to monitor the soil temperature initially until you figured out what the difference in temperature was (it might take 84 degree water to make the soil in the pots above the water pan 78 degrees, for example).
That's what I was thinking. I remember when a friend had a heater in a rubbermaid with gravel on the bottom, but I still haven't figured out how I would conduct heat into pots that way...
I did find mat-heater #2 today. I think I have more. I just need a flat tray now to put it under, as those textured and artistically formed tupperware/rubbermaid lids will not work.
Charlie's Green house and gardens has some heat mats under
shop accessories then to Propagation. They are costly. I have nver used them but have ordered from Charlie's with nice products and service
Allison
http://www.charleysgreenhouse.com/index.cfm?page=_a0
I get my heat mats and prop trays from these guys!
They have really good prices I think!
I hope it helps!
http://botanical.com/hydro/propagation/cloning.html
I wonder if something like this would also work
http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=71701&catid=28346&trx=PLST-0-SRCH&trxp1=28346&trxp2=71701&trxp3=1&trxp4=0&btrx=BUY-PLST-0-SRCH
I keep one at the foot of our bed and turn it on just before I go to bed - cold fee, warm heart (grin). You can't really regulate the heat per say, but can pick lo-med-hi temps.
I have a propagation mat too but don't have the thermostat. So I have to put towels down to buffer the heat. It works just fine and is a bit cheaper than the 35 dollar thermostat plus the 35 mat. (not suggesting anyone try this at home, just saying it works for me.)
BUt these heating pads from the drug store seem to do the same thing. and at 12 x 24" the size is right.
Hmmmm.....just a though....
Update...I just ordered the 20 X 20 heat mat with the thermostat. Hope I will get these this week and I will put it under my leaves that I put down on November 11. It has been one month and no babies yet. The plantlets I put down are doing pretty well. I have just lost a few.
Deb
BTW...I ordered it from Park's
This message was edited Dec 12, 2005 10:18 AM
You're going to love it, Deb! I know there are less expensive alternatives, but I've really enjoyed the "set it and forget it" aspect of using one of these heat mats with a thermostat. If you start peppers from seed, be sure to use the heat mat for them too.... my pepper plants were better this spring than any I've ever grown, and I think the heat mat got them off to a great start!